Ch-

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020

OR

For the transition period from                      to                      

Commission file number 1-13926

DIAMOND OFFSHORE DRILLING, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

15415 Katy Freeway

Houston, Texas  77094

(Address and zip code of principal executive offices)

(281) 492-5300

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act: None

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☑

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☑

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☑ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act) Yes ☐ No ☑

State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter.

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

Item 1. Business.

General

Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc., incorporated in Delaware in 1989, provides contract drilling services to the energy industry around the globe with a fleet of 13 offshore drilling rigs, consisting of four drillships and nine semisubmersible rigs, including two cold-stacked semisubmersible rigs. Our current fleet excludes two previously impaired rigs, which we expect to sell in the first half of 2021. See “– Our Fleet – Fleet Status” and “– Our Fleet – Fleet Enhancements.”

Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this report to “Diamond Offshore,” “we,” “us” or “our” mean Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. and our consolidated subsidiaries.

Reorganization and Chapter 11 Proceedings

As previously disclosed, on April 26, 2020 (or the Petition Date), Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. (or the Company) and certain of its direct and indirect subsidiaries (which we refer to, together with the Company, as the Debtors) commenced voluntary cases (or the Chapter 11 Cases) for relief under chapter 11 (or Chapter 11) of title 11 of the United States Code (or the Bankruptcy Code) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (or the Bankruptcy Court). The Chapter 11 Cases are being jointly administered under the caption In re Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc., et al., Case No. 20-32307 (DRJ).

Since the commencement of the Chapter 11 Cases, the Debtors have continued to operate our business as a “debtor-in-possession” under the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Court and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and orders of the Bankruptcy Court. The Chapter 11 Cases constituted an event of default that accelerated our obligations under the following debt instruments (or the Debt Instruments):

The Debt Instruments provide that, as a result of the commencement of the Chapter 11 Cases, the principal and accrued interest due thereunder shall be immediately due and payable. However, any efforts to enforce such payment obligations under the Debt Instruments are automatically stayed as a result of the commencement of the Chapter 11 Cases, and the creditors’ rights of enforcement in respect of the Debt Instruments are subject to the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code.

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On January 22, 2021, the Debtors entered into the Plan Support Agreement (or PSA), among the Debtors, certain holders party thereto (or, collectively, the Consenting Noteholders) of the Company’s 3.45% Senior Notes due 2023, 7.875% Senior Notes due 2025, 5.70% Senior Notes due 2039 and 4.875% Senior Notes due 2043 (collectively, the Senior Notes) and certain holders of claims (or collectively, the RCF Claims) under the Company’s $950 million Revolving Credit Agreement, (or collectively, together with the Consenting Noteholders, the Consenting Stakeholders). Concurrently, the Debtors entered into the Backstop Agreement (as defined in the PSA) with certain holders of Senior Notes and also entered into the Commitment Letter (as defined below) with certain holders of RCF Claims to provide exit financing upon emergence from bankruptcy.

The PSA requires the Consenting Stakeholders to support the proposed financial restructuring of the Debtors consistent with the terms and conditions set forth in the Chapter 11 plan of reorganization attached as an exhibit to the PSA (or the Plan), the Backstop Agreement attached as an exhibit to the PSA, and the commitment letter for a revolving credit facility upon emergence from bankruptcy attached as an exhibit to the PSA (or the Commitment Letter), in each case, subject to and on the terms and conditions set forth in the PSA and the exhibits attached thereto. The Debtors have agreed to seek approval of the Plan and complete their restructuring efforts subject to the terms, conditions, and milestones contained in the PSA and otherwise comply with the terms and requirements set forth in the PSA. The PSA also provides for termination by the parties upon the occurrence of certain events.

Through the Restructuring contemplated in the PSA and the Plan, the Debtors expect to emerge from the Chapter 11 Cases with a capital structure that we expect will position the Debtors for future success in the offshore drilling industry.

  As of the date of this report, the Debtors have not emerged from bankruptcy.

The Plan, the Backstop Agreement and the Commitment Letter remain subject to approval by the Bankruptcy Court. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the Restructuring and the Plan will be consummated.

On January 22, 2021, the Debtors filed the Plan and a related disclosure statement (or the Disclosure Statement) with the Bankruptcy Court. On January 23, 2021, the Debtors also filed a motion seeking Bankruptcy Court approval of the Debtors’ Disclosure Statement prepared in connection with soliciting votes to accept the Plan and a separate motion seeking authority to enter into the Backstop Agreement and the Commitment Letter and approval of the procedures to conduct the rights offering. A hearing on such motions is currently scheduled for February 26, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. (Central Time) before the Bankruptcy Court.

See “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Our Chapter 11 Cases” in Item 1A of this report, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Liquidity and Capital Resources” in Item 7 of this report, Note 2 “Chapter 11 Proceedings – Chapter 11 Cases” and Note 18 “Subsequent Event” to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this report.

Going Concern and Financial Reporting in Reorganization

The risks and uncertainties surrounding the Chapter 11 Cases, the defaults under our Debt Instruments, and the weak industry conditions impacting our business raise substantial doubt as to our ability to continue as a going concern. Accordingly, the audit report issued by our independent registered public accounting firm contains an explanatory paragraph expressing substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The accompanying Consolidating Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, which contemplate our continuation as a going concern. For additional information concerning our bankruptcy proceedings under Chapter 11, see Note 2 “Chapter 11 Proceedings” and Note 18 “Subsequent Event” to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in  Item 8 of this report and “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Our Chapter 11 Cases” in Item 1A of this report.

Delisting of Common Stock from the New York Stock Exchange

Our common stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, under the symbol “DO” until April 27, 2020, at which time it was removed from trading on the NYSE due to our voluntary filing of the Chapter 11

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Cases. Our common stock subsequently commenced trading on the OTC Pink Open Market under the trading symbol “DOFSQ”. See “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Our Chapter 11 Cases – The NYSE has delisted our common stock. Trading in our securities during the pendency of the Chapter 11 Cases is highly speculative and poses substantial risks” in Item 1A of this report.

Our Fleet

Our fleet enables us to offer services in the floater market on a worldwide basis. A floater rig is a type of mobile offshore drilling rig that floats and does not rest on the seafloor. This asset class includes self-propelled drillships and semisubmersible rigs.

Semisubmersible rigs are comprised of an upper working and living deck resting on vertical columns connected to lower hull members. Such rigs operate in a “semi-submerged” position, remaining afloat, off bottom, in a position in which the lower hull is approximately 55 feet to 90 feet below the water line and the upper deck protrudes well above the surface. Semisubmersibles hold position while drilling by use of a series of small propulsion units or thrusters that provide dynamic positioning, or DP, to keep the rig on location, or with anchors tethered to the sea bed. Although DP semisubmersibles are self-propelled, such rigs may be moved long distances with the assistance of tug boats. Non-DP, or moored, semisubmersibles require tug boats or the use of a heavy lift vessel to move between locations.

A drillship is an adaptation of a maritime vessel that is designed and constructed to carry out drilling operations by means of a substructure with a moon pool centrally located in the hull. Drillships are typically self-propelled and are positioned over a drill site through the use of a DP system similar to those used on semisubmersible rigs.

Fleet Status

The following table presents additional information regarding our floater fleet at February 1, 2021:

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Markets

The principal markets for our offshore contract drilling services are:

We actively market our rigs worldwide. From time to time, our fleet operates in various other markets throughout the world. See Note 17 “Segments and Geographic Area Analysis” to our Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this report.

Offshore Contract Drilling Services

Our contracts to provide offshore drilling services vary in their terms and provisions. We typically obtain our contracts through a competitive bid process, although it is not unusual for us to be awarded drilling contracts following direct negotiations. Our drilling contracts generally provide for a basic dayrate regardless of whether or not drilling results in a productive well. Drilling contracts generally also provide for reductions in rates during periods when the rig is being moved or when drilling operations are interrupted or restricted by equipment breakdowns, adverse weather conditions or other circumstances. Under dayrate contracts, we generally pay the operating expenses of the rig, including wages and the cost of incidental supplies. Historically, dayrate contracts have accounted for the majority of our revenues. In addition, from time to time, our dayrate contracts may also provide for the ability to earn an incentive bonus from our customer based upon performance.

The duration of a dayrate drilling contract is generally tied to the time required to drill a single well or a group of wells, in what we refer to as a well-to-well contract, or a fixed period of time, in what we refer to as a term contract. Our drilling contracts may be terminated by the customer in the event the drilling unit is destroyed or lost, or if drilling operations are suspended for an extended period of time as a result of a breakdown of equipment or, in some cases, due to events beyond the control of either party to the contract. Certain of our contracts also permit the customer to terminate the contract early by giving notice; in most circumstances this requires the payment of an early termination fee by the customer. The contract term in many instances may also be extended by the customer exercising options for the drilling of additional wells or for an additional length of time, generally subject to mutually agreeable terms and rates at the time of the extension. In periods of decreasing demand for offshore rigs, drilling contractors may prefer longer term contracts to preserve dayrates at existing levels and ensure utilization,

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while customers may prefer shorter contracts that allow them to more quickly obtain the benefit of declining dayrates. Moreover, drilling contractors may accept lower dayrates in a declining market in order to obtain longer-term contracts and add backlog. See “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Our Business and Operations – We may not be able to renew or replace expiring contracts for our rigs” and “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Our Business and Operations – Our business involves numerous operating hazards that could expose us to significant losses and significant damage claims. We are not fully insured against all of these risks and our contractual indemnity provisions may not fully protect us,” in Item 1A of this report. For a discussion of our contract backlog, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Contract Drilling Backlog” in Item 7 of this report.           

Customers

We provide offshore drilling services to a customer base that includes major and independent oil and gas companies and government-owned oil companies. During 2020, 2019 and 2018, we performed services for 10, 12 and 13 different customers, respectively. During 2020, 2019 and 2018, our most significant customers were as follows:

No other customer accounted for 10% or more of our annual total consolidated revenues during 2020, 2019 or 2018. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Business and Operations – Our industry is highly competitive, with an oversupply of drilling rigs and intense price competition” and “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Business and Operations – Our customer base is concentrated” in Item 1A of this report.

As of January 1, 2021, our contract backlog was an aggregate $1.2 billion attributable to nine customers, compared to $1.6 billion as of January 1, 2020 attributable to ten customers. For the two-year period 2021 to 2022, $0.5 billion (or 52%) of our current contracted backlog is attributable to future operations with two customers. For the years 2023 to 2024, $0.3 billion (or 100%) of our current contracted backlog is attributable to future operations with a single customer. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Contract Drilling Backlog” in Item 7 of this report. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Business and Operations – We can provide no assurance that our drilling contracts will not be terminated early or that our current backlog of contract drilling revenue ultimately will be realized” in Item 1A of this report.

Competition

Based on industry data, as of the date of this report, there are approximately 730 mobile drilling rigs (drillships, semisubmersibles and jack-up rigs) in service worldwide, including approximately 210 floater rigs. Despite consolidation in previous years, the offshore contract drilling industry remains highly competitive with numerous industry participants, none of which at the present time has a dominant market share. Some of our competitors may have greater financial or other resources than we do.

Drilling contracts are traditionally awarded on a competitive bid basis. Price is typically the primary factor in determining which qualified contractor is awarded a job. Customers may also consider rig availability and location, a drilling contractor’s operational and safety performance record, and condition and suitability of equipment. We believe we compete favorably with respect to these factors.

We compete on a worldwide basis, but competition may vary significantly by region at any particular time. See “Markets.”  Competition for offshore rigs generally takes place on a global basis, as these rigs are mobile and may be moved, although at a cost that may be substantial, from one region to another. It is characteristic of the offshore drilling industry to move rigs from areas of low utilization and dayrates to areas of greater activity and relatively higher dayrates. The current oversupply of offshore drilling rigs also intensifies price competition. See “Risk Factors

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– Risks Related to Our Business and Operations – Our industry is highly competitive, with an oversupply of drilling rigs and intense price competition” in Item 1A of this report.

