Item 1. Business
Item 1. Business
General
Valaris Limited is a global offshore contract drilling company. Unless the context requires otherwise, the terms "Valaris," "Company," "we," "us" and "our" refer to Valaris Limited together with all its subsidiaries and predecessors.
We are a leading provider of offshore contract drilling services to the international oil and gas industry with operations in almost every major offshore market across six continents. We own the world's largest offshore drilling rig fleet, including one of the newest ultra-deepwater fleets in the industry and a leading premium jackup fleet. We currently own 53 rigs, including 13 drillships, four dynamically positioned semisubmersible rigs, one moored semisubmersible rig, 35 jackup rigs and a 50% equity interest in ARO, our 50/50 unconsolidated joint venture with Saudi Aramco, which owns an additional eight rigs.
Our customers include many of the leading international and government-owned oil and gas companies, in addition to many independent operators. We are among the most geographically diverse offshore drilling companies with global operations. The markets in which we operate include the Gulf of Mexico, South America, the North Sea, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.
We provide drilling services on a day rate contract basis. Under day rate contracts, we provide an integrated service that includes the provision of a drilling rig and rig crews for which we receive a daily rate that may vary between the full rate and zero rate throughout the duration of the contractual term, depending on the operations of the rig. We also may receive lump-sum fees or similar compensation for the mobilization, demobilization and capital upgrades of our rigs. Our customers bear substantially all of the costs of constructing the well and supporting drilling operations as well as the economic risk relative to the success of the well.
Demand for offshore drilling services continues to improve as evidenced by increasing global utilization and day rates for offshore drilling rigs. In recent years, oil prices have experienced significant volatility as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, production disputes among major oil producing countries and various other factors. This volatility meaningfully impacted both the supply of, and demand for, offshore rigs. Since 2021, oil prices have become relatively more stable due to, among other factors, rebounding demand for hydrocarbons, a measured approach to production increases by OPEC+ members, reduction in supply due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions placed on Russia, and a focus on cash flow and returns by major exploration and production companies. In 2023, prices have remained at levels that are supportive of offshore exploration and development activity. The more constructive oil price environment has led to an improvement in contracting and tendering activity for our industry.
Rig attrition in the industry over the last decade, particularly for floaters, has resulted in a smaller global fleet of rigs that is available to meet customer demands. Consequently, our outlook for the offshore drilling business is positive.
Contract Drilling Operations
Our business consists of four operating segments: (1) Floaters, which includes our drillships and semisubmersible rigs, (2) Jackups, (3) ARO and (4) Other, which consists of management services on rigs owned by third parties and the activities associated with our lease arrangements with ARO. Floaters, Jackups and ARO are also reportable segments.
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We own and operate 53 rigs, of which 16 are located in the Middle East and Africa, 16 are located in North and South America, 16 are located in Europe, and five are located in Asia and the Pacific Rim as of December 31, 2023.
Our drilling rigs drill and complete oil and natural gas wells. From time to time, our drilling rigs may be utilized as accommodation units or for other ancillary services such as well workovers and interventions, plug and abandonment and decommissioning work and carbon capture and sequestration projects. Demand for our drilling services is based upon many factors beyond our control. See “ Item 1A . Risk Factors - The success of our business depends on the level of activity in offshore oil and natural gas exploration, which can be significantly affected by volatile oil and natural gas prices.”
