Helmerich & Payne, Inc. - Annual Report: 2014 (Form 10-K)

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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

Commission file number 1-4221

HELMERICH & PAYNE, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

         Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

         Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the 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 o    No ý

         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 o    No ý

         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 ý    No o

         Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted 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 and post such files). Yes ý    No o

         Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the Registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o

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

         Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes o    No ý

         At March 31, 2014, the aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates was approximately $11.3 billion.

         Number of shares of common stock outstanding at November 14, 2014:    108,256,492.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

         Portions of the Registrant's 2015 Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on March 4, 2015 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K. The 2015 Proxy Statement will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year to which this Form 10-K relates.

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DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        This Annual Report on Form 10-K ("Form 10-K") includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this Form 10-K, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Registrant's future financial position, business strategy, budgets, projected costs and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", or "continue" or the negative thereof or similar terminology. Although the Registrant believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Registrant's expectations or results discussed in the forward-looking statements are disclosed in this Form 10-K under Item 1A—"Risk Factors", as well as in Item 7—"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations." All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Registrant, or persons acting on its behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by such cautionary statements. The Registrant assumes no duty to update or revise its forward-looking statements based on changes in internal estimates, expectations or otherwise, except as required by law.

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HELMERICH & PAYNE, INC.
FORM 10-K
YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2014

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PART I

Item 1.    BUSINESS

        Helmerich & Payne, Inc. (hereafter referred to as the "Company", "we", "us" or "our"), was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on February 3, 1940, and is successor to a business originally organized in 1920. We are primarily engaged in contract drilling of oil and gas wells for others and this business accounts for almost all of our operating revenues.

        Our contract drilling business is composed of three reportable business segments: U.S. Land, Offshore and International Land. During fiscal 2014, our U.S. Land operations drilled primarily in Oklahoma, California, Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Utah, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota, West Virginia and Nevada. Offshore operations were conducted in the Gulf of Mexico and Equatorial Guinea. Our International Land segment operated in seven international locations during fiscal 2014: Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Tunisia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates ("UAE") and Mozambique.

        We are also engaged in the ownership, development and operation of commercial real estate and the research and development of rotary steerable technology. Each of the businesses operates independently of the others through wholly-owned subsidiaries. This operating decentralization is balanced by centralized finance and legal organizations.

        Our real estate investments located exclusively within Tulsa, Oklahoma, include a shopping center containing approximately 441,000 leasable square feet, multi-tenant industrial warehouse properties containing approximately one million leasable square feet and approximately 210 acres of undeveloped real estate.

        Our subsidiary, TerraVici Drilling Solutions, Inc. ("TerraVici"), continues to develop patented rotary steerable technology to enhance horizontal and directional drilling operations. TerraVici complements our existing drilling rig technology and allows us to offer directional drilling services to customers. By combining this new technology with our existing capabilities, we expect to improve drilling productivity and reduce total well cost to the customer.

CONTRACT DRILLING

General

        We believe that we are one of the major land and offshore platform drilling contractors in the western hemisphere. Operating principally in North and South America, we specialize in shallow to deep drilling in oil and gas producing basins of the United States and in drilling for oil and gas in international locations. In the United States, we draw our customers primarily from the major oil companies and the larger independent oil companies. In South America, our current customers include major international and national oil companies.

        In fiscal 2014, we received approximately 56 percent of our consolidated operating revenues from our ten largest contract drilling customers. Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation, Marathon and BHP Billiton (respectively, "Oxy", "Marathon" and "BHP"), including their affiliates, are our three largest contract drilling customers. We perform drilling services for Oxy on a world-wide basis and Marathon and BHP in U.S. land operations. Revenues from drilling services performed for Oxy, Marathon and BHP in fiscal 2014 accounted for approximately 11 percent, 8 percent and 7 percent, respectively, of our consolidated operating revenues for the same period.

Rigs, Equipment and Facilities

        We provide drilling rigs, equipment, personnel and camps on a contract basis. These services are provided so that our customers may explore for and develop oil and gas from onshore areas and from

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fixed platforms, tension-leg platforms and spars in offshore areas. Each of the drilling rigs consists of engines, drawworks, a mast, pumps, blowout preventers, a drill string and related equipment. The intended well depth and the drilling site conditions are the principal factors that determine the size and type of rig most suitable for a particular drilling job. A land drilling rig may be moved from location to location without modification to the rig. A platform rig is specifically designed to perform drilling operations upon a particular platform. While a platform rig may be moved from its original platform, significant expense is incurred to modify a platform rig for operation on each subsequent platform. In addition to traditional platform rigs, we operate self-moving platform drilling rigs and drilling rigs to be used on tension-leg platforms and spars. The self-moving rig is designed to be moved without the use of expensive derrick barges. The tension-leg platforms and spars allow drilling operations to be conducted in much deeper water than traditional fixed platforms.

        Mechanical rigs rely on belts, pulleys and other mechanical devices to control drilling speed and other rig processes. As such, mechanical rigs are not highly efficient or precise in their operation. In contrast to mechanical rigs, SCR rigs rely on direct current for power. This enables motor speed to be controlled by changing electrical voltage. Compared to mechanical rigs, SCR rigs operate with greater efficiency, more power and better control. AC rigs provide for even greater efficiency and flexibility than what can be achieved with mechanical or SCR rigs. AC rigs use a variable frequency drive that allows motor speed to be manipulated via changes to electrical frequency. The variable frequency drive permits greater control of motor speed for more precision. Among other attributes, AC rigs are electrically more efficient, produce more torque, utilize regenerative braking, have digital controls and AC motors require less maintenance.

