Nine Energy Service, Inc. - Annual Report: 2017 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2017

OR

FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM          TO            

Commission File Number: 001-38347

Nine Energy Service, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

2001 Kirby Drive, Suite 200

Houston, TX 77019

(Address of principal executive offices)

(281) 730-5100

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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   ☐       No   ☒

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically 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 (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).       Yes   ☒     No   ☐ 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) 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.   ☒

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

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

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

The Company was not a public company as of the last business day of its most recently completed second quarter and therefore cannot calculate the aggregate market value of its voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates at such date.

The number of shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share, outstanding at March 21, 2018, was 23,873,583.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE: NONE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 (this “Annual Report”) contains forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this Annual Report, regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. When used in this Annual Report, the words “could,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “continue,” “predict,” “potential,” “project” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words.

Forward-looking statements may include statements about:

All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Annual Report; we disclaim any obligation to update these statements unless required by law and we caution you not to place undue reliance on them. Although we believe that our plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements we make in this Annual Report are reasonable, we can give no assurance that these plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved. We disclose important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our expectations under Item 1A. “Risk factors” and Item 7. “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations” in this Annual Report. These cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf.

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Overview

Nine Energy Service, Inc. (either individually or together with its subsidiaries, as the context requires, the “Company,” “Nine,” “we,” “us” and “our”) is a Delaware corporation that was incorporated in February 2013 through a combination of three service companies owned by SCF.  Nine is a leading North American onshore completion and production services provider that targets unconventional oil and gas resource development. We partner with our exploration and production (“E&P”) customers across all major onshore basins in both the U.S. and Canada to design and deploy downhole solutions and technology to prepare horizontal, multistage wells for production. We focus on providing our customers with cost-effective and comprehensive completion solutions designed to maximize their production levels and operating efficiencies. We believe our success is a product of our culture, which is driven by our intense focus on performance and wellsite execution as well as our commitment to forward-leaning technologies that aid us in the development of smarter, customized applications that drive efficiencies.

We provide our comprehensive completion solutions across a diverse set of well-types, including on the most complex, technically demanding unconventional wells. Modern, high-intensity completion techniques are a more effective way for our customers to maximize resource extraction from horizontal oil and gas wells. These completion techniques provide improved estimated ultimate recovery (“EUR”)  per lateral foot and a superior return on investment, which make them attractive to operators despite their associated increased well cost. We compete with a limited number of service companies for the most intricate and demanding projects, which are characterized by extended reach horizontal laterals, increased stage counts per well and increased proppant loading per lateral foot. As stage counts per well increase, so do our operating leverage and returns, as we are able to complete more jobs and stages with the same number of units and crews. Service providers for these demanding projects are selected based on their technical expertise and ability to execute safely and efficiently, rather than only price.

We offer a variety of completion applications and technologies to match customer needs across the broadest addressable completions market. Our comprehensive well solutions range from cementing the well at the initial stages of the completion, preparing the well for stimulation, isolating all the stages of an extended reach lateral, and drilling out plugs and performing associated remedial work as production comes online. Our completion techniques are specifically tailored to the customer and geology of each well. At the initial stage of a well completion, our lab facilities produce customized cementing slurries used to secure the production casing to ensure well integrity throughout the life of the well. Once the casing is in place, we utilize our proprietary tools at the toe (end) of the well, often called stage one, to prepare for the well stimulation process. We provide customers with plug-and-perf or pinpoint frac sleeve system technology to complete the remaining stages of the well. Through our wireline units, we provide plug-and-perf services that, when combined with our fully-composite or dissolvable frac plugs, create perforations to isolate and divert the fracture to the correct stage. Our pinpoint frac sleeve system involves packers, either hydraulic or swellable, to isolate sections of the wellbore and frac sleeves to provide access to each stage for stimulation and production. Our equipment also includes high-specification coiled tubing units and workover rigs that are capable of reaching the farthest depths for the removal of plugs and cleaning of the wellbore to prepare for production. Once a well is producing, we are able to offer a range of production enhancement and well workover services through our fleet of well service rigs and ancillary equipment.