Our drilling contracts are negotiated with our customers, and most contracts are awarded following competitive bidding. The terms of our drilling contracts vary, but generally contain the following commercial terms:
• contract duration or term for a specific period of time or a period necessary to drill one or more wells,
• term extension options, exercisable by our customers, upon advance notice to us, at mutually agreed, indexed, fixed rates or current rate at the date of extension,
• provisions permitting early termination of the contract, which may include (1) if the rig is lost or destroyed, (2) if operations are suspended for a specified period of time due to various events, including damage or breakdown of major rig equipment, unsatisfactory performance, or "force majeure" events, (3) failure of the customer to receive final investment decision (FID) approval with respect to projects for which the drilling rig was contracted or (4) at the convenience (without cause) of the customer, exercisable upon advance notice to us, and in certain cases without making an early termination payment to us,
• payment of compensation to us is (generally in U.S. dollars although some contracts require a portion of the compensation to be paid in local currency) on a day rate basis such that we receive a fixed amount for each day that the drilling rig is under contract (lower day rates generally apply for periods when operations are suspended due to various events, including during delays that are beyond our reasonable control, during repair of equipment damage or breakdown and during periods of re-drilling damaged portions of the well, and no day rate, or zero rate, generally applies when these limited periods are exceeded until the event is remediated, and during periods to remediate unsatisfactory performance or other specified conditions),
• payment by us of the operating expenses of the drilling rig, including crew labor and incidental rig supply and maintenance costs,
• mobilization and demobilization requirements of us to move the drilling rig to and from the planned drilling site, and may include reimbursement of all or a portion of these moving costs by the customer in the form of an up-front payment, additional day rate over the contract term or direct reimbursement, and
• provisions allowing us to recover certain labor and other operating cost increases from our customers through day rate adjustment or direct reimbursement for certain cost increases due to changes in applicable law or rising operational expenses.
While contracting and tendering activity has increased, contract awards remain subject to a highly competitive bidding process, which could result in contracts that contain unfavorable contractual and commercial terms, such as certain limitations on our ability to be indemnified from operator and third-party damages caused by our fault, resulting in increases in the nature and amounts of liability allocated to us.
Backlog Information
See " Item 7 . Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations " for backlog information.
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Major Customers
We provide our contract drilling services to major international, government-owned and independent oil and gas companies. During the year ended December 31, 2023, our five largest customers accounted for 40% of consolidated revenues. BP plc, our only customer who accounts for 10% or more of consolidated revenues, accounted for 11% of consolidated revenues.
Competition
The offshore contract drilling industry is highly competitive. Drilling contracts are, for the most part, awarded on a competitive bid basis. Price is often the primary factor in determining which contractor is awarded a contract, although quality of service, operational and safety performance, equipment suitability and availability, location of equipment, reputation and technical expertise also are factors.
Non-U.S. Operations
Revenues from non-U.S. operations were 80%, 78%, 87% and 81% of our total consolidated revenues during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, eight months ended December 31, 2021 (Successor), and four months ended April 30, 2021 (Predecessor), respectively.
See " Item 1A. Risk Factors - Our non-U.S. operations involve additional risks not associated with U.S. operations."
Insurance and Indemnification Matters
Our insurance program provides coverage, subject to the policies' terms and conditions and to the extent not otherwise assumed by the customer under the indemnification provisions of the drilling contract, for third-party liability claims arising from our operations. Our insurance program provides coverage that is customary for our industry. Generally, our insurance program provides third-party liability coverage up to $805.0 million. We retain the risk for liability not indemnified by the customer in excess of, and for risks not covered by, our insurance coverage.
Our insurance program also provides hull and machinery coverage for physical damage (including total loss) to our rigs, cargo and equipment, excluding damage arising from a named windstorm in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. We separately purchase a small limit of named windstorm insurance for our floater rigs in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. We currently carry limited insurance for loss of hire for several of our rigs.
Our customers typically indemnify us for most well-control events. Well-control events generally include an unintended release from a well that cannot be contained by using equipment on site, such as a blowout preventer, by increasing the weight of drilling fluid or by diverting the fluids safely into production facilities. Subject to the exceptions noted below, our customers typically assume most of the responsibility for and indemnify us from any loss, damage or other liability resulting from pollution or contamination arising from operations. Such pollution or contamination may be as a result of blowouts, cratering and seepage, when the source of the pollution originates from the well or reservoir. Such indemnities typically include costs for clean-up and removal of pollution and third-party damages.
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Our drilling contracts customarily provide that each party is responsible for injuries or death to their respective personnel and loss or damage to their respective property (including the personnel and property of each parties’ contractors and subcontractors) regardless of the cause of the loss or damage. However, exceptions may exist as it relates to damages due to our negligence. In addition, our drilling contracts typically provide for our customers to indemnify us, generally based on replacement cost minus some level of depreciation, for loss or damage to our down-hole equipment. In some cases, we are indemnified by our customer for a limited amount of the repair of or replacement cost of our subsea equipment. We also maintain insurance for exposures to personal injuries, damage to or loss of property and certain business risks.