Governmental Regulation and Environmental Matters

Our operations are subject to numerous international, foreign, U.S., state and local laws and regulations that relate directly or indirectly to our operations, including regulations controlling the discharge of materials into the environment, requiring removal and clean-up under some circumstances, or otherwise relating to the protection of the environment, and may include laws or regulations pertaining to climate change, carbon emissions or energy use. See “Risk Factors – Regulatory and Legal Risks – We are subject to extensive domestic and international laws and regulations that could significantly limit our business activities and revenues and increase our costs,” “Risk Factors –– Regulatory and Legal Risks – Regulation of greenhouse gases and climate change could have a negative impact on our business” and “Risk Factors – Regulatory and Legal Risks – If we, or our customers, are unable to acquire or renew permits and approvals required for drilling operations, we may be forced to delay, suspend or cease our operations” in Item 1A of this report.

Human Capital

Employees

As of December 31, 2020, we managed a global workforce of approximately 1,900 persons including international crew personnel, a portion of whom are furnished through independent labor contractors. A portion of our workforce outside of the U.S. is represented by collective bargaining agreements. As of December 31, 2020, over 75% of our global workforce had been employed by us for five years or more, with an average tenure of 11.5 years.

Core Values and Culture

Our global culture is shaped by our Values & Behaviors:

These core values establish the foundation for our culture and represent the key expectations we have of our employees. Our commitment to Health, Safety and the Environment (or HSE) applies throughout our business. In addition, we recognize the importance of identifying, assessing and promoting Environmental, Social and Governance (or ESG) issues as a fundamental part of conducting business.

Along with our core values, we expect our employees to act in accordance with our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which we refer to as our Code of Conduct. Our Code of Conduct covers topics such as legal compliance, conflicts of interest, accuracy of financial reporting and disclosure, confidentiality, discrimination and harassment, anti-corruption, safety and health and reporting ethical violations. The Code of Conduct reflects our commitment to operating in a fair, honest, responsible and ethical manner and also provides direction for reporting complaints in the event of alleged violations of our policies (including through an anonymous hotline).

Talent Management Approach

We take a systemic approach to hiring, training and developing our employees.  This includes creating goals aligned to company priorities and providing employees periodic feedback in order to assess and adjust individual performance. We also employ a succession planning process that identifies suitable candidates, and their development needs, for key positions in the company.  The succession plan is generally reviewed annually.

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We provide a comprehensive training program that ensures employees on our rig crews receive position-specific training as an integral part of their career development. We utilize a competency verification program for establishing and verifying the knowledge, skills and abilities needed by each employee to perform their assigned job function in a safe and environmentally sound manner.

Safety and Training

The safety of our employees and stakeholders is our highest priority. We pride ourselves on being an innovative leader in the development and implementation of sophisticated and efficient job safety programs. We not only try to work safely; we strive to achieve zero incident operations, or ZIO, through our comprehensive safety initiatives. Achieving ZIO means operating at peak performance and completing each task without harm to our people, the environment or our equipment.

Information About Our Executive Officers

We have included information on our executive officers in Part I of this report in reliance on General Instruction G(3) to Form 10-K. Our executive officers are elected annually by our Board of Directors and serve at the discretion of our Board of Directors until their successors are duly elected and qualified, or until their earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal from office. Information with respect to our executive officers is set forth below.

Marc Edwards has served as our President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board since May 2020, Mr. Edwards previously served as our President and Chief Executive Officer and as a Director since March 2014.

Ronald Woll has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer since May 2020. Mr. Woll previously has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer from January 1, 2019 until April 2020 and as our Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer from June 2014 until December 2018.

David L. Roland has served as our Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary since September 2014.

Jon L. Richards has served as our Senior Vice President – Worldwide Operations since April 2020. Mr. Richards previously served as our Vice President – Worldwide Operations since January 2014.

Scott Kornblau has served as our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since July 2018. Mr. Kornblau previously served as our Vice President, Acting Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since December 2017, Vice President and Treasurer from January 2017 until December 2017 and Treasurer from July 2007 until January 2017.

Dominic A. Savarino has served as our Vice President and Chief Accounting & Tax Officer since May 2020. Mr. Savarino previously served as our Vice President and Chief Tax Officer since November 2017. Prior to joining Diamond Offshore, Mr. Savarino served as Vice President, Tax at Baker Hughes, Inc. from 2016 to 2017 and held a variety of positions at McDermott International, Inc., including Vice President, Tax from 2015 to 2016.

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Access to Company Filings

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and accordingly file annual, quarterly and current reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, respectively, any amendments to those reports, proxy statements and other information with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public from the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov or from our Internet site at www.diamondoffshore.com. Our website provides a hyperlink to a third-party SEC filings website where these reports may be viewed and printed at no cost as soon as reasonably practicable after we have electronically filed such material with, or furnished it to, the SEC. The preceding Internet addresses and all other Internet addresses referenced in this report are for information purposes only and are not intended to be a hyperlink. Accordingly, no information found or provided at such Internet addresses or at our website in general (or at other websites linked to our website) is intended or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this report.

Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Our business is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, including those described below, that could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows (including negative cash flows), prospects and the trading price of our securities. You should carefully consider these risks when evaluating us and our securities. The following material risks and uncertainties are not the only ones facing our company. We are also subject to other risks and uncertainties not known to us or not described below as well as a variety of risks that affect many other companies generally that may also have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows (including negative cash flows), prospects and the trading price of our securities.

Risk Factors Summary

The following is a summary of the principal risks that could adversely affect our business, operations and financial results.

Risks Related to Our Chapter 11 Cases

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Risks Related to Our Business and Operations

Financial and Tax Risks

Regulatory and Legal Risks

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For a more complete discussion of the material risks facing our business, see below.

Risks Related to Our Chapter 11 Cases

If we are not able to obtain confirmation of the Plan or another Chapter 11 plan of reorganization, or if current liquidity is insufficient or exit financing is not available, we could be required to liquidate under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code.

In order to successfully emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, we must obtain confirmation of a Chapter 11 plan of reorganization by the Bankruptcy Court. If confirmation by the Bankruptcy Court does not occur, we could be forced to liquidate under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code.

There can be no assurance that our current cash position and amounts of cash from future operations will be sufficient to fund operations. In the event that we do not have sufficient cash to meet our liquidity requirements or exit financing is not available, we may be required to seek additional financing. There can be no assurance that such additional financing would be available, or, if available, would be available on acceptable terms. Failure to secure any necessary exit financing or additional financing would have a material adverse effect on our operations and ability to continue as a going concern.

Upon a showing of cause, the Bankruptcy Court may convert our Chapter 11 Cases to a case under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. In such event, a Chapter 7 trustee would be appointed or elected to liquidate our assets for distribution in accordance with the priorities established by the Bankruptcy Code. We believe that liquidation under Chapter 7 would result in significantly smaller distributions being made to our creditors than those provided for in the Plan or another Chapter 11 plan of reorganization because of (i) the likelihood that the assets would have to be sold or otherwise disposed of in a distressed fashion over a short period of time rather than in a controlled manner and as a going concern, (ii) additional administrative expenses involved in the appointment of a Chapter 7 trustee, and (iii) additional expenses and claims, some of which would be entitled to priority, that would be generated during the liquidation and from the rejection of leases and other executory contracts in connection with a cessation of operations.

The Plan is, and any other plan of reorganization would be, based in large part upon assumptions and analyses developed by us; if these assumptions and analyses prove to be incorrect, our Plan or such other plan may be unsuccessful in its execution.

The Plan that we are seeking to implement will affect both our capital structure and the ownership, structure and operation of our businesses and reflects assumptions and analyses based on our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we consider appropriate under the circumstances. Whether actual future results and developments will be consistent with our expectations and assumptions depends on a number of factors, including but not limited to:

The failure of any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on the successful reorganization of our business.

In addition, the Plan relies upon, and any other plan would rely upon, financial projections, including with respect to revenues, earnings, capital expenditures, debt service and cash flow. Financial forecasts are necessarily

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speculative, and it is likely that one or more of the assumptions and estimates that are the basis of these financial forecasts will not be entirely accurate. The forecasts may be even more speculative than normal, because they involve fundamental changes in our capital structure. Accordingly, we expect that our actual financial condition and results of operations will differ, perhaps materially, from what we have anticipated. Consequently, there can be no assurance that the results or developments contemplated by the Plan or any other plan of reorganization we may implement will occur or, even if they do occur, that they will have the anticipated effects on us and our subsidiaries or our business or operations. The failure of any such results or developments to materialize as anticipated could have a material adverse effect on the successful execution of the Plan or any other plan of reorganization.

The Chapter 11 Cases may have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. In addition, the Chapter 11 Cases may have a material adverse impact on the trading price and may result in the cancellation and discharge of our securities, including our common stock. If approved by the Bankruptcy Court, a plan of reorganization will govern distributions to and the recoveries of holders of our securities.

We commenced our Chapter 11 Cases in the Bankruptcy Court on April 26, 2020 and filed our Plan of reorganization with the Bankruptcy Court on January 22, 2021. The Plan has not yet been confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court.

The Chapter 11 Cases could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. So long as the Chapter 11 Cases continue, our management may be required to spend a significant amount of time and effort dealing with the restructuring while at the same time attending to our business operations. Bankruptcy Court protection and operating as debtors in possession also may make it more difficult to retain management and the key personnel necessary to the success and growth of our business. In addition, during the pendency of the Chapter 11 Cases, our customers and suppliers might lose confidence in our ability to reorganize our business successfully and may seek to establish alternative commercial relationships, which may cause, among other things, our suppliers, vendors, counterparties and service providers to renegotiate the terms of our agreements, attempt to terminate their relationship with us or require financial assurances from us. Customers may lose confidence in our ability to provide them the level of service they expect, resulting in a significant decline in our revenues and cash flow.

We are subject to the risks and uncertainties associated with our Chapter 11 proceedings.

As more fully described elsewhere in this report, the Debtors filed voluntary petitions to reorganize under Chapter 11 on April 26, 2020. During our Chapter 11 Cases, we continue to operate our business as debtors-in-possession under the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Court and in accordance with the applicable provisions of Chapter 11. As a consequence of our Chapter 11 filing, our operations, including our ability to develop and execute our business plan, and our continuation as a going concern, will be subject to the risks and uncertainties associated with bankruptcy. These risks include, but are not limited to, the following:

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Delays in the Chapter 11 proceedings increase the risks of our inability to reorganize our business and emerge from bankruptcy and may increase our costs associated with the bankruptcy process.

 These risks and uncertainties could affect our business and operations in various ways. For example, negative publicity associated with the Chapter 11 proceedings could adversely affect our relationships with our vendors, suppliers, service providers, customers, employees and other third parties, which in turn could adversely affect our operations and financial condition. In particular, critical suppliers, vendors and customers may determine not to do business with us due to the Chapter 11 proceedings. In addition, certain transactions may also require the consent of lenders under any subsequent debtor-in-possession financing. Also, during the pendency of any Chapter 11 proceedings, we will need the prior approval of the Bankruptcy Court for certain transactions outside the ordinary course of business, which may limit our ability to respond timely to certain events or take advantage of certain opportunities. Additionally, losses of key personnel or erosion of employee morale could have a material adverse effect on our ability to meet customer expectations, thereby adversely affecting our business and results of operations. Because of the risks and uncertainties associated with a voluntary filing for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code and the related proceedings, we cannot accurately predict or quantify the ultimate impact that events that occur during our Chapter 11 Cases may have on our business, financial condition and results of operations, and there is no certainty as to our ability to continue as a going concern.

As a result of the Chapter 11 Cases, the realization of our assets and liquidation of our liabilities are subject to uncertainty, and our historical financial information will not be indicative of our future financial performance.

