Sec Form 4 Filing - GS CAPITAL PARTNERS V GMBH & CO. KG @ Cobalt International Energy, Inc. - 2012-02-29

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person GS CAPITAL PARTNERS V GMBH & CO. KG 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Cobalt International Energy, Inc. [ CIE] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director X __ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) MESSETURM, FRIEDRICH-EBERT-ANLAGE 49 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 02/29/2012 (Street) FRANKFURT AM MAIN 60308, 2M0000 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _____ Form filed by One Reporting Person __ X __ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock, par value $0.01 02/29/2012 S 11,908,050 ( 2 ) D $ 27.16 ( 2 ) 62,960,098 ( 3 ) I See footnotes ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 )

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other GS CAPITAL PARTNERS V GMBH & CO. KG MESSETURM FRIEDRICH-EBERT-ANLAGE 49 FRANKFURT AM MAIN 60308, 2M0000 X GS Capital Partners VI GmbH & Co KG 200 WEST STREET NEW YORK, NY10282 X See footnotes (1), (2) and (3) GSCP V ADVISORS, L.L.C. 200 WEST STREET NEW YORK, NY10282 X GSCP VI Advisors, L.L.C. 200 WEST STREET NEW YORK, NY10282 X See footnotes (1), (2) and (3) GSCP V OFFSHORE ADVISORS, L.L.C. 200 WEST STREET NEW YORK, NY10282 X GSCP VI Offshore Advisors, L.L.C. 200 WEST STREET NEW YORK, NY10282 X See footnotes (1), (2) and (3) GS ADVISORS V, L.L.C. 200 WEST STREET NEW YORK, NY10282 X GS Advisors VI, L.L.C. 200 WEST STREET NEW YORK, NY10282 X See footnotes (1), (2) and (3) GOLDMAN, SACHS MANAGEMENT GP GMBH 200 WEST STREET NEW YORK, NY10282 X See footnotes (1), (2) and (3) Signatures /s/ Yvette Kosic, Attorney-in-fact, GS Capital Partners V GmbH & Co. KG 03/02/2012 Signature of Reporting Person Date /s/ Yvette Kosic, Attorney-in-fact, GS Capital Partners VI GmbH & Co. KG 03/02/2012 Signature of Reporting Person Date /s/ Yvette Kosic, Attorney-in-fact, GSCP V Advisors, L.L.C. 03/02/2012 Signature of Reporting Person Date /s/ Yvette Kosic, Attorney-in-fact, GSCP VI Advisors, L.L.C. 03/02/2012 Signature of Reporting Person Date /s/ Yvette Kosic, Attorney-in-fact, GSCP V Offshore Advisors, L.L.C. 03/02/2012 Signature of Reporting Person Date /s/ Yvette Kosic, Attorney-in-fact, GSCP VI Offshore Advisors, L.L.C. 03/02/2012 Signature of Reporting Person Date /s/ Yvette Kosic, Attorney-in-fact, GS Advisors V, L.L.C. 03/02/2012 Signature of Reporting Person Date /s/ Yvette Kosic, Attorney-in-fact, GS Advisors VI, L.L.C. 03/02/2012 Signature of Reporting Person Date /s/ Yvette Kosic, Attorney-in-fact, Goldman, Sachs Management GP GmbH 03/02/2012 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )For text of Footnote 1, see Exhibit 99.1. ( 2 )For text of Footnote 2, see Exhibit 99.1. ( 3 )For text of Footnote 3, see Exhibit 99.1.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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