We generally indemnify the customer for legal and financial consequences of spills of waste oil, fuels, lubricants, motor oils, pipe dope, paint, solvents, ballast, bilge, garbage, debris, sewage, hazardous waste and other liquids, the discharge of which originates from our rigs or equipment above the surface of the water and in some cases from our subsea equipment. Our contracts generally provide that, in the event of any such spill from our rigs, we are responsible for the related fines and penalties.
The above description of our insurance program and the indemnification provisions of our drilling contracts is only a summary as of the date hereof and is general in nature. In addition, our drilling contracts are individually negotiated, and the degree of indemnification we receive from operators against the liabilities discussed above can vary from contract to contract based on market conditions and customer requirements existing when the contract was negotiated and the interpretation and enforcement of applicable law when the claim is adjudicated. Our insurance program and the terms of our drilling contracts may change in the future.
In certain cases, vendors who provide equipment or services to us limit their pollution liability to a specific monetary cap, and we assume the liability above that cap. Typically, in the case of original equipment manufacturers, the cap is a negotiated amount based on mutual agreement of the parties considering the risk profiles and thresholds of each party. However, for smaller vendors, the liability is usually limited to the value, or double the value, of the contract for the purchase of such equipment or services.
Additional information on insurance and indemnification matters and related risks is discussed in “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” which should be read in conjunction with the foregoing information.
Governmental Regulation and Environmental Matters
Our operations are affected by laws, regulations and political initiatives that relate to the oil and natural gas industry, including laws and regulations that have or may impose increased oil-spill related and financial responsibility requirements. Laws and regulations curtailing exploration and development drilling for oil and natural gas will directly affect us for economic, environmental, safety or other policy reasons. It is also possible that these laws, regulations and political initiatives could adversely affect our operations in the future by significantly increasing our operating costs or restricting areas open for drilling activity. We incorporate by reference herein the disclosures on governmental regulations, including environmental matters, contained in the following sections of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:
• "Item 1A. Risk Factors – Regulatory, Legal and Tax Risks";
• "Item 1A. Risk Factors – Sustainability Risks";
• "Item 3. Legal Proceedings"; and
• "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Liquidity and Capital Resources – Effects of Climate Change and Climate Change Regulation.
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The International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation, the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage 1992, the U.K. Merchant Shipping Act 1995, Marpol 73/78 (the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships), the U.K. Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Convention) Regulations 1998, as amended, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 ("OPA 90"), as amended, the Clean Water Act and other U.S. federal statutes applicable to us and our operations, as well as similar statutes in Texas, Louisiana, other coastal states and other non-U.S. jurisdictions, address oil spill prevention, reporting and control and have significantly expanded potential liability, fine and penalty exposure across many segments of the oil and natural gas industry. Such statutes and related regulations impose a variety of obligations on us related to the prevention of oil spills, disposal of waste and liability for resulting damages. For instance, OPA 90 imposes strict and, with limited exceptions, joint and several liability upon each responsible party for oil removal costs as well as a variety of fines, penalties and damages. Similar environmental laws apply in our other areas of operation. Failure to comply with these statutes and regulations may subject us to civil or criminal enforcement action, which may not be covered by contractual indemnification or insurance, or for which indemnity is prohibited under applicable law, and could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, operating results and cash flows.
Additionally, climate change is receiving increasing attention from scientists and legislators, and significant focus is being put on companies in the oil and natural gas industry. Globally, there are a number of legislative and regulatory proposals and executive orders at various levels of government in jurisdictions where we operate to address the GHG emissions that contribute to climate change, such as laws or regulations requiring reporting on GHG emissions, incentivizing or mandating the use of alternative energy sources such as wind power and solar energy, phasing-out of fossil fuel subsidies, reducing GHG emissions, increasing fuel efficiency standards, adopting carbon pricing mechanisms, restricting oil and gas development and programs to mandate or incentivize the conversion from internal combustion engine powered vehicles to electric-powered vehicles.