If a plan of reorganization, including the Plan, is ultimately confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court, our capital structure will likely be significantly altered under such plan (whether or not following a sale of our business or certain of our material assets pursuant to Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code). Under fresh-start accounting rules that may apply to us upon the effective date of a plan of reorganization, our assets and liabilities would be adjusted to fair values and our accumulated earnings would be restated to zero. Accordingly, if fresh-start accounting rules apply, our financial condition and results of operations following our emergence from Chapter 11 would not be comparable to the financial condition and results of operations reflected in our historical financial statements. Further, a plan of reorganization, including the Plan, could materially change the amounts and classifications reported in our consolidated historical financial statements, which do not give effect to any adjustments to the carrying value of assets or amounts of liabilities that might be necessary as a consequence of confirmation of a plan of reorganization.

While operating under the protection of the Bankruptcy Code, and subject to Bankruptcy Court approval or otherwise as permitted in the normal course of business, we may seek a sale of our business or certain of our material assets pursuant to Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code in conjunction with, or instead of, a plan of reorganization, including the Plan. Any sales or disposals of assets and liquidations or settlements of liabilities may be for amounts other than those reflected in our Consolidated Financial Statements. In connection with the Chapter 11 Cases, it is also possible that additional restructuring and related charges may be identified and recorded in future periods. Such sales, disposals, liquidations, settlements or charges could be material to our consolidated financial position and results of operations in any given period.

We may be subject to claims that will not be discharged in the Chapter 11 Cases, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

The Bankruptcy Code provides that the confirmation of a plan of reorganization discharges a debtor from, among other things, substantially all debts arising prior to consummation of a plan of reorganization. With few exceptions, all claims against the Debtors that arose prior to the commencement of the bankruptcy proceedings or before consummation of the plan of reorganization (i) would be subject to compromise and/or treatment under the plan of reorganization and/or (ii) would be discharged in accordance with the Bankruptcy Code and the terms of the plan of reorganization. Subject to the terms of the plan of reorganization and orders of the Bankruptcy Court, any claims not ultimately discharged pursuant to the plan of reorganization could be asserted against the reorganized

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entities and may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations on a post-reorganization basis.

Operating under Chapter 11 may restrict our ability to pursue our business strategies.

 Under Chapter 11, transactions outside the ordinary course of business will be subject to the prior approval of the Bankruptcy Court, which may limit our ability to respond in a timely manner to certain events or take advantage of certain opportunities. We must obtain Bankruptcy Court approval to, among other things:

The pursuit of the Chapter 11 Cases has consumed, and will continue to consume, a substantial portion of the time and attention of our corporate management and will impact how our business is conducted, which may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations, and we may face increased levels of employee attrition.

The requirements of the Chapter 11 Cases have consumed and will continue to consume a substantial portion of our corporate management’s time and attention and leave them with less time to devote to the operations of our business. This diversion of corporate management’s attention may have a material adverse effect on the conduct of our business, and, as a result, on our financial condition and results of operations, particularly if the Chapter 11 Cases are protracted.

 During the pendency of the Chapter 11 Cases, our employees will face considerable distraction and uncertainty, and we may experience increased levels of employee attrition. A loss of key personnel or material erosion of employee morale could have a material adverse effect on our ability to effectively, efficiently and safely conduct our business, and could impair our ability to execute our strategy and implement operational initiatives, thereby having a material adverse effect on our business and on our financial condition and results of operations. The loss of the services of any members of our senior management could impair our ability to execute our strategy and, as a result, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Even if a Chapter 11 plan of reorganization is consummated, we may not be able to achieve our stated goals and continue as a going concern.

Even if the Plan, or any other Chapter 11 plan of reorganization, is consummated, we may continue to face a number of risks, such as further deterioration in oil prices or other changes in economic conditions, changes in our industry, changes in demand for our services and increasing expenses. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee that the Plan, or any other Chapter 11 plan of reorganization, will achieve our stated goals.

Furthermore, even if our debts are reduced through the Plan, or any other Chapter 11 plan of reorganization, we may need to raise additional funds through public or private debt or equity financing or other various means to fund our business after the completion of the Chapter 11 Cases. Our access to additional financing may be limited, if it is available at all. Therefore, adequate funds may not be available when needed or may not be available on favorable terms.

It is likely at this time that our common stock will be cancelled and that holders of such common stock will not receive any distribution with respect to, or be able to recover any portion of, their investments.

 We have a significant amount of indebtedness that is senior to our common stock in our capital structure. Although the Plan contemplates no distributions with respect to our common stock, the Plan has not yet been approved by the Bankruptcy Court. Accordingly, it is unclear at this stage of the Chapter 11 Cases if any distributions will ultimately be made with respect to our common stock and other outstanding equity interests. It is possible that these equity interests may be cancelled and extinguished upon the approval of the Bankruptcy Court

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and the holders thereof would not be entitled to receive, and would not receive or retain, any property or interest in property on account of such equity interests. In the event of a cancellation of these equity interests, amounts invested by such holders in our outstanding equity securities will not be recoverable. Consequently, our currently outstanding common stock would have no value. Trading prices for our common stock are very volatile and may bear little or no relationship to the actual recovery, if any, by the holders of such securities in the Chapter 11 Cases. Accordingly, we urge that extreme caution be exercised with respect to existing and future investments in our equity securities and any of our other securities.

The NYSE has delisted our common stock. Trading in our securities during the pendency of the Chapter 11 Cases is highly speculative and poses substantial risks.

The NYSE delisted our common stock because we are no longer suitable for listing pursuant to the NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 802.01D as a result of the filing of the Chapter 11 Cases. Since April 28, 2020, our common stock has been quoted on the OTC Pink Open Market under the symbol “DOFSQ.” We can provide no assurance that our common stock will continue to trade on this market, whether broker-dealers will continue to provide public quotes of our common stock on this market, whether the trading volume of our common stock will be sufficient to provide for an efficient trading market, or whether quotes for our common stock will continue on this market in the future. These developments could result in significantly lower trading volumes and reduced liquidity for investors seeking to buy or sell shares of our common stock.

Risks Related to Our Business and Operations

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus have had a material adverse effect on and are expected to continue to have a material adverse effect on our business, operations and financial results.

 The COVID-19 outbreak and its development into a pandemic in March 2020 continue to significantly impact our business and the geographical areas in which we operate.  These events continue to result in various actions by governmental authorities in many parts of the world to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, such as imposing mandatory closures of all non-essential business facilities, seeking voluntary closures of business facilities, declaring border closings, and imposing restrictions on, or advisories with respect to, travel, business operations and public gatherings or interactions. Moreover, any resurgence in COVID-19 infections could result in the imposition of new governmental lockdowns, quarantine requirements or other restrictions in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. In addition, the risk of infection and health risk associated with COVID-19, and the related death or illness of many individuals across the globe, continue to result in actions by individuals and companies seeking to curtail the spread of COVID-19, such as companies requiring employees to work remotely, suspending all non-essential travel for employees and discouraging employee attendance at in-person work-related meetings, as well as individuals voluntarily social distancing and self-quarantining. Although vaccines for COVID-19 have been developed and are being distributed, the phased rollout by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, and delays in distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine could result in new governmental lockdowns, quarantine requirements or other restrictions.

 The COVID-19 pandemic and the actions taken by businesses and governments in response to it have significantly slowed global economic activity as a result of, among other things, the dramatic decrease in the number of businesses open for operation and a substantial reduction in the number of people across the world that have been leaving their residence to commute to work or to purchase goods and services. This reduction has also resulted in airlines dramatically reducing flights. As a result, there has also been a sharp reduction in the demand for oil and a precipitous decline in oil prices. In the first half of 2020, oil price volatility was exacerbated by disputes over production levels among oil-producing countries, the significant increase in production levels by such countries and limited storage capacity for crude oil and refined products. In addition, the global economy has been further impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through the disruption of financial markets and international trade, resulting in increased unemployment levels and significantly impacting global supply chains and travel networks.

These events have had a material adverse effect on and are expected to continue to have a material adverse effect on our business. Any prolonged period of depressed oil prices could have significant adverse consequences for the financial condition of our customers and result in reductions to their drilling and production expenditures and

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delays or cancellations of projects, thus decreasing demand for our drilling services. We have already experienced customers delaying drilling projects as a result of COVID-19 restrictions and complications. Such conditions have resulted in an increased risk that our customers may seek price reductions or more favorable economic terms for our services, seek to terminate our drilling contracts or otherwise be unable to timely pay outstanding receivables owed to us, or could result in us having to enter into lower dayrate contracts or to idle, stack or retire more of our drilling rigs. To the extent our suppliers experience a deterioration in financial condition or operational capability as a result of such depressed industry conditions or we or other suppliers incur delays in moving personnel to and from drilling rigs, we may experience disruptions in supply, which could increase our operating costs and increase rig downtime. The occurrence of any such events with respect to our customers, contracts or suppliers could have material adverse consequences for our business and financial position.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and impact, we have implemented certain changes to our operational processes. For example, we have asked our rig crews in certain locations to quarantine in-country before offshore rotations, as well as to remain in country after their offshore rotation. We have also adopted COVID-19 testing requirements based on the regions in which our rigs are operating that primarily require testing of all personnel prior to an offshore rotation or travel from the U.S. to an international location. Additionally, for most of our rigs we have implemented other health protocols once personnel are on board a rig such as increased social distancing, requiring twice daily temperature checks and increased frequency in cleaning/disinfecting common areas on our rigs. We cannot guarantee that any actions taken by us, including the precautionary measures noted above, will be effective in preventing either an outbreak of COVID-19 on one or more of our rigs or other adverse effects related to COVID-19. Furthermore, we cannot predict when our personnel will be able to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine in accordance with the CDC phased allocation guidelines. To the extent there is an outbreak of COVID-19 on one or more of our rigs, we may have to temporarily shut down operations of such rig or rigs, which could result in significant downtime or contract termination and have substantial adverse consequences for our business and results of operations.

Many governmental authorities worldwide have implemented travel restrictions and mandatory quarantine measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and, in complying with such governmental actions, we have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, increased difficulties, delays and costs in moving our personnel in and out of, and to work in, the various jurisdictions in which we operate. Such difficulties and delays may result in a shortage of available experienced rig personnel or rig personnel working unusually long periods before rotating off the rig. We may be unable to recover these increased costs from our customers. We may also experience permitting and regulatory delays attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic or reduced staffing at various regulatory agencies.  Additionally, disruptions to or restrictions on the ability of our suppliers, manufacturers and service providers to supply parts, equipment or services in the jurisdictions in which we operate, whether as a result of government actions, labor shortages, the inability to source parts or equipment from affected locations, or other effects related to the COVID-19 outbreak, may have significant adverse consequences on our ability to meet our commitments to customers, including by increasing our operating costs and increasing the risk of rig downtime and could result in contract delays or terminations.

In spite of the fact that COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed, the situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic remains fluid. Due to delays in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and potential resurgences in COVID-19 infections, we cannot reasonably estimate the period of time that the COVID-19 pandemic and related market conditions will persist, the extent of the impact they will have on our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, or the pace or extent of any subsequent recovery. The ultimate extent of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our business and financial position will continue to depend significantly on future developments, including the speed of distribution and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine, the future duration, spread or containment of the outbreak, particularly within the geographic locations where we operate, and the related impact on overall economic activity and demand for oil and gas, all of which continue to remain highly uncertain at this time. The depressed market and industry conditions have placed significant pressure on the liquidity and solvency of many offshore drilling contractors, which have led some of our competitors to pursue restructuring transactions. We are unable to predict the timing or impact of any such restructurings, if completed, on the capital structure and competitive dynamics among offshore drilling companies.

Many of the other risks we face are, and will be, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and any worsening of the business and economic environment as a result of it.

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The current protracted downturn in our industry may continue into the foreseeable future, and we cannot predict if or when it will end.