        During the mid-1990's, we undertook an initiative to use our land and offshore platform drilling experience to develop a new generation of drilling rigs that would be safer, faster-moving and more capable than mechanical rigs. In 1998, we put to work a new generation of highly mobile/depth flexible land drilling rigs (individually the "FlexRig®"). Since the introduction of our FlexRigs, we have focused on designing and building high-performance, high-efficiency rigs to be used exclusively in our contract drilling business. We believed that over time FlexRigs would displace older less capable rigs. With the advent of unconventional shale plays, our AC drive FlexRigs have proven to be particularly well suited for more complex horizontal drilling requirements. The FlexRig has been able to significantly reduce average rig move and drilling times compared to similar depth-rated traditional land rigs. In addition, the FlexRig allows greater depth flexibility and provides greater operating efficiency. The original rigs were designated as FlexRig1 and FlexRig2 rigs and were designed to drill wells with a depth of between 8,000 and 18,000 feet. In 2001, we announced that we would build the next generation of FlexRigs, known as "FlexRig3", which incorporated new drilling technology and new environmental and safety design. This new design included integrated top drive, AC electric drive, hydraulic BOP handling system, hydraulic tubular make-up and break-out system, split crown and traveling blocks and an enlarged drill floor that enables simultaneous crew activities. FlexRig3s were designed to target well depths of between 8,000 and 22,000 feet.

        In 2006, we placed into service our first FlexRig4. While FlexRig4s are similar to our FlexRig3s, the FlexRig4s are designed to efficiently drill more shallow depth wells of between 4,000 and 18,000 feet. The FlexRig4 design includes a trailerized version and a skidding version, which incorporate additional environmental and safety design. This design permits the installation of a pipe handling system which allows the rig to be more efficiently operated and eliminates the need for a casing stabber in the mast. While the FlexRig4 trailerized version provides for more efficient well site to well site rig moves, the skidding version allows for drilling of up to 22 wells from a single pad which results in reduced environmental impact. In 2011, we announced the introduction of the FlexRig5 design. The FlexRig5 is suited for long lateral drilling of multiple wells from a single location, which is well suited for unconventional shale reservoirs. The new design preserves the key performance features

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of FlexRig3 combined with a bi-directional pad drilling system and equipment capacities suitable for wells in excess of 25,000 feet of measured depth.

        Industry trends toward more complex drilling have accelerated the retirement of less capable mechanical rigs. Over the past few years our mechanical rigs have been sold as we added new AC drive rigs to our fleet. The retirement of our remaining seven mechanical rigs in fiscal 2011 marked the end of a multi-year evolution in the high-grading of our fleet from mechanical rigs to high-efficiency, high-performance rigs.

        Since 1998, we have built and delivered 344 FlexRigs, including 207 FlexRig3s, 88 FlexRig4s, and 32 FlexRig5s. Of the total FlexRigs built through September 30, 2014, 161 have been built in the last five years. As of November 13, 2014, an additional 41 new FlexRigs remained under construction.

        The effective use of technology is important to the maintenance of our competitive position within the drilling industry. We expect to continue to refine our existing technology and develop new technology in the future.

        We assemble new FlexRigs at our gulf coast facility near Houston, Texas. We also have a 123,000 square foot fabrication facility located on approximately 11 acres near Tulsa, Oklahoma. Additionally, we lease a 150,000 square foot industrial facility near Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the purpose of overhauling/repairing rig equipment and associated component parts.

Drilling Contracts

        Our drilling contracts are obtained through competitive bidding or as a result of negotiations with customers, and often cover multi-well and multi-year projects. Each drilling rig operates under a separate drilling contract. During fiscal 2014, all drilling services were performed on a "daywork" contract basis, under which we charge a fixed rate per day, with the price determined by the location, depth and complexity of the well to be drilled, operating conditions, the duration of the contract, and the competitive forces of the market. We have previously performed contracts on a combination "footage" and "daywork" basis, under which we charged a fixed rate per foot of hole drilled to a stated depth, usually no deeper than 15,000 feet, and a fixed rate per day for the remainder of the hole. Contracts performed on a "footage" basis involve a greater element of risk to the contractor than do contracts performed on a "daywork" basis. Also, we have previously accepted "turnkey" contracts under which we charge a fixed sum to deliver a hole to a stated depth and agree to furnish services such as testing, coring and casing the hole which are not normally done on a "footage" basis. "Turnkey" contracts entail varying degrees of risk greater than the usual "footage" contract. We have not accepted any "footage" or "turnkey" contracts in over fifteen years. We believe that under current market conditions, "footage" and "turnkey" contract rates do not adequately compensate us for the added risks. The duration of our drilling contracts are "well-to-well" or for a fixed term. "Well-to-well" contracts are cancelable at the option of either party upon the completion of drilling at any one site. Fixed-term contracts generally have a minimum term of at least six months but customarily provide for termination at the election of the customer, with an "early termination payment" to be paid to us if a contract is terminated prior to the expiration of the fixed term. However, under certain limited circumstances such as destruction of a drilling rig, our bankruptcy, sustained unacceptable performance by us or delivery of a rig beyond certain grace and/or liquidated damage periods, no early termination payment would be paid to us.