Although it is not possible at this time to predict how compliance with any such legislation or new regulations would impact our business, any such future laws and regulations could require us to incur increased operating costs or incremental capital expenditures. Any such legislation or regulatory programs could also increase the cost of consuming oil and natural gas, and thereby reduce demand for oil and natural gas, which could reduce our customers’ demand for our services. Consequently, legislation and regulatory programs to reduce GHG emissions could have an adverse effect on our financial position, operating results and cash flows.
Sustainability
Consistent with our purpose of providing responsible solutions that deliver energy to the world, we are focused on sustainability-related matters. Our board of directors' Safety and Sustainability Committee regularly meets to address sustainability topics and is responsible for overseeing the Company’s policies, programs and practices related to sustainability and the Company’s management of risks in such areas. We have a dedicated department focused on sustainability and new energy and also have an employee-led cross-functional working group to identify and evaluate opportunities and promote sustainable business practices.
We publish our annual sustainability report aligned with the standards of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), in addition to the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), with references to other frameworks such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), where relevant, and report scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions. For further discussion of sustainability-related risks and considerations see “Risk Factors” in Item 1A and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
We encourage you to review our latest Sustainability Report, located on our website (www.valaris.com), for more detailed information regarding our sustainability and human capital targets, including our GHG emissions intensity reduction target, programs and initiatives. Nothing on our website, including our Sustainability Report or sections thereof, shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K or other filings that we make with the SEC.
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Human Capital
We believe our people are one of the most important elements of our success, and we benefit from a motivated, engaged, and diverse workforce. Our approach to attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse workforce of high-performing talent is anchored in a long-term employment model that seeks to foster personal growth and engagement.
Purpose and Culture
At Valaris, our purpose is to provide responsible solutions that deliver energy to the world. Our values are designed to guide us in support of our purpose:
• Integrity – Doing the right thing; whether or not anyone is watching;
• Safety – Causing no harm is always a priority;
• Excellence – Delivering value to our customers while consistently raising the bar on performance;
• Respect – Treating others the way we would like to be treated;
• Ingenuity – Solving problems creatively; and
• Stewardship – Safeguarding where we work for the next generation.
Our Ethics and Compliance Policy and our Code of Conduct (the “Code”) form the foundation of our compliance and ethics program, which provides guidance on how to uphold our values. We have translated the Code into nine different languages, making it widely accessible to our employees across the globe. We maintain an Ethics Hotline that is available to all employees, either online or by phone, to confidentially seek guidance or raise a concern.
The Code is reviewed on a periodic basis and approved by our board of directors. To further support our values of respect and integrity, we have policies prohibiting corruption, bribery (including facilitation payments), money laundering, retaliation, and reprisals for raising concerns, including those related to worker rights, working conditions, mistreatment, fraud, and misconduct. In addition, we have adopted a policy against modern slavery and human trafficking in our business and our supply chains.
Employees
We had a global workforce of approximately 5,985 persons including contractors, and approximately 4,261 persons excluding contractors, as of December 31, 2023. Our personnel represented 74 nationalities spread across 23 locations. The majority of our personnel work on our offshore installations and are compensated on an hourly basis. A portion of our employees and contractors working outside of the U.S. are represented under collective bargaining or similar agreements, which are subject to periodic salary negotiation. As of December 31, 2023, women comprised 30% of our onshore employees and 1% of our offshore employees.
Employee Wellbeing and Engagement
We believe that one of the best ways to serve our customers is through creating a healthy, safe and engaging working and learning environment, where our employees are confident and comfortable to put their best work forward. We seek to promote a healthy environment by prioritizing the mental and physical health and other needs of our employees while recognizing them for their achievements and accomplishments. For example, in most countries where we work, we offer an employee assistance program (“EAP”) to employees and their families. Our EAP provides access to counselors and other mental health professionals as well as discounts to fitness centers, financial guidance and other benefits in support of our overall commitment to maintain a healthy workforce.