Crude oil prices, which peaked at $115 per barrel in 2014, have declined to a five-year average of $55 per barrel. Oil prices continue to remain low with Brent crude oil prices in the $60-per-barrel range as of the date of this report. As a result of, among other things, the depressed commodity price and its uncertain future, the offshore drilling industry has experienced, and is continuing to experience, a substantial decline in demand for its services, as well as a significant decline in dayrates for contract drilling services. The decline in demand for our contract drilling services and the dayrates for those services has had, and if the industry downturn continues, will continue to have, a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, including negative cash flows. The protracted downturn in our industry will exacerbate many of the other risks included below and other risks that we face, and we cannot predict if or when the downturn will end.

The worldwide demand for drilling services has historically been dependent on the price of oil and, as a result of low oil prices, demand continued to be depressed in 2020 as the protracted downturn in our industry continues.

Demand for our drilling services depends in large part upon the oil and natural gas industry’s offshore exploration and production activity and expenditure levels, which are directly affected by oil and gas prices and market expectations of potential changes in oil and gas prices. Beginning in the second half of 2014, oil prices declined significantly, resulting in a sharp decline in the demand for offshore drilling services, including services that we provide, and have had a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows compared to years before the decline. The continuation of low oil prices would make more severe the downturn in our industry and would continue to have a material adverse effect on many of our customers and, therefore, demand for our services and our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, including negative cash flows.

Oil prices have been, and are expected to continue to be, volatile and are affected by numerous factors beyond our control, including:

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Although, historically, higher sustained commodity prices have generally resulted in increases in offshore drilling projects, short-term or temporary increases in the price of oil and gas will not necessarily result in an increase in offshore drilling activity or an increase in the market demand for our rigs. The timing of commitment to offshore activity in a cycle depends on project deployment times, reserve replacement needs, availability of capital and alternative options for resource development, among other things. Timing can also be affected by availability, access to, and cost of equipment to perform work.

Our business depends on the level of activity in the offshore oil and gas industry, which has been cyclical, is currently in a protracted downturn and is significantly affected by many factors outside of our control.

Demand for our drilling services depends upon the level of offshore oil and gas exploration, development and production in markets worldwide, and those activities depend in large part on oil and gas prices, worldwide demand for oil and gas and a variety of political and economic factors. The level of offshore drilling activity is adversely affected when operators reduce or defer new investment in offshore projects, reduce or suspend their drilling budgets or reallocate their drilling budgets away from offshore drilling in favor of other priorities, such as shale or other land-based projects, which have reduced, and may in the future further reduce demand for our rigs. As a result, our business and the oil and gas industry in general are subject to cyclical fluctuations.

As a result of the cyclical fluctuations in the market, there have been periods of lower demand, excess rig supply and lower dayrates, followed by periods of higher demand, shorter rig supply and higher dayrates. We cannot predict the timing or duration of such fluctuations. Periods of lower demand or excess rig supply, such as the current protracted downturn in our industry that is ongoing and may continue into the foreseeable future, intensify the competition in the industry and often result in periods of lower utilization and lower dayrates. During these periods, our rigs may not be able to obtain contracts for future work and may be idle for long periods of time or may be able to obtain work only under contracts with lower dayrates or less favorable terms. Additionally, prolonged periods of low utilization and dayrates (such as we are currently experiencing) have in the past resulted in, and may in the future result in, the recognition of further impairment charges on certain of our drilling rigs if future cash flow estimates, based upon information available to management at the time, indicate that the carrying value of these rigs may not be recoverable. See “- We may incur additional asset impairments and/or rig retirements as a result of reduced demand for certain offshore drilling rigs.”

Our industry is highly competitive, with an oversupply of drilling rigs and intense price competition.

The offshore contract drilling industry is highly competitive with numerous industry participants, and such competitiveness may be exacerbated by the current protracted downturn in our industry. Some of our competitors are larger companies, have larger or more technologically advanced fleets and have greater financial or other resources than we do. The drilling industry has experienced consolidation and may experience additional consolidation, which could create additional large competitors. Moreover, as a result of the significant reduced demand for oil and natural gas services due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, certain of our competitors may

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engage in bankruptcy proceedings, debt refinancing transactions, management changes or other strategic initiatives in an attempt to reduce operating costs to maintain a position in the market. This could result in such competitors emerging with stronger or healthier balance sheets and in turn an improved ability to compete with us in the future.

Drilling contracts are traditionally awarded on a competitive bid basis. Price is typically the primary factor in determining which qualified contractor is awarded a job; however, rig availability and location, a drilling contractor’s safety record and the quality and technical capability of service and equipment are also considered.

As of the date of this report, based on industry data, there are approximately 210 floater rigs currently available to meet customer drilling needs in the offshore contract drilling market, and many of these rigs are not currently contracted and/or are cold stacked. Although there have been over 130 floater rigs scrapped since 2014, the market remains oversupplied as new rig construction, upgrades of existing drilling rigs, cancelation or termination of drilling contracts and established rigs coming off contract have contributed to the current oversupply, intensifying price competition. In addition, some shipyards own rigs recently constructed or under construction, which are not currently marketed, which, if acquired by us or our competitors, would further exacerbate the oversupply of rigs.

In addition, during industry downturns like the one we are currently experiencing, rig operators may take lower dayrates and shorter contract durations to keep their rigs operational.

We can provide no assurance that our drilling contracts will not be terminated early or that our current backlog of contract drilling revenue ultimately will be realized.

Our customers may terminate our drilling contracts under certain circumstances, such as the destruction or loss of a drilling rig, our suspension of drilling operations for a specified period of time as a result of a breakdown of major equipment, excessive downtime for repairs, failure to meet minimum performance criteria (including customer acceptance testing) or, in some cases, due to other events beyond the control of either party.

In addition, some of our drilling contracts permit the customer to terminate the contract after specified notice periods, often by tendering contractually specified termination amounts, which may not fully compensate us for the loss of the contract. In some cases, our drilling contracts may permit the customer to terminate the contract without cause, upon little or no notice or without making an early termination payment to us. During depressed market conditions, such as those currently in effect, certain customers have utilized, and may in the future utilize, such contract clauses to seek to renegotiate or terminate a drilling contract or claim that we have breached provisions of our drilling contracts in order to avoid their obligations to us under circumstances where we believe we are in compliance with the contracts. Additionally, because of depressed commodity prices, restricted credit markets, economic downturns, changes in priorities or strategy or other factors beyond our control, a customer may no longer want or need a rig that is currently under contract or may be able to obtain a comparable rig at a lower dayrate. For these reasons, customers have sought and may in the future seek to renegotiate the terms of our existing drilling contracts, terminate our contracts without justification or repudiate or otherwise fail to perform their obligations under our contracts. As a result of such contract renegotiations or terminations, our contract backlog has been and may in the future be adversely impacted. We might not recover any compensation (or any recovery we obtain may not fully compensate us for the loss of the contract) and we may be required to idle one or more rigs for an extended period of time. Each of these results in some cases has had, and may in the future have, a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. See “- Our industry is highly competitive, with an oversupply of drilling rigs and intense price competition”.

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We may not be able to renew or replace expiring contracts for our rigs.

As of the date of this report, one of our drilling rigs has contract backlog that provides for continuous work until December 2021, seven of our drilling rigs have contract backlog that provides for continuous work until sometime in 2022 and one of our drilling rigs has contract backlog that provides for continuous work until January 2024. One of our drilling rigs is not currently contracted for continuous utilization between contracts and is being actively marketed for the uncontracted periods. Backlog for this rig extends until May 2023. Our ability to renew or replace expiring contracts or obtain new contracts, and the terms of any such contracts, will depend on various factors, including market conditions and the specific needs of our customers, at such times. Given the historically cyclical and highly competitive nature of our industry and the likelihood that the current protracted downturn in our industry continues, we may not be able to renew or replace the contracts or we may be required to renew or replace expiring contracts or obtain new contracts at dayrates that are below existing dayrates, or that have terms that are less favorable to us, including shorter durations, than our existing contracts. Moreover, we may be unable to secure contracts for these rigs. Failure to secure contracts for a rig may result in a decision to cold stack the rig, which puts the rig at risk for impairment and may competitively disadvantage the rig as many customers, during the current protracted market downturn, have expressed a preference for ready or warm-stacked rigs over cold-stacked rigs. If a decision is made to cold stack a rig, our operating costs for the rig are typically reduced; however, we will incur additional costs associated with cold stacking the rig (particularly if we cold stack a newer rig, such as a drillship or other DP semisubmersible rig, for which cold-stacking costs are typically substantially higher than for an older non-DP rig). In addition, the costs to reactivate a cold-stacked rig may be substantial. See “- We must make substantial capital and operating expenditures to reactivate, build, maintain and upgrade our drilling fleet.”

Our customer base is concentrated.

We provide offshore drilling services to a customer base that includes major and independent oil and gas companies and government-owned oil companies. During 2020, our three customers in the GOM and our five largest customers in the aggregate accounted for 46% and 83%, respectively, of our annual total consolidated revenues. In addition, the number of customers we have performed services for has declined from 35 in 2014 to ten in 2020. Of our current contracted backlog for the years 2021 and 2022, $0.3 billion and $0.2 billion, respectively, or 46% and 62%, respectively, are attributable to future operations with two customers. Contracted backlog aggregating $0.1 billion for the years 2023 and 2024 is attributable to future operations from a single customer. The loss of a significant customer could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, especially in a declining market (like the current protracted industry downturn) where the number of our working drilling rigs is declining along with the number of our active customers. In addition, if a significant customer experiences liquidity constraints or other financial difficulties, or elects to terminate one of our drilling contracts, it could have a material adverse effect on our utilization rates in the affected market and also displace demand for our other drilling rigs as the resulting excess supply enters the market.

Our contract drilling expense includes fixed costs that will not decline in proportion to decreases in rig utilization and dayrates.

Our contract drilling expense includes all direct and indirect costs associated with the operation, maintenance and support of our drilling equipment, which is often not affected by changes in dayrates and utilization. During periods of reduced revenue and/or activity (like the current protracted industry downturn), certain of our fixed costs will not decline and often we may incur additional operating costs, such as fuel and catering costs, for which the customer generally reimburses us when a rig is under contract. During times of reduced dayrates and utilization, like the current protracted industry downturn, reductions in costs may not be immediate as we may incur additional costs associated with cold stacking a rig (particularly if we cold stack a newer rig, such as a drillship or other DP semisubmersible rig, for which cold-stacking costs are typically substantially higher than for an older non-DP rig), or we may not be able to fully reduce the cost of our support operations in a particular geographic region due to the need to support the remaining drilling rigs in that region. Accordingly, a decline in revenue due to lower dayrates and/or utilization may not be offset by a corresponding decrease in contract drilling expense.

We must make substantial capital and operating expenditures to reactivate, build, maintain and upgrade our drilling fleet.

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Our business is highly capital intensive and dependent on having sufficient cash flow and/or available sources of financing in order to fund our capital expenditure requirements. Our expenditures could increase as a result of changes in offshore drilling technology; the cost of labor and materials; customer requirements; the cost of replacement parts for existing drilling rigs; the geographic location of the rigs; and industry standards. Changes in offshore drilling technology, customer requirements for new or upgraded equipment and competition within our industry may require us to make significant capital expenditures in order to maintain our competitiveness. In addition, changes in governmental regulations, safety or other equipment standards, including those relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as compliance with standards imposed by maritime self-regulatory organizations, may require us to make additional unforeseen capital expenditures. As a result, we may be required to take our rigs out of service for extended periods of time, with corresponding losses of revenues, in order to make such alterations or to add such equipment. Depending on the length of time that a rig has been cold-stacked, we may incur significant costs to restore the rig to drilling capability, which may also include capital expenditures due to the possible technological obsolescence of the rig. Market conditions, such as the current protracted industry downturn, may not justify these expenditures or enable us to operate our older rigs profitably during the remainder of their economic lives. We can provide no assurance that we will have access to adequate or economical sources of capital to fund our capital and operating expenditures.

Our business involves numerous operating hazards that could expose us to significant losses and significant damage claims. We are not fully insured against all of these risks and our contractual indemnity provisions may not fully protect us.