On February 28, 2017, pursuant to the terms and conditions of a combination agreement dated February 3, 2017 (“Combination”), the Company merged with Beckman Production Services, Inc. (“Beckman”) and all of the issued and outstanding shares of Beckman common stock were converted into shares of common stock of Nine Energy Service, Inc., other than 1.6% of Beckman shares paid in cash. Prior to the Combination, SCF-VII, L.P. controlled a majority of the voting interests of Nine and Beckman since February 28, 2011 and July 31, 2012, respectively. The merger of the entities into the combined Company was accounted for using reorganization accounting (i.e., “as if” pooling of interests) for entities under common control.

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Our Segments

We operate in two segments: Completion Solutions and Production Solutions. Our Completion Solutions segment provides services integral to the completion of unconventional wells through a full range of tools and methodologies. Our Production Solutions segment provides a range of production enhancement and well workover services that are performed with a well servicing rig and ancillary equipment.

Completion Solutions

The following is a description of the primary service offerings and deployment methods within the Completion Solutions business segment:

Cementing services:  Our cementing services consist of blending high-grade cement and water with various solid and liquid additives to create a cement slurry that is pumped between the casing and the wellbore of the well. We currently have three high-quality laboratory facilities capable of designing and testing all of the current industry cement designs. The laboratory facilities operate twenty-four hours a day and are fully staffed by qualified technicians with the latest equipment and modeling software. Additionally, our technicians and engineers ensure that all tests are performed to API specifications and results are delivered to customers promptly. Our cement slurries are designed to achieve the proper cement thickening time, compressive strength and fluid loss control. Our slurries can be modified to address a wide range of downhole needs of our E&P customers, including varying well depths, downhole temperatures, pressures and formation characteristics.

We deploy our slurries by using our customized design twin-pumping units, which are fully redundant, containing two pumps, two hydraulic systems, two mixing pumps and two electrical systems. This significantly decreases our risk of downtime due to mechanical failure and eliminates the necessity to have an additional cementing unit on standby. We have invested in the highest quality cementing equipment, and since 2012, we have deployed only new equipment for use in the fields. As of December 31, 2017, we operated a total of 28 twin-pumping units, each of which has 1,000 horsepower, which we believe is the highest in the industry.

From January 2014 through December 2017, we completed approximately 11,100 cementing jobs, with an on-time rate of approximately 90%. Punctuality of service has become one of the primary metrics that E&P operators use to evaluate the cementing services they receive. Key contributors to our 90% on-time rate include our lab capabilities, personnel, close proximity to our customers’ acreage, dual-sided bulk loading plants and our service-driven culture. In order to further improve punctuality, respond to customers’ demands for providers near their acreage, and gain access to an additional customer base, we built a bulk plant and lab facility in Hobbs, New Mexico, with close proximity to the Delaware Basin. We believe this location will reduce operating expenses due to improved logistics as well as provide cross-selling opportunities for other service lines.

Completion tools: We provide unconventional and conventional downhole solutions and technology used for multistage completions. Our comprehensive completion service offerings are complemented by our unconventional open hole and cemented completion tool products, such as liner hangers and accessories, fracture isolation packers, frac sleeves, stage one prep tools, fully-composite and dissolvable frac plugs and specialty open hole float equipment and centralizers. Our completion tools provide pinpoint frac sleeve system technologies that enable comparable rates per stage while providing more control over fracture initiation. A few examples of our innovative portfolio of completion tools are: (i) the Scorpion Fully-Composite Plug^TM, a patented packer-style fully-composite plug designed to provide zonal isolation in a multi-stage well completion; we offer a diverse product group of fully-composite plugs designed for 3.5” to 5.5” well casings as well as a unique Scorpion Extended Range plug, which is used in demanding well applications where operators have to negotiate through internal diameter restrictions, (ii) the Scorpion Dissolvable Plug, a high performance plug designed to provide zonal isolation, is made entirely from proprietary materials that dissolve over time, leaving the wellbore unobstructed for production and eliminating the risk and costs of conventional plug removal, (iii) the SmartStart PLUS^TM, an interventionless time-delayed pressure-activated sleeve that we have the exclusive distribution rights to in the northeastern U.S. and with certain customers in other regions, that eliminates the need for tubing or pipe-conveyed perforating when completing the toe stage of horizontal wells, (iv) the Storm Re-Frac Packer^TM, a system that allows our customers to re-stimulate their existing wells using standard size plug-and-perf procedures to extend and enhance their production profiles with minimal flow restriction during stimulation, (v) the FlowGun^TM, a stage one interventionless casing-conveyed perforating technology that eliminates the need to run wireline or coil tubing and requires no electronic detonation allowing our customers to perform a maximum pressure test and perforate stage one more efficiently with less risk and with no lateral length limitations, (vi) the Coil Frac Sleeve System, a system that utilizes coiled tubing to deploy a resettable