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Feedback from our employees plays a key role in creating an agile, collaborative and trustworthy culture. We use surveys to measure employee engagement as well as our ability to align and execute around a common vision and foster innovation and creativity. These surveys help our leaders analyze the impact of company practices and culture on performance and have created a roadmap for improvement.
Training and Retention
We are focused on developing talent and leadership among both our onshore and offshore employees. In 2021, we launched the Building Organizational Leadership (BOLD) training program. This program is designed to engage, support and provide leadership tools for our offshore supervisors, helping them assess and develop their team’s understanding and use of our safety processes and policies. Approximately 492 personnel attended the program in 2023. We implemented an onshore leadership program in 2023, which included eight separate onshore leadership sessions, which was delivered to 157 personnel.
We provide regular training in health, safety, environmental and emergency response to our employees, as relevant to their roles, and we mandate that our employees complete training related to the Code, covering topics such as anti-corruption, workplace behavior and conflicts of interest. In addition, in 2023, all employees were assigned unconscious bias training as part of supporting a more inclusive workforce. Certain employees must also complete additional training on topics ranging from trade compliance to human trafficking.
We created the Valaris Basic Training Program to familiarize new rig workers to the offshore environment and to build experience in our key safety practices, such as our Safe Systems of Work (as described below). The training program utilizes a jackup rig in the Gulf of Mexico as a training center for hands-on offshore experience. In 2023, 482 personnel completed the training program. The American Petroleum Institute’s Center for Offshore Safety recognized the Valaris Basic Training Center with the 2023 Safety Leadership Award.
Safety
Our policies set the expectation that causing no harm is a priority while conducting our operations. We seek to control major operational hazards with effective safeguards and to implement our management systems to protect the health and safety of our personnel.
Our Safe Systems of Work are designed with the aim of completing each job safely and efficiently:
• Work Instruction – Step-by-step description of how to complete specific work activities, including mandatory precautions to be implemented;
• Permit to Work – Formal authorization and control process for the safe execution of potentially hazardous work that may present risk to people, environment or assets;
• Energy Isolation – Formal isolation of all energy sources before performing work on equipment;
• Job Safety Analysis – Identification and control of job hazards before starting work; and
• Stop Work Authority – Empowerment to stop work if a risk to people, environment or assets is perceived to exist.
As mentioned above, the Valaris Basic Training Program demonstrates our dedication to a safety-first work culture, and the ways in which we implement our Safe Systems of Work into our work.
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Executive Officers
Officers generally serve for a one-year term or until successors are elected and qualified to serve. The table below sets forth certain information regarding our executive officers as of February 22, 2024:
Name Age Position
Anton Dibowitz 52 President and Chief Executive Officer
Christopher Weber 51 Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Gilles Luca 52 Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Matthew Lyne 49 Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer
Davor Vukadin 50 Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Set forth below is certain additional information on our executive officers, including the business experience of each executive officer for at least the last five years:
Anton Dibowitz became the President and Chief Executive Officer of Valaris in December 2021, following his service as the Company’s interim President and Chief Executive Officer since September 2021. Mr. Dibowitz joined the Valaris board of directors in July 2021. Prior to joining the Valaris board of directors, he served as an advisor of Seadrill Ltd., a global offshore drilling contractor, from November 2020 until March 2021. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Seadrill Ltd. from July 2017 until October 2020. Prior to this Mr. Dibowitz served as Executive Vice President of Seadrill Management since June 2016, and as Chief Commercial Officer since January 2013. He has over 20 years of drilling industry experience. Prior to joining Seadrill, Mr. Dibowitz held various positions within tax, process reengineering and marketing at Transocean Ltd. and Ernst & Young LLP. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin where he received a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Master's degrees in Professional Accounting (MPA) and Business Administration (MBA).
Christopher Weber became the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Valaris in August 2022. Previously, he served as Chief Financial Officer of LUFKIN Industries, a leading global provider of rod lift optimization solutions, products, technologies and services to the oil and gas industry, from February 2021 to July 2022. Mr. Weber has also served as Chief Financial Officer of Abaco Drilling Technologies from July 2019 to February 2021 and Chief Financial Officer of Haliburton Company from June 2017 to November 2018. Prior to Halliburton, Mr. Weber served as Chief Financial Officer of Parker Drilling Company, and held senior finance roles at Valaris predecessor companies, Ensco plc and Pride International, Inc. He received an MBA in Finance and Strategy from the Wharton School and a BA in Economics and English Literature from Vanderbilt.