Our operations are subject to the significant hazards inherent in drilling for oil and gas offshore, such as blowouts, reservoir damage, loss of production, loss of well control, unstable or faulty sea floor conditions, fires and natural disasters such as hurricanes and the frequency and severity of such natural disasters could be increased due to climate change. The occurrence of any of these types of events could result in the suspension of drilling operations, damage to or destruction of the equipment involved and injury or death to rig personnel and damage to producing or potentially productive oil and gas formations, oil spillage, oil leaks, well blowouts and extensive uncontrolled fires, any of which could cause significant environmental damage. In addition, offshore drilling operations are subject to marine hazards, including capsizing, grounding, collision and loss or damage from severe weather. Operations also may be suspended because of machinery breakdowns, abnormal drilling conditions, failure of suppliers or subcontractors to perform or supply goods or services or personnel shortages. Any of the foregoing events could result in significant damage or loss to our properties and assets or the properties and assets of others, injury or death to rig personnel or others, significant loss of revenues and significant damage claims against us.

Our drilling contracts with our customers provide for varying levels of indemnity and allocation of liabilities between our customers and us with respect to the hazards and risks inherent in, and damages or losses arising out of, our operations, and we may not be fully protected. Our contracts are individually negotiated, and the levels of indemnity and allocation of liabilities in them can vary from contract to contract depending on market conditions, particular customer requirements and other factors existing at the time a contract is negotiated. We may incur liability for significant losses or damages under such provisions.

Additionally, the enforceability of indemnification provisions in our contracts may be limited or prohibited by applicable law or such provisions may not be enforced by courts having jurisdiction, and we could be held liable for substantial losses or damages and for fines and penalties imposed by regulatory authorities. The indemnification provisions in our contracts may be subject to differing interpretations, and the laws or courts of certain jurisdictions may enforce such provisions while other laws or courts may find them to be unenforceable. The law with respect to the enforceability of indemnities varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and is unsettled under certain laws that are applicable to our contracts. There can be no assurance that our contracts with our customers, suppliers and subcontractors will fully protect us against all hazards and risks inherent in our operations. There can also be no assurance that those parties with contractual obligations to indemnify us will be financially able to do so or will otherwise honor their contractual obligations.

We maintain liability insurance, which generally includes coverage for environmental damage; however, because of contractual provisions and policy limits, our insurance coverage may not adequately cover our losses and claim costs. In addition, certain risks and contingencies related to pollution, reservoir damage and environmental risks are generally not fully insurable. Also, we do not typically purchase loss-of-hire insurance to cover lost

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revenues when a rig is unable to work. There can be no assurance that we will continue to carry the insurance we currently maintain, that our insurance will cover all types of losses or that we will be able to maintain adequate insurance in the future at rates we consider to be reasonable or that we will be able to obtain insurance against some risks. In addition, our insurance may not cover losses associated with pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are self-insured for physical damage to rigs and equipment caused by named windstorms in the GOM. This results in a higher risk of material losses that are not covered by third party insurance contracts. In addition, certain of our shore-based facilities are located in geographic regions that are susceptible to damage or disruption from hurricanes and other weather events. Future hurricanes or similar natural disasters that impact our facilities, our personnel located at those facilities or our ongoing operations may negatively affect our financial position and operating results.

If an accident or other event occurs that exceeds our insurance coverage limits or is not an insurable event under our insurance policies, or is not fully covered by contractual indemnity, it could result in a significant loss to us and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Any significant cyber-attack or other interruption in network security or the operation of critical information technology systems could materially disrupt our operations and adversely affect our business.

Our business has become increasingly dependent upon information technologies, computer systems and networks, including those maintained by us and those maintained and provided to us by third parties (for example, “software-as-a-service” and cloud solutions), to conduct day-to-day operations, and we are placing greater reliance on information technology to help support our operations and increase efficiency in our business functions. We are dependent upon our information technology and infrastructure, including operational and financial computer systems, to process the data necessary to conduct almost all aspects of our business. Computer, telecommunications and other business facilities and systems could become unavailable or impaired from a variety of causes including, among others, storms and other natural disasters, terrorist attacks, utility outages, theft, design defects, human error or complications encountered as existing systems are maintained, repaired, replaced or upgraded. It has been reported that known or unknown entities or groups have mounted so-called “cyber-attacks” on businesses and other organizations solely to disable or disrupt computer systems, disrupt operations and, in some cases, steal data. In addition, the U.S. government has issued public warnings that indicate that energy assets might be specific targets of cybersecurity threats. Cybersecurity risks and threats continue to grow and may be difficult to anticipate, prevent, discover or mitigate. A breach, failure or circumvention of our computer systems or networks, or those of our customers, vendors or others with whom we do business, including by ransomware or other attacks, could materially disrupt our business operations and our customers’ operations and could result in the alteration, loss, theft or corruption of data, and unauthorized release of, unauthorized access to, or our loss of access to confidential, proprietary, sensitive or other critical data or systems concerning our company, business activities, employees, customers or vendors. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of our non-operational employees, including employees at our corporate headquarters, are working remotely, as of the date of this report, which increases various logistical challenges, inefficiencies and operational risks.  Working remotely has significantly increased the use of remote networking and online conferencing services that enable employees to work outside of our corporate infrastructure and, in some cases, use their own personal devices.  This “remote work” model has resulted in increased demand for information technology resources and may expose us to risk of security breaches or other cyber-incidents or attacks, loss of data, fraud and other disruptions as a consequence of more employees accessing sensitive and critical information from remote locations. Any such breach, failure or circumvention could result in loss of customers, financial losses, regulatory fines, substantial damage to property, bodily injury or loss of life, or misuse or corruption of critical data and proprietary information and could have a material adverse effect on our operations, business or reputation. Further, as cyber incidents continue to evolve, we may be required to incur additional costs to continue to modify or enhance our protective measures or to investigate or remediate the effects of cyber incidents.  

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Acts of terrorism, piracy and political and social unrest could affect the markets for drilling services, which may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

Acts of terrorism and social unrest, brought about by world political events or otherwise, have caused instability in the world’s financial and insurance markets in the past and may occur in the future. Such acts could be directed against companies such as ours. In addition, acts of terrorism, piracy and social unrest could lead to increased volatility in prices for crude oil and natural gas and could adversely affect the market for offshore drilling services. Insurance premiums could increase and coverage may be unavailable in the future. Government regulations may effectively preclude us from engaging in business activities in certain countries. These regulations could be amended to cover countries where we currently operate or where we may wish to operate in the future.

We rely on third-party suppliers, manufacturers and service providers to secure and service equipment, components and parts used in rig operations, conversions, upgrades and construction.

Our reliance on third-party suppliers, manufacturers and service providers to provide equipment and services exposes us to volatility in the quality, price and availability of such items. Certain components, parts and equipment that we use in our operations may be available only from a small number of suppliers, manufacturers or service providers. The failure of one or more third-party suppliers, manufacturers or service providers to provide equipment, components, parts or services, whether due to capacity constraints, production or delivery disruptions, price increases, quality control issues, recalls or other decreased availability of parts and equipment, is beyond our control and could materially disrupt our operations or result in the delay, renegotiation or cancellation of drilling contracts, thereby causing a loss of contract drilling backlog and/or revenue to us, as well as an increase in operating costs and an increased risk of additional asset impairments.

Additionally, our suppliers, manufacturers and service providers could be negatively impacted by the current protracted industry downturn, global economic conditions or COVID-19 pandemic. If certain of our suppliers, manufacturers or service providers were to experience significant cash flow issues, become insolvent or otherwise curtail or discontinue their business as a result of such conditions, it could result in a reduction or interruption in supplies, equipment or services available to us and/or a significant increase in the price of such supplies, equipment and services.

Contracts for our drilling rigs are generally fixed dayrate contracts, and increases in our operating costs could adversely affect our profitability on those contracts.

Our contracts for our drilling rigs generally provide for the payment of an agreed dayrate per rig operating day, although some contracts do provide for a limited escalation in dayrate due to increased operating costs we incur on the project. Over the term of a drilling contract, our operating costs may fluctuate due to events beyond our control. In addition, equipment repair and maintenance expenses vary depending on the type of activity the rig is performing, the age and condition of the equipment and general market factors impacting relevant parts, components and services. The gross margin that we realize on these fixed dayrate contracts will fluctuate based on variations in our operating costs over the terms of the contracts. In addition, for contracts with dayrate escalation clauses, we may not be able to fully recover increased or unforeseen costs from our customers.

Failure to obtain and retain highly skilled personnel could hurt our operations.

We require highly skilled personnel to operate and provide technical services and support for our business. A well-trained, motivated and adequately-staffed work force has a positive impact on our ability to attract and retain business. As a result, our future success depends on our continuing ability to identify, hire, develop, motivate and retain skilled personnel for all areas of our organization. To the extent that demand for drilling services and/or the size of the active worldwide industry fleet increases, shortages of qualified personnel could arise, creating upward pressure on wages and difficulty in staffing and servicing our rigs. Our continued ability to compete effectively depends on our ability to attract new employees and to retain and motivate our existing employees. Heightened competition for skilled personnel could materially and adversely limit our operations and further increase our costs. In addition, the unexpected loss of members of management, qualified personnel or a significant number of employees due to disease, including COVID-19, disability or death, could have a material adverse effect on us.

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Financial and Tax Risks

We may incur additional asset impairments and/or rig retirements as a result of reduced demand for certain offshore drilling rigs.

The current oversupply of drilling rigs in the offshore drilling market has resulted in numerous rigs being idled and, in some cases, retired and/or scrapped. We evaluate our property and equipment for impairment whenever changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable, and we have incurred impairment charges in the past, and may incur additional impairment charges in the future related to the carrying value of our drilling rigs. Impairment write-offs could result if, for example, any of our rigs become obsolete or commercially less desirable due to changes in technology, market demand or market expectations or their carrying values become excessive due to the condition of the rig, cold stacking the rig, the expectation of cold stacking the rig in the near future, contracted backlog of less than one year for a rig, a decision to retire or scrap the rig, or spending in excess of budget on a newbuild, construction project, reactivation or major rig upgrade. We utilize an undiscounted probability-weighted cash flow analysis in testing an asset for potential impairment, reflecting management’s assumptions and estimates regarding the appropriate risk-adjusted dayrate by rig, future industry conditions and operations and other factors. Asset impairment evaluations are, by their nature, highly subjective. The use of different estimates and assumptions could result in materially different carrying values of our assets, which could impact the need to record an impairment charge and the amount of any charge taken. From 2012 to the date of this report, we have retired and sold 36 drilling rigs and recorded impairment losses aggregating $2.6 billion. Historically, the longer a drilling rig remains cold stacked, the higher the cost of reactivation and, depending on the age, technological obsolescence and condition of the rig, the lower the likelihood that the rig will be reactivated at a future date. The current oversupply of rigs in our industry, together with the current protracted downturn, heightens the risk of future rig impairments. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Critical Accounting Estimates - Property, Plant and Equipment” in Item 7 of this report and Note 4 “Asset Impairments” to our Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this report.

We can provide no assurance that our assumptions and estimates used in our asset impairment evaluations will ultimately be realized or that the current carrying value of our property and equipment will ultimately be realized.

Changes in tax laws and policies, effective income tax rates or adverse outcomes resulting from examination of our tax returns could adversely affect our financial results.

Tax laws and regulations are highly complex and subject to interpretation and disputes. We conduct our worldwide operations through various subsidiaries in a number of countries throughout the world. As a result, we are subject to highly complex tax laws, regulations and income tax treaties within and between the countries in which we operate as well as countries in which we may be resident, which may change and are subject to interpretation. In addition, in several of the international locations in which we operate, certain of our wholly-owned subsidiaries enter into agreements with each other to provide specialized services and equipment in support of our foreign operations. In such cases, we apply an intercompany transfer pricing methodology to determine the arm’s length amount to be charged for providing the services and equipment. In most cases, there are alternative transfer pricing methodologies that could be applied to these transactions and, if applied, could result in different chargeable amounts.