        Contracts generally contain renewal or extension provisions exercisable at the option of the customer at prices mutually agreeable to us and the customer. In most instances contracts provide for additional payments for mobilization and demobilization.

        As of September 30, 2014, we had 193 existing rigs under fixed-term contracts. While the original duration for these current fixed-term contracts are for six-month to seven-year periods, some fixed-term

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and well-to-well contracts are expected to be extended for longer periods than the original terms. However, the contracting parties have no legal obligation to extend these contracts.

Backlog

        Our contract drilling backlog, being the expected future revenue from executed contracts with original terms in excess of one year, as of September 30, 2014 and 2013 was $5.0 billion and $2.9 billion, respectively. The increase in backlog at September 30, 2014 from September 30, 2013, is primarily due to the execution of additional fixed-term contracts for the operation of new FlexRigs. Approximately 63.6 percent of the total September 30, 2014 backlog is not reasonably expected to be filled in fiscal 2015. A portion of the backlog represents term contracts for new rigs that will be constructed in the future.

        The following table sets forth the total backlog by reportable segment as of September 30, 2014 and 2013, and the percentage of the September 30, 2014 backlog not reasonably expected to be filled in fiscal 2015:

        We obtain certain key rig components from a single or limited number of vendors or fabricators. Certain of these vendors or fabricators are thinly capitalized independent companies located on the Texas gulf coast. Therefore, disruptions in rig component deliveries may occur. Accordingly, the actual amount of revenue earned may vary from the backlog reported. For further information, see Item 1A—"Risk Factors".

U.S. Land Drilling

        At the end of September 2014, 2013, and 2012, we had 329, 302 and 282, respectively, of our land rigs available for work in the United States. The total number of rigs at the end of fiscal 2014 increased by a net of 27 rigs from the end of fiscal 2013. The increase is due to 42 new FlexRigs being placed into service, six FlexRigs being transferred to the International Land segment and nine older conventional rigs being removed from service. Our U.S. Land operations contributed approximately 83 percent ($3.1 billion) of our consolidated operating revenues during fiscal 2014, compared with approximately 82 percent ($2.8 billion) of consolidated operating revenues during fiscal 2013 and approximately 85 percent ($2.7 billion) of consolidated operating revenues during fiscal 2012. Rig utilization was approximately 86 percent in fiscal 2014, approximately 82 percent in fiscal 2013 and approximately 89 percent in fiscal 2012. Our fleet of FlexRigs had an average utilization of approximately 91 percent during fiscal 2014, while our conventional rigs had an average utilization of approximately 3 percent. A rig is considered to be utilized when it is operated or being mobilized or demobilized under contract. At the close of fiscal 2014, 294 out of an available 329 land rigs were working.

Offshore Drilling

        Our Offshore operations contributed approximately 7 percent in fiscal year 2014 ($250.8 million) of our consolidated operating revenues compared to approximately 7 percent ($221.9 million) of consolidated operating revenues during fiscal 2013 and 6 percent ($189.1 million) of consolidated

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operating revenues during fiscal 2012. Rig utilization in fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2013 was approximately 89 percent compared to approximately 79 percent in fiscal 2012. At the end of fiscal 2014, we had eight of our nine offshore platform rigs under contract and continued to work under management contracts for three customer-owned rigs. The ninth rig commenced operations during the first fiscal quarter of 2015. Revenues from drilling services performed for our largest offshore drilling customer totaled approximately 52 percent of offshore revenues during fiscal 2014.

International Land Drilling

General

        Our International Land operations contributed approximately 10 percent ($355.5 million) of our consolidated operating revenues during fiscal 2014, compared with approximately 11 percent ($366.8 million) of consolidated operating revenues during fiscal 2013 and 9 percent ($270.0 million) of consolidated operating revenues during fiscal 2012. Rig utilization in fiscal 2014 was 76 percent, 82 percent in fiscal 2013 and 77 percent in fiscal 2012.

Argentina

        At the end of fiscal 2014, we had 14 rigs in Argentina. Our utilization rate was approximately 80 percent during fiscal 2014, approximately 62 percent during fiscal 2013 and approximately 52 percent during fiscal 2012. Revenues generated by Argentine drilling operations contributed approximately 3 percent in fiscal 2014 ($107.9 million) of our consolidated operating revenues compared to approximately 2 percent ($73.2 million) of our consolidated operating revenues during fiscal 2013 and approximately 2 percent ($54.3 million) of our consolidated operating revenues during fiscal 2012. Revenues from drilling services performed for our two largest customers in Argentina totaled approximately 2 percent of consolidated operating revenues and approximately 21 percent of international operating revenues during fiscal 2014. The Argentine drilling contracts are primarily with large international or national oil companies.

Colombia

        At the end of fiscal 2014, we had eight rigs in Colombia. Our utilization rate was approximately 63 percent during fiscal 2014, approximately 82 percent during fiscal 2013 and approximately 79 percent during fiscal 2012. Revenues generated by Colombian drilling operations contributed approximately 2 percent in fiscal 2014 ($85.2 million) of our consolidated operating revenues compared to approximately 3 percent ($100.1 million) of our consolidated operating revenues during fiscal 2013 and approximately 3 percent ($82.2 million) of our consolidated operating revenues during fiscal 2012. Revenues from drilling services performed for our two customers in Colombia totaled approximately 2 percent of consolidated operating revenues and approximately 24 percent of international operating revenues during fiscal 2014. The Colombian drilling contracts are primarily with large international or national oil companies.