Gilles Luca became Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in December 2019. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President, Operations Support. He joined Ensco in 1997. Mr. Luca also served Ensco as Senior Vice President - Western Hemisphere, Vice President - Business Development and Strategic Planning, Vice President - Brazil Business Unit and General Manager - Europe and Africa. Before joining Ensco as an Operations Engineer in The Netherlands, Mr. Luca was employed by Foramer Drilling and Schlumberger with assignments in France and Venezuela. He holds a Master's Degree in Petroleum Engineering from the French Petroleum Institute and a Bachelor in Civil Engineering.
Matthew Lyne became the Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Valaris in September 2022. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer of Seadrill Limited from May 2021 to September 2022. Seadrill Limited filed for bankruptcy in February 2021. Prior to this role, he held a number of senior marketing and commercial roles at Seadrill Limited for more than 10 years. He also served in a number of senior operational and functional roles with Transocean Ltd. prior to joining Seadrill Limited. Mr. Lyne has over 20 years of offshore drilling experience in various international locations. Mr. Lyne has a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Montana Technological University.
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Davor Vukadin was appointed Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary in May 2022. Before being named to his current position, Mr. Vukadin served as Associate General Counsel and Secretary from June 2021 to May 2022. Previously, he served as Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary from November 2018 to June 2021. He joined Valaris as Senior Counsel in 2014. Prior to joining Valaris, Mr. Vukadin practiced corporate and securities law with the law firm of Norton Rose Fulbright for thirteen years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from The University of Chicago and a law degree from The University of Texas School of Law.
Emergence from Financial Restructuring
On August 19, 2020 (the “Petition Date”), Valaris plc (“Legacy Valaris” or “Predecessor”) and certain of its direct and indirect subsidiaries (collectively, the “Debtors”) filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court under the caption In re Valaris plc, et al., Case No. 20-34114 (MI) (the “Chapter 11 Cases”). On March 3, 2021, the Bankruptcy Court confirmed the Debtors' chapter 11 plan of reorganization.
On April 30, 2021 (the "Effective Date"), we successfully completed our financial restructuring and together with the Debtors emerged from the Chapter 11 Cases. Upon emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases, we eliminated $7.1 billion of debt and obtained a $520 million capital injection by issuing the first lien secured notes (the "First Lien Notes"). See “ Note 8 - Debt" to our consolidated financial statements included in "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" for additional information on the First Lien Notes. On the Effective Date, the Legacy Valaris Class A ordinary shares were cancelled and common shares of Valaris with a nominal value of $0.01 per share (the “Common Shares”) were issued. Also, former holders of Legacy Valaris' equity were issued warrants (the "Warrants") to purchase Common Shares. See “ Note 9 - Shareholders' Equity" to our consolidated financial statements included in "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" for additional information on the issuance of the Common Shares and Warrants.
See “ Note 2 – Chapter 11 Proceedings” and " Note 3 - Fresh Start Accounting" to our consolidated financial statements included in "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" for additional details regarding the reorganization, Chapter 11 Cases and related items.
Available Information
Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to these reports that we file with, or furnish to, the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in accordance with the Exchange Act are available free of charge on our website at www.valaris.com/investors. In addition, the SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The information contained on our website is not included as part of, or incorporated by reference into, this report.
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RISK FACTORS SUMMARY
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this Form 10-K, before making a decision to invest in our securities. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to Our Business, Operations, Financing Arrangements and Market Conditions
• The success of our business depends on the level of activity in offshore oil and natural gas exploration, development and production, which can be significantly affected by volatile oil and natural gas prices.
• The offshore contract drilling industry is highly competitive and cyclical.
• Our current backlog of contract drilling revenue may not be fully realized and may decline significantly in the future.
