Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
The demand, pricing and terms for our products and services are largely dependent upon the level of activity for the U.S. oil and natural gas industry, energy infrastructure industry and natural sand proppant industry. Industry conditions are influenced by numerous factors over which we have no control, including, but not limited to: the supply of and demand for oil and natural gas services, energy infrastructure services and natural sand proppant; demand for repair and construction of transmission lines, substations and distribution networks in the energy infrastructure industry and the level of expenditures of utility companies; the level of prices of, and expectations about future prices for, oil and natural gas and natural sand proppant, as well as energy infrastructure services; the cost of exploring for, developing, producing and delivering oil and natural gas; the expected rates of declining current production; the discovery rates of new oil and natural gas reserves and frac sand reserves meeting industry specifications and consisting of the mesh size in demand; access to pipeline, transloading and other transportation facilities and their capacity; weather conditions; domestic and worldwide economic conditions; political instability in oil-producing countries; environmental regulations; technical advances affecting energy consumption; the price and availability of alternative fuels; the ability of oil and natural gas producers and other users of our services to raise equity capital and debt financing; and merger and divestiture activity in industries in which we operate.
In March and April 2020, concurrent with the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine orders in the U.S. and worldwide, oil prices dropped sharply to below zero dollars per barrel for the first time in history due to factors including significantly reduced demand and a shortage of storage facilities. In 2021, U.S. oil production stabilized as commodity prices increased and demand for crude oil rebounded. We saw improvements in the oilfield services industry and in both pricing and utilization of our well completion and drilling services during 2022. Throughout 2023, pricing for crude oil and natural gas declined from levels seen in 2022, which slowed down completion activities for our customers, in particular, in the Utica and Marcellus Shale natural gas plays, and, as a result, reduced demand for our well completion services. These factors have continued into the first quarter of 2024. Despite this short-term softness, however, we are seeing indications that activity levels will begin to ramp back up in mid-2024, creating the opportunity to reactivate additional fleets, if appropriate. The ongoing war in Ukraine and the recent Israel-Hamas war, however, could continue to have an adverse impact on the global energy markets and volatility of commodity prices, which could further adversely impact demand for our well completion services.
Although the levels of activity in the U.S. oil and natural gas exploration and production, energy infrastructure and natural sand proppant industries continue to improve, they have historically been and continue to be volatile. We are unable to predict the ultimate impact of the volatility in commodity prices, any changes in the near-term or long-term outlook for our industries or overall macroeconomic conditions on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and stock price.
Interest Rate Risk
We had a cash and cash equivalents balance of $16.6 million at December 31, 2023. We do not enter into investments for trading or speculative purposes.
Interest under the new revolving credit facility equals the Tranche Rate (as defined in the new revolving credit facility) plus an applicable margin, which can fluctuate based on multiple facts, including rates set by the U.S. Federal Reserve (which increased its benchmark interest rate by an aggregate of 4.75 percentage points throughout 2022 and 2023, and may continue to increase interest rates), the supply and demand for credit and general economic conditions, plus an applicable margin. Interest under our new term credit facility equals the SOFR Interest Rate (as defined in the new term credit facility) plus 7.50%. At December 31, 2023, we had no outstanding borrowings under the new credit facility and $45.0 million outstanding under our term loan with an interest rate of 12.9%. Based on the outstanding borrowings under our term loan as of December 31, 2023, a 1% increase or decrease in the interest rate would have increased or decreased our interest expense by approximately $0.5 million per year. We do not currently hedge our interest rate exposure.
Foreign Currency Risk
Our remote accommodation business, which is included in our other services division, generates revenue and incurs expenses that are denominated in the Canadian dollar. These transactions could be materially affected by currency fluctuations. Changes in currency exchange rates could adversely affect our consolidated results of operations or financial position. We also maintain cash balances denominated in the Canadian dollar. At December 31, 2023, we had $2.4 million of cash in Canadian accounts. A 10% increase in the strength of the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar would have resulted in an increase in pre-tax income of approximately ($0.2) million as of December 31, 2023. Conversely, a corresponding decrease in the strength of the Canadian dollar would have resulted in a comparable increase in pre-tax income. We have not hedged our exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and, as a result, could incur unanticipated translation gains and losses.
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Customer Credit Risk
We are also subject to credit risk due to concentration of our receivables from several significant customers. We generally do not require our customers to post collateral. The inability, delay or failure of our customers to meet their obligations to us due to customer liquidity issues or their insolvency or liquidation may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. This risk may be further enhanced by the volatility in commodity prices, the reduction in demand for our services and challenging macroeconomic conditions.
Specifically, we had receivables due from PREPA totaling $402.3 million as of December 31, 2023. PREPA is currently subject to bankruptcy proceedings pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. As a result, PREPA’s ability to meet its payment obligations under the contracts is largely dependent upon funding from the FEMA or other sources. See Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies—Accounts Receivable and —Concentrations of Credit Risk and Significant Customers and Note 20. Commitments and Contingencies—Litigation of our consolidated financial statements contained elsewhere in this annual report for additional information.
Seasonality
We provide infrastructure services in the northeastern, southwestern, midwestern and western portions of the United States. We provide well completion and drilling services primarily in the Utica, Permian Basin, Eagle Ford, Marcellus, Granite Wash, Cana Woodford and Cleveland sand resource plays located in the continental U.S. We provide remote accommodation services in the oil sands in Alberta, Canada. We serve these markets through our facilities and service centers that are strategically located to serve our customers in Ohio, Texas, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Colorado, California, Indiana and Alberta, Canada. For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, we generated approximately 48%, 45% and 48%, respectively, of our revenue from our operations in Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Canada where weather conditions may be severe. As a result, our operations may be limited or disrupted, particularly during winter and spring months, in these geographic regions, which would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Our operations in Oklahoma and Texas are generally not affected by seasonal weather conditions.
Inflation
Although the impact of inflation has been insignificant on our operations in prior years, inflation in the U.S. has been rising at its fastest rate in over 40 years, creating inflationary pressure on the cost of services, equipment and other goods in our industries and other sectors and contributing to labor and materials shortages across the supply-chain. Throughout 2022 and 2023, the Federal Reserve increased its benchmark interest rates by an aggregate of 4.75 percentage points, and may continue increasing benchmark interest rates in the future. If the efforts to control inflation are not successful and inflationary pressures persist, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
The information required by this item appears beginning on page F-1 following the signature pages of this report.
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
Not applicable.