Ecuador

        At the end of fiscal 2014, we had six rigs in Ecuador. The utilization rate in Ecuador was 85 percent in fiscal 2014, compared to 95 percent in fiscal 2013 and 97 percent in fiscal 2012. Revenues generated by Ecuadorian drilling operations contributed approximately two percent in each of the three fiscal years 2014, 2013 and 2012 of our consolidated operating revenues ($69.2 million, $67.9 million and $56.4 million, respectively). Revenues from drilling services performed for the largest customer in Ecuador totaled approximately 1 percent of consolidated operating revenues and approximately 11 percent of international operating revenues during fiscal 2014. The Ecuadorian drilling contracts are primarily with large international or national oil companies.

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Other Locations

        In addition to our operations discussed above, at the end of fiscal 2014 we had two rigs in Tunisia, three rigs in Bahrain, two rigs in the UAE and one rig in Mozambique.

FINANCIAL

        For information relating to revenues, total assets and operating income by reportable operating segments, see Note 14—"Segment Information" included in Item 8—"Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Form 10-K.

EMPLOYEES

        We had 10,352 employees within the United States (13 of which were part-time employees) and 1,562 employees in international operations as of September 30, 2014.

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

        Our website is located at www.hpinc.com. Annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports, earnings releases, and financial statements are made available free of charge on the investor relations section of our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such materials with, or furnish it to, the SEC. The information contained on our website, or available by hyperlink from our website, is not incorporated into this Form 10-K or other documents we file with, or furnish to, the SEC. Annual reports, quarterly reports, current reports, amendments to those reports, earnings releases, financial statements and our various corporate governance documents are also available free of charge upon written request.

Item 1A.    RISK FACTORS

        In addition to the risk factors discussed elsewhere in this Form 10-K, we caution that the following "Risk Factors" could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business depends on the level of activity in the oil and natural gas industry, which is significantly impacted by the volatility of oil and natural gas prices and other factors.

        Our business depends on the conditions of the land and offshore oil and natural gas industry. Demand for our services depends on oil and natural gas industry exploration and production activity and expenditure levels, which are directly affected by trends in oil and natural gas prices. Oil and natural gas prices, and market expectations regarding potential changes to these prices, significantly affect oil and natural gas industry activity. Higher oil and natural gas prices do not necessarily translate into increased activity because demand for our services is typically driven by our customers' expectations of future commodity prices. Commodity prices have historically been volatile. Oil and natural gas prices are impacted by many factors beyond our control, including:

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the demand for oil and natural gas;



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the cost of exploring for, developing, producing and delivering oil and natural gas;



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the worldwide economy;



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expectations about future prices;



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domestic and international tax policies;

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political and military conflicts in oil producing regions or other geographical areas or acts of terrorism in the U.S. or elsewhere;



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technological advances;



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the development and exploitation of alternative fuels;



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local and international political, economic and weather conditions;



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the ability of The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries ("OPEC") to set and maintain production levels and pricing;



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the level of production by OPEC and non-OPEC countries; and



•

the environmental and other laws and governmental regulations regarding exploration and development of oil and natural gas reserves.

        The level of land and offshore exploration, development and production activity and the price for oil and natural gas is volatile and is likely to continue to be volatile in the future. A decline in the worldwide demand for oil and natural gas or prolonged low oil or natural gas prices in the future would likely result in reduced exploration and development of land and offshore areas and a decline in the demand for our services. Even during periods of high prices for oil and natural gas, companies exploring for oil and gas may cancel or curtail programs, or reduce their levels of capital expenditures for exploration and production for a variety of reasons. These factors could cause our revenues and margins to decline, reduce day rates and utilization of our rigs and limit our future growth prospects. In short, any prolonged reduction in demand for our services could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our offshore and land operations are subject to a number of operational risks, including environmental and weather risks, which could expose us to significant losses and damage claims. We are not fully insured against all of these risks and our contractual indemnity provisions may not fully protect us.

        Our drilling operations are subject to the many hazards inherent in the business, including inclement weather, blowouts, well fires, loss of well control, pollution, and reservoir damage. These hazards could cause significant environmental damage, personal injury and death, suspension of drilling operations, serious damage or destruction of equipment and property and substantial damage to producing formations and surrounding lands and waters.

        Our Offshore drilling operations are also subject to potentially greater environmental liability, including pollution of offshore waters and related negative impact on wildlife and habitat, adverse sea conditions and platform damage or destruction due to collision with aircraft or marine vessels. Our Offshore operations may also be negatively affected by blowouts or uncontrolled release of oil by third parties whose offshore operations are unrelated to our operations. We operate several platform rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico experiences hurricanes and other extreme weather conditions on a frequent basis, the frequency of which may increase with any climate change. Damage caused by high winds and turbulent seas could potentially curtail operations on such platform rigs for significant periods of time until the damage can be repaired. Moreover, even if our platform rigs are not directly damaged by such storms, we may experience disruptions in operations due to damage to customer platforms and other related facilities in the area.

        We have a new-build rig assembly facility located near the Houston, Texas ship channel, and our principal fabricator and other vendors are also located in the gulf coast region. Due to their location, these facilities are exposed to potentially greater hurricane damage.