• Our business will be materially adversely affected if we are unable to secure contracts on economically favorable terms or if option periods in existing contracts are not exercised as expected.
• Our customers may be unable or unwilling to fulfill their contractual commitments to us, including their obligations to pay for losses, damages or other liabilities.
• The loss of a significant customer or customer contract, as well as customer consolidation and changes to customer strategy, could materially adversely affect our business.
• Our long-term contracts are subject to the risk of cost increases, which could adversely affect our profitability.
• Our network and systems, including rig operating systems and critical data, are subject to cybersecurity risks and technical disruptions.
• Rig reactivation, upgrade and enhancement projects are subject to risks, including delays and cost overruns, which could materially adversely affect our financial position, operating results or cash flows.
• We make significant expenditures to meet customer requirements, maintain our fleet to comply with laws and the applicable regulations and standards of governmental authorities and organizations, or to expand our fleet, and we may be required to make significant expenditures to maintain our competitiveness.
• Failure to recruit and retain skilled personnel could adversely affect our business.
• Our shared service center may not create the operational efficiencies that we expect and may create risks relating to the processing of transactions and recording of financial information.
• We may not realize the expected benefits of our ARO joint venture.
• Joint venture investments could be adversely affected by our joint venture partners’ actions, financial condition and liquidity and disputes between us and our joint venture partners.
• Our business involves operating hazards, and our insurance and indemnities from our customers may not be adequate to cover any potential losses.
• Geopolitical events and violence could materially adversely affect the markets for our services and have a material adverse effect on our business and cost and availability of insurance.
• Our drilling contracts with national oil companies may expose us to greater risks than we normally assume in drilling contracts with non-governmental customers.
• Unionization efforts and labor regulations in certain countries in which we operate could materially increase our costs or limit our flexibility with regard to the management of our personnel.
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• Significant equipment or part shortages, supplier capacity constraints, supplier production disruptions, supplier quality and sourcing issues or price increases could materially adversely affect our financial position, operating results or cash flows.
• Our operating and maintenance costs will not necessarily fluctuate in proportion to changes in our operating revenues.
• Our ability to pay our operating and capital expenses and make payments due on our debt depends on many factors beyond our control.
• The agreements governing our debt, including the Indenture and the Credit Agreement, contain various covenants that impose restrictions on us and certain of our subsidiaries.
• We may experience risks associated with future mergers, acquisitions or dispositions of businesses or assets or other strategic transactions.
• Our actual financial results after emergence from bankruptcy may not be comparable to our projections filed with the Bankruptcy Court in the course of the Chapter 11 Cases.
• The exercise of all or any number of outstanding warrants or the issuance of stock-based awards may dilute the holders of our Common Shares.
Regulatory, Legal and Tax Risks
• Failure to comply with anti-corruption and anti-bribery statutes could result in fines, criminal penalties and drilling contract terminations.
• Increasing regulatory complexity could adversely impact our operations and reduce demand.
• Compliance with or breach of environmental laws can be costly and limit our operations.
• The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) may not agree with the conclusion that we should be treated as a foreign corporation for U.S. federal tax purposes.
• Governments may pass laws that subject us to additional taxation or may challenge our tax positions.
• Our consolidated effective income tax rate may vary substantially over time.
• We are subject to litigation that could have a material adverse effect on us.
• As a Bermuda company, it may be difficult enforcing judgments against us, our directors and officers.
• Our bye-laws restrict shareholders from bringing legal action against our officers and directors.
• Provisions in our bye-laws could delay or prevent a change in control of our company.
• Legislation enacted in Bermuda as to Economic Substance may affect our operations.
• Our business could be affected as a result of activist investors.
Risks Related to Our International Operations
• Our non-U.S. operations involve additional risks not typically associated with U.S. operations.
Sustainability Risks
• Regulation of GHGs and climate change could have a negative impact on our business.
• Consumer preferences for alternative fuels and electric-powered vehicles, as part of the global energy transition, may lead to reduced demand for our services.
• Increased scrutiny from stakeholders and others regarding our sustainability practices, initiatives and reporting responsibilities could result in additional costs or risks.
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