As a result, we determine our income tax expense based on our interpretation of the applicable tax laws and regulations in effect in each jurisdiction for the period during which we operate and earn income. Our overall effective tax rate could be adversely affected by lower than anticipated earnings in countries where we have lower statutory rates and higher than anticipated earnings in countries where we have higher statutory rates, by changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities or by changes in tax laws, tax treaties, regulations, accounting principles or interpretations thereof in one or more countries in which we operate. In addition, changes in laws, treaties and regulations and the interpretation of such laws, treaties and regulations may put us at risk for future tax assessments and liabilities which could be substantial.

Our income tax returns are subject to review and examination. We recognize the benefit of income tax positions we believe are more likely than not to be sustained on their merit should they be challenged by a tax authority. If any tax authority successfully challenges any tax position taken or any of our intercompany transfer pricing policies, or

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if the terms of certain income tax treaties are interpreted in a manner that is adverse to us or our operations, or if we lose a material tax dispute in any country, our effective tax rate on our worldwide earnings could increase substantially.

Our consolidated effective income tax rate may vary substantially from one reporting period to another.

Our consolidated effective income tax rate is impacted by the mix between our domestic and international pre-tax earnings or losses, as well as the mix of the international tax jurisdictions in which we operate. We cannot provide any assurance as to what our consolidated effective income tax rate will be in the future due to, among other factors, uncertainty regarding the nature and extent of our business activities in any particular jurisdiction in the future and the tax laws of such jurisdictions, as well as potential changes in U.S. and foreign tax laws, regulations or treaties or the interpretation or enforcement thereof, changes in the administrative practices and precedents of tax authorities or any reclassification or other matter (such as changes in applicable accounting rules) that increases the amounts we have provided for income taxes or deferred tax assets and liabilities in our consolidated financial statements. This variability may cause our consolidated effective income tax rate to vary substantially from one reporting period to another.

Changes in accounting principles and financial reporting requirements could adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition.

We are required to prepare our financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S., or GAAP, as promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. It is possible that future accounting standards that we are required to adopt could change the current accounting treatment that we apply to our consolidated financial statements and that such changes could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Regulatory and Legal Risks

We are subject to extensive domestic and international laws and regulations that could significantly limit our business activities and revenues and increase our costs.

Certain countries are subject to restrictions, sanctions and embargoes imposed by the U.S. government or other governmental or international authorities. These restrictions, sanctions and embargoes may prohibit or limit us from participating in certain business activities in those countries. Our operations are also subject to numerous local, state and federal laws and regulations in the U.S. and in foreign jurisdictions concerning the containment and disposal of hazardous materials, the remediation of contaminated properties and the protection of the environment. Laws and regulations protecting the environment have become increasingly stringent, and may in some cases impose “strict liability,” rendering a person liable for environmental damage without regard to negligence or fault on the part of that person. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations could subject us to civil or criminal enforcement action, for which we may not receive contractual indemnification or have insurance coverage, and could result in the issuance of injunctions restricting some or all of our activities in the affected areas. We may be required to make significant expenditures for additional capital equipment or inspections and recertifications thereof to comply with existing or new governmental laws and regulations. It is also possible that these laws and regulations may in the future add significantly to our operating costs or result in a substantial reduction in revenues associated with downtime required to install such equipment or may otherwise significantly limit drilling activity.

In addition, these laws and regulations require us to perform certain regulatory inspections, which we refer to as a special survey. For most of our rigs, these special surveys are due every five years, although the inspection interval for our North Sea rigs is two-and-one-half years. Our operating income is negatively impacted during these special surveys. These special surveys are generally performed in a shipyard and require scheduled downtime, which can negatively impact operating revenue. Operating expenses increase as a result of these special surveys due to the cost to mobilize the rigs to a shipyard, and inspection, repair and maintenance costs. Repair and maintenance activities may result from the special survey or may have been previously planned to take place during this mandatory downtime. The number of rigs undergoing a special survey will vary from year to year, as well as from quarter to quarter. Operating income may also be negatively impacted by intermediate surveys, which are performed at interim

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periods between special surveys. Although an intermediate survey normally does not require shipyard time, the survey may require some downtime for the rig. We can provide no assurance as to the exact timing and/or duration of downtime and/or the costs or lost revenues associated with regulatory inspections, planned rig mobilizations and other shipyard projects.

In addition, the offshore drilling industry is dependent on demand for services from the oil and gas exploration industry and, accordingly, can be affected by changes in tax and other laws relating to the energy business generally. In early 2021, the newly-elected U.S. President and administration took actions to temporarily suspend the issuance of new oil and gas permits on federal lands and waters in the U.S. for 60 days and signed an executive order directing a pause in new oil and gas leasing on public lands and offshore waters, concurrent with a comprehensive review of the federal oil and gas program. A timeline for the review period has not been specified. We are unable to predict the direct impact of these measures, but such measures could materially adversely impact domestic drilling activities should they be prolonged. In addition, the energy sector could be negatively impacted by additional executive orders and suspensions, as the administration focuses on the impact of climate change, targeting a fully clean energy economy and net-zero emissions by 2050.

Governments in some countries are increasingly active in regulating and controlling the ownership of concessions, the exploration for oil and gas and other aspects of the oil and gas industry. The modification of existing laws or regulations or the adoption of new laws or regulations curtailing exploratory or developmental drilling for oil and gas for economic, environmental or other reasons could limit drilling opportunities.

U.S. federal, state, foreign and international laws and regulations address oil spill prevention and control and impose a variety of obligations on us related to the prevention of oil spills and liability for damages resulting from such spills. Some of these laws and regulations have significantly expanded liability exposure across all segments of the oil and gas industry. For example, the United States Oil Pollution Act of 1990 imposes strict and, with limited exceptions, joint and several liability upon each responsible party for oil removal costs and a variety of public and private damages. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations could subject us to civil or criminal enforcement action, for which we may not receive contractual indemnification or have insurance coverage, and could result in the issuance of injunctions restricting some or all of our activities in the affected areas. In addition, legislative and regulatory developments may occur that could substantially increase our exposure to liabilities that might arise in connection with our operations.

Any future regulations relating to greenhouse gases and climate change could have a negative impact on our business.

Governments around the world are increasingly considering and adopting laws and regulations to address climate change issues. Lawmakers and regulators in the U.S. and other jurisdictions where we operate have focused increasingly on restricting the emission of carbon dioxide, methane and other “greenhouse” gases. This may result in new environmental regulations that may unfavorably impact us, our suppliers and our customers. Moreover, there is increased focus, including by governmental and non-governmental organizations, investors and other stakeholders on these and other sustainability matters. In addition, efforts have been made and continue to be made in the international community toward the adoption of international treaties or protocols that would address global climate change issues and impose reductions of hydrocarbon-based fuels. We may be exposed to risks related to new laws, regulations, treaties or international agreements pertaining to climate change, greenhouse gases, carbon emissions or energy use that could decrease the use of oil or natural gas, thus reducing demand for hydrocarbon-based fuel and our drilling services. Governments may also pass laws or regulations incentivizing or mandating the use of alternative energy sources, such as wind power and solar energy, or the phase-out of fossil fuel vehicles, which may reduce demand for oil and natural gas and our drilling services. Such laws, regulations, treaties or international agreements could result in increased compliance costs or additional operating restrictions, or adversely affect the demand for hydrocarbons, which may have a negative impact on our business, and could have a material adverse effect on our operations by limiting drilling opportunities.

If we, or our customers, are unable to acquire or renew permits and approvals required for drilling operations, we may be forced to delay, suspend or cease our operations.

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Oil and natural gas exploration and production operations require numerous permits and approvals for us and our customers from governmental agencies in the areas in which we operate or expect to operate. Depending on the area of operation, the burden of obtaining such permits and approvals to commence such operations may reside with us, our customers or both. Obtaining all necessary permits and approvals may necessitate substantial expenditures to comply with the requirements of these permits and approvals, future changes to these permits or approvals, or any adverse change in the interpretation of existing permits and approvals. In addition, such regulatory requirements and restrictions could also delay or curtail our operations.

Significant portions of our operations are conducted outside the U.S. and involve additional risks not associated with U.S. domestic operations.

Our operations outside the U.S. accounted for approximately 54%, 47% and 41% of our total consolidated revenues for 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and include, or have included, operations in South America, Australia and Southeast Asia, Europe and Mexico. Because we operate in various regions throughout the world, we are exposed to a variety of risks inherent in international operations, including risks of war or conflicts; political and economic instability and disruption; civil disturbance; acts of piracy, terrorism or other assaults on property or personnel; corruption; possible economic and legal sanctions (such as possible restrictions against countries that the U.S. government may consider to be state sponsors of terrorism); changes in global monetary and trade policies, laws and regulations; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; restrictions on currency exchange; controls over the repatriation of income or capital; and other risks. We may not have insurance coverage for these risks, or we may not be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage for such events at reasonable rates. Our operations may become restricted, disrupted or prohibited in any country in which any of these risks occur.

On February 1, 2021, Myanmar’s military seized control of the government and reportedly placed the country’s civilian leader under house arrest. Although the United Nations Security Council has declined to issue a statement condemning the coup, the U.S. State Department has concluded that the military takeover in Myanmar constituted a coup d’état. The Ocean Monarch commenced drilling operations offshore Myanmar in December 2020 and is located there as of the date of this report. While we continue to monitor the political environment in Myanmar, the situation there is fluid and the potential impact of the military takeover on our business, including the Ocean Monarch, remains uncertain as of the date of this report. Any loss of property or interruption of our business plans resulting from political instability, civil unrest or changes in law or policy enacted by the military government could have a significant negative impact on our business operations, earnings and cash flow. In addition, we may not have sufficient insurance to cover any loss of property or other claims resulting from these risks.

On January 29, 2020, the European Parliament approved the U.K.’s withdrawal from the European Union, commonly referred to as Brexit. The U.K. officially left the European Union on January 31, 2020. In December 2020, the U.K. and the European Union announced they had entered into a post-Brexit agreement regarding certain aspects of trade and other strategic and political issues, potentially avoiding some of the anticipated disruption of a no-deal Brexit. The impact of Brexit, the December 2020 post-Brexit agreement between the U.K. and the European Union, and the terms of their post-Brexit relationship not addressed in that agreement, as well as the future relationship between the U.K. and the European Union, remain uncertain for companies that do business in the U.K. and the overall global economy. Approximately 16% of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2020 were generated in the U.K. The effects of Brexit and the December 2020 post-Brexit agreement between the U.K. and the European Union, or similar events in other jurisdictions, could depress economic activity or impact global markets, including foreign exchange and securities markets, which may have an adverse impact on our business and operations as a result of changes in currency exchange rates, tariffs, treaties and other regulatory matters.

We are also subject to the following risks in connection with our international operations:

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We are also subject to the regulations of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and other U.S. laws and regulations governing our international operations in addition to domestic and international anti-bribery laws and sanctions, trade laws and regulations, customs laws and regulations, and other restrictions imposed by other governmental or international authorities. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations could result in criminal and civil penalties, economic sanctions, seizure of shipments and/or the contractual withholding of monies owed to us, among other things. We have operated and may in the future operate in parts of the world where strict compliance with anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws may conflict with local customs and practices. Any failure to comply with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 or other anti-corruption laws due to our own acts or omissions or the acts or omissions of others, including our partners, agents or vendors, could subject us to substantial fines, sanctions, civil and/or criminal penalties and curtailment of operations in certain jurisdictions. In addition, international contract drilling operations are subject to various laws and regulations in countries in which we operate, including laws and regulations relating to the equipping and operation of drilling rigs; import-export quotas or other trade barriers; repatriation of foreign earnings or capital; oil and gas exploration and development; local content requirements; taxation of offshore earnings and earnings of expatriate personnel; and use and compensation of local employees and suppliers by foreign contractors.

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We may be subject to litigation and disputes that could have a material adverse effect on us.