        We have indemnification agreements with many of our customers and we also maintain liability and other forms of insurance. In general, our drilling contracts contain provisions requiring our

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customers to indemnify us for, among other things, pollution and reservoir damage. However, our contractual rights to indemnification may be unenforceable or limited due to negligent or willful acts by us, our subcontractors and/or suppliers. Our customers may also dispute, or be unable to meet, their contractual indemnification obligations to us. Accordingly, we may be unable to transfer these risks to our drilling customers by contract or indemnification agreements. Incurring a liability for which we are not fully indemnified or insured could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        With the exception of "named wind storm" risk in the Gulf of Mexico, we insure rigs and related equipment at values that approximate the current replacement cost on the inception date of the policy. However, we self-insure a large deductible as well as a significant portion of the estimated replacement cost of our offshore rigs and our land rigs and equipment. We also carry insurance with varying deductibles and coverage limits with respect to offshore platform rigs and "named wind storm" risk in the Gulf of Mexico.

        We have insurance coverage for comprehensive general liability, automobile liability, worker's compensation and employer's liability, and certain other specific risks. Insurance is purchased over deductibles to reduce our exposure to catastrophic events. We retain a significant portion of our expected losses under our worker's compensation, general liability and automobile liability programs. The Company self-insures a number of other risks including loss of earnings and business interruption. We are unable to obtain significant amounts of insurance to cover risks of underground reservoir damage.

        If a significant accident or other event occurs and is not fully covered by insurance or an enforceable or recoverable indemnity from a customer, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our insurance will not in all situations provide sufficient funds to protect us from all liabilities that could result from our drilling operations. Our coverage includes aggregate policy limits. As a result, we retain the risk for any loss in excess of these limits. No assurance can be given that all or a portion of our coverage will not be cancelled during fiscal 2015, that insurance coverage will continue to be available at rates considered reasonable or that our coverage will respond to a specific loss. Further, we may experience difficulties in collecting from our insurers or our insurers may deny all or a portion of our claims for insurance coverage.

A tepid or deteriorating global economy may affect our business.

        As a result of volatility in oil and natural gas prices and a tepid global economic environment, we are unable to determine whether our customers will maintain spending on exploration and development drilling or whether customers and/or vendors and suppliers will be able to access financing necessary to sustain their current level of operations, fulfill their commitments and/or fund future operations and obligations. In the event the global economic environment remains tepid or deteriorates, industry fundamentals may be impacted and result in stagnant or reduced demand for drilling rigs. Furthermore, these factors may result in certain of our customers experiencing an inability to pay vendors, including us. The global economic environment in the past has experienced significant deterioration in a relatively short period of time and there can be no assurance that the global economic environment will not quickly deteriorate again due to one or more factors. These conditions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The contract drilling business is highly competitive.

        Competition in contract drilling involves such factors as price, rig availability and excess rig capacity in the industry, efficiency, condition and type of equipment, reputation, operating safety, environmental impact, and customer relations. Competition is primarily on a regional basis and may vary significantly by region at any particular time. Land drilling rigs can be readily moved from one

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region to another in response to changes in levels of activity, and an oversupply of rigs in any region may result, leading to increased price competition.

        Although many contracts for drilling services are awarded based solely on price, we have been successful in establishing long-term relationships with certain customers which have allowed us to secure drilling work even though we may not have been the lowest bidder for such work. We have continued to attempt to differentiate our services based upon our FlexRigs and our engineering design expertise, operational efficiency, safety and environmental awareness. This strategy is less effective when lower demand for drilling services intensifies price competition and makes it more difficult or impossible to compete on any basis other than price. Also, future improvements in operational efficiency and safety by our competitors could negatively affect our ability to differentiate our services.

The loss of one or a number of our large customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        In fiscal 2014, we received approximately 56 percent of our consolidated operating revenues from our ten largest contract drilling customers and approximately 26 percent of our consolidated operating revenues from our three largest customers (including their affiliates). We believe that our relationship with all of these customers is good; however, the loss of one or more of our larger customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

New technologies may cause our drilling methods and equipment to become less competitive, higher levels of capital expenditures will be necessary to keep pace with the bifurcation of the drilling industry, and growth through the building of new drilling rigs is not assured.

        The market for our services is characterized by continual technological developments that have resulted in, and will likely continue to result in, substantial improvements in the functionality and performance of rigs and equipment. Our customers are increasingly demanding the services of newer, higher specification drilling rigs. This results in a bifurcation of the drilling fleet and is evidenced by the higher specification drilling rigs (e.g., AC rigs) generally operating at higher overall utilization levels and day rates than the lower specification drilling rigs (e.g., mechanical or SCR rigs). In addition, a significant number of lower specification rigs are being stacked and/or removed from service. As a result of this bifurcation, a higher level of capital expenditures will be required to maintain and improve existing rigs and equipment and purchase and construct newer, higher specification drilling rigs to meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of our customers.

        Since the late 1990's we have increased our drilling rig fleet through new construction. Although we take measures to ensure that we use advanced oil and natural gas drilling technology, changes in technology or improvements in competitors' equipment could make our equipment less competitive. There can be no assurance that we will:

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have sufficient capital resources to build new, technologically advanced drilling rigs;



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avoid cost overruns inherent in large construction projects resulting from numerous factors such as shortages of equipment, materials and skilled labor, unscheduled delays in delivery of ordered equipment and materials, unanticipated increases in costs of equipment, materials and labor, design and engineering problems, and financial or other difficulties;



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successfully integrate additional drilling rigs;



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effectively manage the growth and increased size of our organization and drilling fleet;



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successfully deploy idle, stacked or additional drilling rigs;



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maintain crews necessary to operate additional drilling rigs; or

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successfully improve our financial condition, results of operations, business or prospects as a result of building new drilling rigs.

        If we are not successful in building new rigs and equipment or upgrading our existing rigs and equipment in a timely and cost-effective manner, we could lose market share. One or more technologies that we may implement in the future may not work as we expect and we may be adversely affected. Additionally, new technologies, services or standards could render some of our services, drilling rigs or equipment obsolete, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operation.

New legislation and regulatory initiatives relating to hydraulic fracturing or other aspects of the oil and gas industry could negatively impact the drilling programs of our customers and, consequently, delay, limit or reduce the drilling services we provide.

        It is a common practice in our industry for our customers to recover natural gas and oil from shale and other formations through the use of horizontal drilling combined with hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing is the process of creating or expanding cracks, or fractures, in formations using water, sand and other additives pumped under high pressure into the formation. The hydraulic fracturing process is typically regulated by state oil and natural gas commissions. Several states have adopted or are considering adopting regulations that could impose more stringent permitting, public disclosure, waste disposal and/or well construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing operations or otherwise seek to ban fracturing activities altogether. In addition to state laws, some local municipalities have adopted or are considering adopting land use restrictions, such as city ordinances, that may restrict or prohibit the performance of well drilling in general and/or hydraulic fracturing in particular. Members of the U.S. Congress and a number of federal agencies are analyzing, or have been requested to review, a variety of environmental issues associated with hydraulic fracturing and the possibility of more stringent regulation. For example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has undertaken a study of the potential environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water and groundwater. Depending on the outcome of these or other studies, federal and state legislatures and agencies may seek to further regulate, restrict or prohibit hydraulic fracturing activities. Increased regulation and attention given to the hydraulic fracturing process could lead to greater opposition to oil and gas production activities using hydraulic fracturing techniques, operational delays or increased operating and compliance costs in the production of oil and natural gas from shale plays, added difficulty in performing hydraulic fracturing, and potentially a decline in the completion of new oil and gas wells.

        We do not engage in any hydraulic fracturing activities. However, any new laws, regulations or permitting requirements regarding hydraulic fracturing could negatively impact the drilling programs of our customers and, consequently, delay, limit or reduce the drilling services we provide. Widespread regulation significantly restricting or prohibiting hydraulic fracturing by our customers could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operation.

Failure to comply with the terms of our plea agreement with the United States Department of Justice may adversely affect our business.

        On November 8, 2013, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana approved the previously disclosed October 30, 2013 plea agreement between our wholly owned subsidiary, Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co. ("H&PIDC"), and the United States Department of Justice, United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana ("DOJ"). The court's approval of the plea agreement resolved the DOJ's investigation into certain choke manifold testing irregularities that occurred in 2010 at one of H&PIDC's offshore platform rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. As part of the plea agreement, H&PIDC agreed, during a three-year probationary period, to not commit any further criminal violations and to fulfill the terms of an environmental compliance plan ("ECP") whose purpose is to develop and implement additional training and safety

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programs. Our ability to comply with the terms of the plea agreement is dependent, in part, on our successful implementation of the additional training and safety programs set forth in the ECP. While not anticipated, a failure to comply with the terms of the plea agreement, including the ECP, could result in prosecution and other regulatory sanctions, and could otherwise adversely affect our business. We have been engaged in discussions with the Inspector General's office of the Department of Interior regarding the same events that were the subject of the DOJ's investigation. Although we presently believe that the outcome of our discussions will not have a material adverse effect on us, we can provide no assurances as to the timing or eventual outcome of these discussions. In addition, we could be exposed to civil litigation arising from the events that were the subject of the DOJ's investigation. Any such litigation may result in financial liability. Refer to Item 3—"Legal Proceedings" and Note 13—"Commitments and Contingencies" included in Item 8—"Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Form 10-K for additional discussion of this subject.

We are subject to the political, economic and social instability risks and local laws associated with doing business in certain foreign countries.

        We currently have operations in South America, the Middle East and Africa. In the future, we may further expand the geographic reach of our operations. As a result, we are exposed to certain political, economic and other uncertainties not encountered in U.S. operations, including increased risks of social unrest, strikes, terrorism, war, kidnapping of employees, nationalization, forced negotiation or modification of contracts, difficulty resolving disputes and enforcing contract provisions, expropriation of equipment as well as expropriation of oil and gas exploration and drilling rights, taxation policies, foreign exchange restrictions and restrictions on repatriation of income and capital, currency rate fluctuations, increased governmental ownership and regulation of the economy and industry in the markets in which we operate, economic and financial instability of national oil companies, and restrictive governmental regulation, bureaucratic delays and general hazards associated with foreign sovereignty over certain areas in which operations are conducted. South American countries, in particular, have historically experienced uneven periods of economic growth, as well as recession, periods of high inflation and general economic and political instability. From time to time these risks have impacted our business. For example, on June 30, 2010, the Venezuelan government expropriated 11 rigs and associated real and personal property owned by our Venezuelan subsidiary. Prior thereto, we also experienced currency devaluation losses in Venezuela and difficulty repatriating U.S. dollars to the United States.

        Additionally, there can be no assurance that there will not be changes in local laws, regulations and administrative requirements or the interpretation thereof which could have a material adverse effect on the profitability of our operations or on our ability to continue operations in certain areas. Because of the impact of local laws, our future operations in certain areas may be conducted through entities in which local citizens own interests and through entities (including joint ventures) in which we hold only a minority interest or pursuant to arrangements under which we conduct operations under contract to local entities. While we believe that neither operating through such entities nor pursuant to such arrangements would have a material adverse effect on our operations or revenues, there can be no assurance that we will in all cases be able to structure or restructure our operations to conform to local law (or the administration thereof) on terms we find acceptable.