We are, from time to time, involved in litigation and disputes. These matters may include, among other things, contract disputes, personal injury claims, environmental claims or proceedings, asbestos and other toxic tort claims, employment and tax matters, claims of infringement of patent and other intellectual property rights, and other litigation that arises in the ordinary course of our business. We cannot predict with certainty the outcome or effect of any dispute, claim or other litigation matter, and there can be no assurance as to the ultimate outcome of any litigation. We may not have insurance for litigation or claims that may arise, or if we do have insurance coverage it may not be sufficient, insurers may not remain solvent, other claims may exhaust some or all of the insurance available to us or insurers may interpret our insurance policies such that they do not cover losses for which we make claims or may otherwise dispute claims made. Litigation may have a material adverse effect on us because of potential adverse outcomes, defense costs, the diversion of our management’s resources and other risk factors inherent in litigation or relating to the claims that may arise.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.

Not applicable.

Item 2. Properties.

We lease office space in Houston, Texas, where our corporate headquarters are located. Additionally, we lease various office, warehouse and storage facilities in Australia, Brazil, Louisiana, Malaysia, Singapore and the U.K. to support our offshore drilling operations. We own offices and other facilities in New Iberia, Louisiana, Aberdeen, Scotland, Macae, Brazil and Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

See information with respect to legal proceedings in Note 11 “Commitments and Contingencies” to our Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this report. In addition, information related to the Chapter 11 Cases that we filed in the Bankruptcy Court on April 26, 2020 is included in Note 2 “Chapter 11 Proceedings – Chapter 11 Cases” to our Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this report.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.

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PART II

Item 5. Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

Market Information and Holders of Record

Since April 28, 2020, our common stock has been quoted on the OTC Pink Open Market under the symbol “DOFSQ.” Any over-the-counter market quotations reflect inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commission and may not necessarily represent actual transactions.  

As of February 4, 2021, there were approximately 113 holders of record of our common stock. This number represents registered stockholders and does not include stockholders who hold their shares through an institution.

Dividend Policy

We have not paid a dividend to stockholders since 2015. Any future dividends will be at the discretion of our Board after taking into account various factors it deems relevant, including our financial position, earnings, earnings outlook, capital spending plans, outlook on current and future market conditions and business needs and contractual obligations. The Board’s dividend policy may change from time to time, but there can be no assurance that we will declare any cash dividends at all or in any particular amounts. Our ability to declare dividends is generally prohibited by our bankruptcy filing.

Cumulative Total Stockholder Return

The following graph shows the cumulative total stockholder return for our common stock, the Standard & Poor's SmallCap 600 Index and the Dow Jones U.S. Oil Equipment & Services index over the five-year period ended December 31, 2020.

Comparison of Five-Year Cumulative Total Return ⁽¹⁾

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Item 6. Selected Financial Data.

Not applicable.

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with Item 1A, “Risk Factors” and our Consolidated Financial Statements (including the Notes thereto) in Item 8 of this report.

This section of this Form 10-K generally discusses 2020 and 2019 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2020 and 2019. For a discussion of our financial condition and results of operations for 2019 compared to 2018, please refer to Item 7 of Part II, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the SEC on February 18, 2020.

We provide contract drilling services to the energy industry around the globe with a fleet of 13 offshore drilling rigs, consisting of four drillships and nine semisubmersible rigs, including two semisubmersible rigs that are cold stacked as of the date of this report. Our current fleet excludes the Ocean America and Ocean Rover, which we are actively marketing for sale. See “– Results of Operations – Impairment of Assets” and Note 4 “Asset Impairments” to our Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this report.

Recent Developments

Since the commencement of the Chapter 11 Cases, we have continued to operate our business as a “debtor-in-possession” under the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Court and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and orders of the Bankruptcy Court. Additionally, as a debtor-in-possession, certain of our activities are subject to review and approval by the Bankruptcy Court, including, among other things, the incurrence of secured indebtedness, material asset dispositions, and other transactions outside the ordinary course of business. There can be no guarantee that the Chapter 11 Cases will be completed successfully or in the time frame contemplated by the PSA. The Consenting Stakeholders and we made certain customary commitments to each other, including the Consenting Stakeholders committing to vote to approve the Plan.

Through the financial restructuring contemplated in the PSA and the Plan, we, the Debtors, expect to emerge from the Chapter 11 cases with a capital structure that we expect will position the Debtors for future success in the offshore drilling industry. 

The risks and uncertainties surrounding the Chapter 11 Cases, the defaults under our Debt Instruments, and the weak industry conditions impacting our business raise substantial doubt as to our ability to continue as a going concern. The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, which contemplate our continuation as a going concern. 

For additional information concerning our Chapter 11 Cases, see “– Liquidity and Capital Resources,” “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Our Chapter 11 Cases –” in Item 1A of this report and Note 2 “Chapter 11 Proceedings” and Note 18 “Subsequent Event” to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this report.

Market Overview

The offshore contract drilling market continues to be severely challenged by an oversupply of rigs and continued depressed commodity prices, leading to a continuation of the prolonged industry downturn, a reduction in the number of drilling projects being sanctioned and increased competition.

The global COVID-19 outbreak and resulting measures to mitigate the spread of the virus, including government-imposed lockdowns, restrictions and travel bans, contributed to a dramatic fall in demand for oil during 2020. The modest success of COVID-19 restrictions and mitigation protocols in slowing the spread of the virus and the recent development and ongoing distribution of vaccines to combat COVID-19 have resulted in the easing of lockdowns and restrictions in some areas, as well as a gradual increase in demand for oil. However, the increase in demand has been tempered by struggling economies in parts of the globe remaining in various stages of lockdown due to a resurgence in COVID-19 cases.

Commodity prices have risen modestly since the start of the second quarter of 2020, primarily due to an agreement reached by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other oil producing nations on oil

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production quotas. The production cuts agreed to in April 2020 were subject to a tapering plan that increased oil production at points during the remainder of 2020 and into 2021. As of the date of this report, the price for Brent crude oil had risen to the $60-per-barrel range, buoyed by optimism resulting from the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and a January 2021 agreement by Saudi Arabia to reduce oil production to partially offset an increase in Russian production. Despite the modest recovery in commodity price since the first quarter of 2020, some analysts expect downward pressure on oil prices to persist in 2021 due to continuing concerns related to COVID-19 and the uncertain longevity of oil production quotas. Some industry analysts also predict that oil demand recovery/growth will be slowed by increasing fuel efficiency standards and decarbonization efforts. As a result, depressed commodity prices could continue for the foreseeable future.

As a result of low commodity prices and uncertain global demand, many exploration and production companies, including some of our customers, made significant reductions in their capital spending programs in 2020, resulting in the early release of some offshore rigs from drilling programs or termination of contracts. Other drilling programs were paused or put on hold in response to the need for COVID-19 containment. Some industry analysts predict that capital spending programs in 2021 will remain flat or perhaps decline compared to 2020. Given the continued uncertainty around COVID-19 and other macroeconomic factors, many customers have elected to defer previously sanctioned offshore drilling projects, which negatively impacts utilization.

At the end of 2020, based on industry reports, global floater contracted utilization was approximately 60%, with 126 of 212 available rigs contracted. In addition, industry analysts report that 26 floater rigs remain on order, with no floater deliveries having occurred in 2020. Only two of the twelve rigs on order scheduled for delivery in 2021 have been contracted for future work. The remaining rigs on order, none of which are contracted for future work, are scheduled for delivery in 2022 and 2023. Industry analysts also estimate that available rig supply will increase in 2021 as more than 50 of the currently contracted floaters will complete their contracts during the year and be available, increasing competition. To manage supply and reduce expenses in an oversupplied and highly competitive market, drilling contractors retired 24 floaters during 2020 based on industry data. Additionally, during periods of rig oversupply, it is not uncommon for a drilling contractor to elect to forego upcoming special surveys of rigs rolling off contract with no future work, resulting in the cold stacking or ultimate retirement of a rig. Historically, the longer a drilling rig remains cold stacked, the cost of reactivation increases and the likelihood of reactivation decreases.  

During 2020, we recognized asset impairments aggregating $842.0 million to write down four semisubmersible rigs to their estimated fair values. If market fundamentals in the offshore oil and gas industry continue to deteriorate or a market recovery is further delayed, we may be required to recognize additional impairment charges in future periods. As of the date of this report, we have two cold-stacked semisubmersible rigs, one of which has not been previously impaired. See “– Results of Operations – Impairment of Assets” and Note 4 “Asset Impairments” to our Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this report.

As a result of the continuing protracted industry downturn and these challenges, we are continuing to actively seek ways to drive efficiency, reduce non-productive time and provide technical innovation to our customers. We expect these innovations and efficiencies to result in faster and safer drilling and completion of wells, leading to lower overall well costs to the benefit of our customers.

See “– Contract Drilling Backlog” for future commitments of our rigs during 2021 through 2024.

Contract Drilling Backlog

Contract drilling backlog, as presented below, includes only firm commitments (typically represented by signed contracts) and is calculated by multiplying the contracted operating dayrate by the firm contract period. Our calculation also assumes full utilization of our drilling equipment for the contract period (excluding scheduled shipyard and survey days); however, the amount of actual revenue to be earned and the actual periods during which revenues will be earned will be different than the amounts and periods shown in the tables below due to various factors. Utilization rates, which generally approach 92-98% during contracted periods, can be adversely impacted by downtime due to various operating factors including weather conditions and unscheduled downtime for repairs and maintenance, as well as COVID-19 related delays. Contract drilling backlog excludes revenues for mobilization, demobilization, contract preparation and customer reimbursables. No revenue is generally earned during periods of downtime for regulatory surveys. Changes in our contract drilling backlog between periods are generally a function

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of the performance of work on term contracts, as well as the extension or modification of existing term contracts and the execution of additional contracts. In addition, under certain circumstances, our customers may seek to terminate or renegotiate our contracts, which could adversely affect our reported backlog.

See “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Our Business and Operations – We can provide no assurance that our drilling contracts will not be terminated early or that our current backlog of contract drilling revenue ultimately will be realized” in Item 1A of this report.

The backlog information presented below does not, nor is it intended to, align with the disclosures related to revenue expected to be recognized in the future related to unsatisfied performance obligations, which are presented in Note 3 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” to our Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this report. Contract drilling backlog includes only future dayrate revenue as described above, while the disclosure in Note 3 excludes dayrate revenue and only reflects expected future revenue for mobilization, demobilization and capital modifications to our rigs, which are related to non-distinct promises within our signed contracts.

The following table reflects our contract drilling backlog attributable to future operations as of January 1, 2021 (based on information available at that time), October 1, 2020 (the date reported in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020), and January 1, 2020 (the date reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019) (in millions).

The following table reflects the amount of our contract drilling backlog by year as of January 1, 2021 (in millions).

The following table reflects the percentage of rig days committed by year as of January 1, 2021. The percentage of rig days committed is calculated as the ratio of total days committed under contracts, as well as scheduled shipyard, survey and mobilization days for all rigs in our fleet, to total available days (number of rigs, including cold-stacked rigs, multiplied by the number of days in a particular year).

Important Factors That May Impact Our Operating Results, Financial Condition or Cash Flows

Operating Income. Our operating income is primarily a function of contract drilling revenue earned less contract drilling expenses incurred or recognized. The two most significant variables affecting our contract drilling revenue are the dayrates earned and utilization rates achieved by our rigs, each of which is a function of rig supply and

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demand in the marketplace. These factors are not entirely within our control and are difficult to predict. We generally recognize revenue from dayrate drilling contracts as services are performed. Consequently, when a rig is idle, no dayrate is earned and revenue will decrease as a result.

Revenue is affected by the acquisition or disposal of rigs, rig mobilizations, required surveys and shipyard projects. In connection with certain drilling contracts, we may receive fees for the mobilization and demobilization of equipment. In addition, some of our drilling contracts require downtime before the start of the contract to prepare the rig to meet customer requirements for which we may or may not be compensated. We recognize these fees ratably as services are performed over the initial term of the related drilling contracts. We defer mobilization and contract preparation fees received (on either a lump-sum or dayrate basis), as well as direct and incremental costs associated with the mobilization of equipment and contract preparation activities, and amortize each, on a straight-line basis, over the term of the related drilling contracts. As noted above, demobilization revenue expected to be received upon contract completion is estimated and is also recognized ratably over the initial term of the contract.