        Although we attempt to minimize the potential impact of such risks by operating in more than one geographical area, during fiscal 2014, approximately 10 percent of our consolidated operating revenues were generated from the international contract drilling business. During fiscal 2014, approximately 74 percent of the international operating revenues were from operations in South America. All of the South American operating revenues were from Argentina, Colombia and Ecuador. The future occurrence of one or more international events arising from the types of risks described above could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operation.

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We depend on a limited number of vendors, some of which are thinly capitalized and the loss of any of which could disrupt our operations.

        Certain key rig components are either purchased from or fabricated by a single or limited number of vendors, and we have no long-term contracts with many of these vendors. Shortages could occur in these essential components due to an interruption of supply or increased demands in the industry. If we are unable to procure certain of such rig components, we would be required to reduce our rig construction or other operations, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        If our principal fabricator, located on the Texas gulf coast, was unable or unwilling to continue fabricating rig components, then we would have to transfer this work to other acceptable fabricators. This transfer could result in significant delay in the completion of new FlexRigs. Any significant interruption in the fabrication of rig components could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

        Certain key rig components are obtained from vendors that are, in some cases, thinly capitalized, independent companies that generate significant portions of their business from us or from a small group of companies in the energy industry. These vendors may be disproportionately affected by any loss of business, downturn in the energy industry or reduction or unavailability of credit. Therefore, disruptions in rig component delivery may occur, and such disruptions and terminations could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our securities portfolio may lose significant value due to a decline in equity prices and other market-related risks, thus impacting our debt ratio and financial strength.

        At September 30, 2014, we had a portfolio of securities with a total fair value of approximately $222 million, consisting of Atwood Oceanics, Inc. and Schlumberger, Ltd. These securities are subject to a wide variety of market-related risks that could substantially reduce or increase the fair value of our holdings. The portfolio is recorded at fair value on our balance sheet with changes in unrealized after-tax value reflected in the equity section of our balance sheet. At November 13, 2014, the fair value of the portfolio had decreased to approximately $185 million.

Failure to comply with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or foreign anti-bribery legislation, other governmental regulations and environmental laws could adversely affect our business.

        The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA") and similar anti-bribery laws in other jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom Bribery Act 2010, generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. We operate in many parts of the world that have experienced governmental corruption to some degree and, in certain circumstances, strict compliance with anti-bribery laws may conflict with local customs and practices and impact our business. Although we have programs in place covering compliance with anti-bribery legislation, any failure to comply with the FCPA or other anti-bribery legislation could subject us to civil and criminal penalties or other sanctions, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operation. We could also face fines, sanctions and other penalties from authorities in the relevant foreign jurisdictions, including prohibition of our participating in or curtailment of business operations in those jurisdictions and the seizure of drilling rigs or other assets.

        Additionally, many aspects of our operations are subject to government regulation, including those relating to drilling practices, pollution, disposal of hazardous substances and oil field waste. The United States and various other countries have environmental regulations which affect drilling operations. The cost of compliance with these laws could be substantial. A failure to comply with these laws and regulations could expose us to substantial civil and criminal penalties. In addition, environmental laws

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and regulations in the United States impose a variety of requirements on "responsible parties" related to the prevention of oil spills and liability for damages from such spills. As an owner and operator of drilling rigs, we may be deemed to be a responsible party under these laws and regulations.

        We believe that we are in substantial compliance with all legislation and regulations affecting our operations in the drilling of oil and gas wells and in controlling the discharge of wastes. To date, compliance costs have not materially affected our capital expenditures, earnings, or competitive position, although compliance measures may add to the costs of drilling operations. Additional legislation or regulation may reasonably be anticipated, and the effect thereof on our operations cannot be predicted.

Regulation of greenhouse gases and climate change could have a negative impact on our business.

        Scientific studies have suggested that emissions of certain gases, commonly referred to as "greenhouse gases" ("GHGs") and including carbon dioxide and methane, may be contributing to warming of the Earth's atmosphere and other climatic changes. In response to such studies, the issue of climate change and the effect of GHG emissions, in particular emissions from fossil fuels, is attracting increasing attention worldwide. We are aware of the increasing focus of local, state, national and international regulatory bodies on GHG emissions and climate change issues. The United States Congress may consider legislation to reduce GHG emissions. Although it is not possible at this time to predict whether proposed legislation or regulations will be adopted, any such future laws and regulations could result in increased compliance costs or additional operating restrictions. Any additional costs or operating restrictions associated with legislation or regulations regarding GHG emissions could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Legal proceedings could have a negative impact on our business.

        The nature of our business makes us susceptible to legal proceedings and governmental investigations from time to time. Lawsuits or claims against us could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Any litigation or claims, even if fully indemnified or insured, could negatively affect our reputation among our customers and the public, and make it more difficult for us to compete effectively or obtain adequate insurance in the future.

Our business and results of operations may be adversely affected by foreign currency restrictions and devaluation.