Operating income also fluctuates due to varying levels of contract drilling expenses. Our operating expenses represent all direct and indirect costs associated with the operation and maintenance of our drilling equipment, which generally are not affected by changes in dayrates and short-term reductions in utilization. For instance, if a rig is to be idle for a short period of time, few decreases in operating expenses may actually occur since the rig is typically maintained in a prepared or warm-stacked state with a full crew. In addition, when a rig is idle, we are responsible for certain operating expenses such as rig fuel and supply boat costs, which are typically costs of our customer when a rig is under contract. However, if a rig is expected to be idle for an extended period of time, we may reduce the size of a rig’s crew and take steps to “cold stack” the rig, which lowers expenses and partially offsets the impact on operating income. The cost of cold stacking a rig can vary depending on the type of rig. The cost of cold stacking a drillship, for example, is typically substantially higher than the cost of cold stacking an older floater rig.

The principal components of our operating expenses include direct and indirect costs of labor and benefits, repairs and maintenance, freight, regulatory inspections, boat and helicopter rentals and insurance. Labor and repair and maintenance costs represent the most significant components of our operating expenses. In general, our labor costs increase primarily due to higher salary levels, rig staffing requirements and costs associated with labor regulations in the geographic regions in which our rigs operate. In addition, the costs associated with training employees can be significant. Costs to repair and maintain our equipment fluctuate depending upon the type of activity the drilling unit is performing, as well as the age and condition of the equipment and the regions in which our rigs are working. See “– Contractual Cash Obligations – Pressure Control by the Hour®.”

Restructuring Costs. During 2020, we incurred $60.9 million in incremental professional fees for attorneys, financial advisors and other professionals related to the consideration of restructuring alternatives, including the preparation for filing of the Chapter 11 Cases and related matters, and in connection with the Chapter 11 Cases. We expect to incur incremental costs of approximately $70 million during 2021 for similar professionals and services. See “– Results of Operations – Restructuring and Separation Costs” and “– Results of Operations – Reorganization items, net.”

COVID-19 Pandemic. The most immediate impact and risks to our business as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak and efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus have been to the safety of our personnel, as well as travel restrictions that have challenged the ability to move personnel, equipment, supplies and service personnel to-and-from our drilling rigs. In some instances, we have asked our rig crews to quarantine in-country before offshore rotations, as well as to remain in country after their offshore rotation, resulting in incremental costs for salaries and other employee-related expenses such as meals and lodging. Our employee travel costs have also increased due to decreased passenger capacity on carriers, requiring additional trips to move personnel. In some cases, we incur freight surcharges to bring equipment and supplies to our rigs. We have also incurred additional costs to deep-clean facilities, for medical personnel and to purchase medical supplies and personal protective equipment.

With respect to protecting our crews and, thus, our rig operations, we have adopted COVID-19 testing requirements based on the regions in which our rigs are operating that primarily require testing of all personnel prior to an offshore rotation or travel from the U.S. to an international location. Additionally, for most of our rigs we have implemented the following health protocols once personnel are on board a rig:

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In addition, the Ocean Monarch was previously expected to commence drilling operations in Myanmar in late March 2020.  As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions put in place by the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the start of the drilling contract was delayed until December 2020. During the delay, the Ocean Monarch was warm stacked in Johor Bahru, Malaysia where it earned a standby rate intended to cover our daily operating costs while waiting to commence its contract. The Ocean Monarch commenced drilling operations in December 2020 and follows enhanced protocols intended to protect the health of the rig crew and prevent a shutdown of rig operations.

During the year ended December 31, 2020, we incurred incremental costs of approximately $12.5 million related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect to incur similar types of costs during 2021 but cannot predict the future financial impact of our response to the pandemic nor its duration in this fluid environment. As such, costs may be more than projected, perhaps by a material amount.

Regulatory Surveys and Planned Downtime. Our operating income is negatively impacted when we perform certain regulatory inspections, which we refer to as a special survey, that are due every five years for most of our rigs. The inspection interval for our North Sea rigs is two-and-one-half years. Operating revenue decreases because these special surveys are generally performed during scheduled downtime in a shipyard. Operating expenses increase as a result of these special surveys due to the cost to mobilize the rigs to a shipyard, inspection costs incurred and repair and maintenance costs, which are recognized as incurred. Repair and maintenance activities may result from the special survey or may have been previously planned to take place during this mandatory downtime. The number of rigs undergoing a special survey will vary from year to year, as well as from quarter to quarter.

During 2021, we expect to spend approximately 325 days of planned downtime, including approximately an aggregate 155 days, 95 days and 55 days for mobilization and contract preparation activities for the Ocean BlackRhino, Ocean Courage and Ocean Onyx, respectively.  We also expect to spend approximately 20 days for an intermediate survey for the Ocean Patriot in the first quarter of 2021.  We can provide no assurance as to the exact timing and/or duration of downtime associated with these or other projects. See “ – Contract Drilling Backlog.”

Physical Damage and Marine Liability Insurance. We are self-insured for physical damage to rigs and equipment caused by named windstorms in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. If a named windstorm in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico causes significant damage to our rigs or equipment, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Under our current insurance policy, we carry physical damage insurance for certain losses other than those caused by named windstorms in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico for which our deductible for physical damage is $25.0 million per occurrence. We do not typically retain loss-of-hire insurance policies to cover our rigs.

In addition, we carry marine liability insurance covering certain legal liabilities, including coverage for certain personal injury claims, and generally covering liabilities arising out of or relating to pollution and/or environmental risk. We believe that the policy limit for our marine liability insurance is within the range that is customary for companies of our size in the offshore drilling industry and is appropriate for our business. Under these policies our deductibles for marine liability coverage related to insurable events arising due to named windstorms in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico are $25.0 million for the first occurrence and vary in amounts ranging between $25.0 million and, if

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aggregate claims exceed certain thresholds, up to $100.0 million for each subsequent occurrence, depending on the nature, severity and frequency of claims that might arise during the policy year. Our deductibles for other marine liability coverage, including personal injury claims not related to named windstorms in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, are $5.0 million for the first occurrence and vary in amounts ranging between $5.0 million and, if aggregate claims exceed certain thresholds, up to $100.0 million for each subsequent occurrence, depending on the nature, severity and frequency of claims that might arise during the policy year.

Impact of Changes in Tax Laws or Their Interpretation. We operate through our various subsidiaries in a number of jurisdictions throughout the world. As a result, we are subject to highly complex tax laws, treaties and regulations in the jurisdictions in which we operate, which may change and are subject to interpretation. Changes in laws, treaties and regulations and the interpretation of such laws, treaties and regulations may put us at risk for future tax assessments and liabilities which could be substantial and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Critical Accounting Estimates

Our significant accounting policies are included in Note 1 “General Information” to our Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this report. Judgments, assumptions and estimates by our management are inherent in the preparation of our financial statements and the application of our significant accounting policies. We believe that our most critical accounting estimates are as follows:

Property, Plant and Equipment. We carry our drilling and other property and equipment at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Maintenance and routine repairs are charged to income currently while replacements and betterments that upgrade or increase the functionality of our existing equipment and that significantly extend the useful life of an existing asset, are capitalized. Significant judgments, assumptions and estimates may be required in determining whether or not such replacements and betterments meet the criteria for capitalization and in determining useful lives and salvage values of such assets. Changes in these judgments, assumptions and estimates could produce results that differ from those reported. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we capitalized $137.4 million and $343.8 million, respectively, in replacements and betterments of our drilling fleet.

We evaluate our property and equipment for impairment whenever changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable (such as, but not limited to, cold stacking a rig, the expectation of cold stacking a rig in the near future, contracted backlog of less than one year for a rig, a decision to retire or scrap a rig, or excess spending over budget on a newbuild, construction project, reactivation or major rig upgrade). We utilize an undiscounted probability-weighted cash flow analysis in testing an asset for potential impairment. Our assumptions and estimates underlying this analysis include the following:

Based on these assumptions, we develop a matrix for each rig under evaluation using multiple utilization/dayrate scenarios, to each of which we assign a probability of occurrence. We arrive at a projected probability-weighted cash flow for each rig based on the respective matrix and compare such amount to the carrying value of the asset to assess recoverability.

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The underlying assumptions and assigned probabilities of occurrence for utilization and dayrate scenarios are developed using a methodology that examines historical data for each rig, which considers the rig’s age, rated water depth and other attributes and then assesses its future marketability in light of the current and projected market environment at the time of assessment. Other assumptions, such as operating, maintenance, inspection and reactivation costs, are estimated using historical data adjusted for known developments, cost projections for re-entry of rigs into the market and future events that are anticipated by management at the time of the assessment.

Management’s assumptions are necessarily subjective and are an inherent part of our asset impairment evaluation, and the use of different assumptions could produce results that differ from those reported. Our methodology generally involves the use of significant unobservable inputs, representative of a Level 3 fair value measurement, which may include assumptions related to future dayrate revenue, costs and rig utilization, quotes from rig brokers, the long-term future performance of our rigs and future market conditions. Management’s assumptions involve uncertainties about future demand for our services, dayrates, expenses and other future events, and management’s expectations may not be indicative of future outcomes. Significant unanticipated changes to these assumptions could materially alter our analysis in testing an asset for potential impairment. For example, changes in market conditions that exist at the measurement date or that are projected by management could affect our key assumptions. Other events or circumstances that could affect our assumptions may include, but are not limited to, a further sustained decline in oil and gas prices, cancelations of our drilling contracts or contracts of our competitors, contract modifications, costs to comply with new governmental regulations, capital expenditures required due to advances in offshore drilling technology, growth in the global oversupply of oil and geopolitical events, such as lifting sanctions on oil-producing nations. Should actual market conditions in the future vary significantly from market conditions used in our projections, our assessment of impairment would likely be different.

During 2020, we recorded an aggregate impairment charge of $842.0 million relating to four drilling rigs. We did not incur an impairment loss in 2019. See “– Results of Operations – Impairment of Assets” and Note 4 “Asset Impairments” to our Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this report.

Income Taxes. We account for income taxes in accordance with accounting standards that require the recognition of the amount of taxes payable or refundable for the current year and an asset and liability approach in recognizing the amount of deferred tax liabilities and assets for the future tax consequences of events that have been currently recognized in our financial statements or tax returns. In each of our tax jurisdictions we recognize a current tax liability or asset for the estimated taxes payable or refundable on tax returns for the current year and a deferred tax asset or liability for the estimated future tax effects attributable to temporary differences and carryforwards. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance, if necessary, which is determined by the amount of any tax benefits that, based on available evidence, are not expected to be realized under a “more likely than not” approach. We make judgments regarding future events and related estimates especially as they pertain to the forecasting of our effective tax rate, the potential realization of deferred tax assets such as net operating loss carryforwards, utilization of foreign tax credits, and exposure to the disallowance of items deducted on tax returns upon audit.

In several of the international locations in which we operate, certain of our wholly-owned subsidiaries enter into agreements with other of our wholly-owned subsidiaries to provide specialized services and equipment in support of our foreign operations. We apply a transfer pricing methodology to determine the arm’s length amount to be charged for providing the services and equipment and utilize outside consultants to assist us in the development of such transfer pricing methodologies. In most cases, there are alternative transfer pricing methodologies that could be applied to these transactions and, if applied, could result in different chargeable amounts. 

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Results of Operations

Our operating results for contract drilling services are dependent on three primary metrics or key performance indicators: revenue-earning, or R-E, days, rig utilization and average daily revenue. The following table presents these three key performance indicators and other comparative data relating to our revenues and operating expenses (in thousands, except days, daily amounts and percentages).