        Our contracts for work in foreign countries generally provide for payment in U.S. dollars. However, in Argentina we are paid in Argentine pesos. The Argentine branch of one of our second-tier subsidiaries remits U.S. dollars to its U.S. parent by converting the Argentine pesos into U.S. dollars through the Argentine Foreign Exchange Market and repatriating the U.S. dollars. In the future, other contracts or applicable law may require payments to be made in foreign currencies. Based upon current information, we believe that our exposure to potential losses from currency restrictions and devaluation in foreign countries is immaterial. However, there can be no assurance that we will not experience in Argentina or elsewhere a devaluation of foreign currency, foreign exchange restrictions or other difficulties repatriating U.S. dollars even if we are able to negotiate contract provisions designed to mitigate such risks. In the event of future payments in foreign currencies and an inability to timely exchange foreign currencies for U.S. dollars, we may incur currency devaluation losses which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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Our current backlog of contract drilling revenue may not be ultimately realized as fixed-term contracts may in certain instances be terminated without an early termination payment.

        Fixed-term drilling contracts customarily provide for termination at the election of the customer, with an "early termination payment" to be paid to us if a contract is terminated prior to the expiration of the fixed term. However, under certain limited circumstances, such as destruction of a drilling rig, our bankruptcy, sustained unacceptable performance by us or delivery of a rig beyond certain grace and/or liquidated damage periods, no early termination payment would be paid to us. Even if an early termination payment is owed to us, a poor global economic environment may affect the customer's ability to pay the early termination payment. We also may not be able to perform under these contracts due to events beyond our control, and our customers may seek to cancel or renegotiate our contracts for various reasons, including those described above. As of September 30, 2014, our contract drilling backlog was approximately $5.0 billion for future revenues under firm commitments. Our inability or the inability of our customers to perform under our or their contractual obligations may have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may have additional tax liabilities.

        We are subject to income taxes in the United States and numerous other jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in determining our worldwide provision for income taxes. In the ordinary course of our business, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. We are regularly audited by tax authorities. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of tax audits and any related litigation could be materially different than what is reflected in income tax provisions and accruals. An audit or litigation could materially affect our financial position, income tax provision, net income, or cash flows in the period or periods challenged. It is also possible that future changes to tax laws (including tax treaties) could impact our ability to realize the tax savings recorded to date.

Shortages of drilling equipment and supplies could adversely affect our operations.

        The contract drilling business is highly cyclical. During periods of increased demand for contract drilling services, delays in delivery and shortages of drilling equipment and supplies can occur. These risks are intensified during periods when the industry experiences significant new drilling rig construction or refurbishment. Any such delays or shortages could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Reliance on management and competition for experienced personnel may negatively impact our operations or financial results.

        We greatly depend on the efforts of our executive officers and other key employees to manage our operations. The loss of members of management could have a material effect on our business. Similarly, we utilize highly skilled personnel in operating and supporting our businesses. In times of high utilization, it can be difficult to retain, and in some cases find, qualified individuals. Although to date our operations have not been materially affected by competition for personnel, an inability to obtain or find a sufficient number of qualified personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business is subject to cybersecurity risks.

        Threats to information technology systems associated with cybersecurity risks and cyber incidents or attacks continue to grow. Cybersecurity attacks could include, but are not limited to, malicious software, attempts to gain unauthorized access to our data and the unauthorized release, corruption or loss of our data, loss of our intellectual property, theft of our FlexRig and other technology, loss or

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damage to our data delivery systems, other electronic security breaches that could lead to disruptions in our critical systems, and increased costs to prevent, respond to or mitigate cybersecurity events. It is possible that our business, financial and other systems could be compromised, which might not be noticed for some period of time. Although we utilize various procedures and controls to mitigate our exposure to such risk, cybersecurity attacks are evolving and unpredictable. The occurrence of such an attack could lead to financial losses and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We are not aware that any material cybersecurity breaches have occurred to date.

Unionization efforts and labor regulations in certain countries in which we operate could materially increase our costs or limit our flexibility.

        Efforts may be made from time to time to unionize portions of our workforce. In addition, we may in the future be subject to strikes or work stoppages and other labor disruptions. Additional unionization efforts, new collective bargaining agreements or work stoppages could materially increase our costs, reduce our revenues or limit our flexibility.

Any future implementation of price controls on oil and natural gas would affect our operations.

        The United States Congress may in the future impose some form of price controls on either oil, natural gas, or both. Any future limits on the price of oil or natural gas could negatively affect the demand for our services and, consequently, have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Covenants in our debt agreements restrict our ability to engage in certain activities.

        Our debt agreements pertaining to certain long-term unsecured debt and our unsecured revolving credit facility contain various covenants that may in certain instances restrict our ability to, among other things, incur, assume or guarantee additional indebtedness, incur liens, make loans or certain types of investments, sell or otherwise dispose of assets, enter into new lines of business, and merge or consolidate. In addition, our debt agreements also require us to maintain minimum current, funded leverage and interest coverage ratios. Such restrictions may limit our ability to successfully execute our business plans, which may have adverse consequences on our operations.

Improvements in or new discoveries of alternative energy technologies could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

        Since our business depends on the level of activity in the oil and natural gas industry, any improvement in or new discoveries of alternative energy technologies that increase the use of alternative forms of energy and reduce the demand for oil and natural gas could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Item 1B.    UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

        We have received no written comments regarding our periodic or current reports from the staff of the SEC that were issued 180 days or more preceding the end of our 2014 fiscal year and that remain unresolved.

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Item 2.    PROPERTIES

CONTRACT DRILLING

        The following table sets forth certain information concerning our U.S. land and offshore drilling rigs as of September 30, 2014:

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