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frac packer, that we have the exclusive distribution rights to in the U.S., which is used to open and isolate frac sleeves that have been installed as an integral part of the casing, and (vii) the EON Ball Drop system, an interventionless single-size ball activated pinpoint frac sleeve system, that we have exclusive distributions rights to in the U.S. and Canada. Our systems provide completion efficiencies at the wellsite by reducing our customers’ equipment needs and stimulation time and allowing for specific zonal treatment. From March 2011 through December 2017, we deployed approximately 65,000 swell and hydro-mechanical packers and approximately 18,000 frac sleeves for downhole completions.

Additionally, we offer a portfolio of completion technologies used for completing the toe stage of a horizontal well, as well as fully-composite, dissolvable and extended-range frac plugs to isolate stages during plug-and-perf operations.

Wireline services: Our wireline services involve the use of a wireline unit equipped with a spool of wireline that is unwound and lowered into oil and gas wells to convey specialized tools or equipment for well completion, well intervention or pipe recovery. We operate a fleet of modern and “fit-for-purpose” cased hole wireline units designed for operating in unconventional completion operations, with 37 wireline units in the U.S. and 14 wireline units in Canada. Our operation is equipped with the latest technology utilized to service long lateral completions, including head tension tools, ballistic release tools and addressable switches. We currently have wireline units equipped with customized drums to hold up to 40,000 feet of Enviroline. Enviroline is a coated wireline that significantly reduces injector oil use requiring only 5% of the amount needed with standard wireline. Offering a lower dynamic coefficient of friction, Enviroline requires less pump down fluid to operate and is more conducive for reaching further depths in longer laterals.

The majority of our wireline work consists of plug-and-perf completions, which is a multistage well completion technique for cased-hole wells that consists of deploying perforating guns to a specified depth. We deploy proprietary specialized tools like our fully-composite frac plugs through our wireline units. From January 2014 through December 2017, we completed approximately 70,000 wireline stages in the U.S. with a success rate of approximately 99%.

Coiled tubing services: Coiled tubing services perform wellbore intervention operations utilizing a continuous steel pipe that is transported to the wellsite wound on a large spool in lengths of up to 25,000 feet. Coiled tubing provides a cost-effective solution for well work due to the ability to deploy efficiently and safely into a live well using specialized well-control equipment. The live well work capability limits the customer’s risk of formation damage associated with “killing” a well (the temporary placement of heavy fluids in a wellbore to keep reservoir fluids in place), while allowing for safer operations due to minimal equipment handling. Coiled tubing facilitates a variety of services in both new and old wells, such as milling, drilling, fishing, production logging, artificial lift installation, cementing, stimulation and restimulation services. In addition, our units are also used in conjunction with pinpoint hydraulic fracturing operations.

We currently operate 16 coiled tubing units serving the Permian Basin, SCOOP/STACK region and Haynesville markets. Each of our coiled tubing units carries data acquisition and dissemination technology, allowing our customers to monitor jobs via a web interface. Of the 16 coiled tubing units, we consider 11 to be “extended reach” units capable of reaching the toe of wells with total measured depths of 21,500 feet and beyond, including lateral lengths in excess of 12,500 feet, keeping pace with the industry’s most challenging downhole environments. While we specialize in larger-diameter (2 3/8’’ and 2 5/8’’) applications, we also offer 2’’ and 1 1/4’’ diameter solutions to our customers. From April 2014 through December 2017, we have performed approximately 5,900 jobs and deployed more than 115 million running feet of coiled tubing, with a success rate of over 99%.

Production Solutions

The following is a description of the primary service offerings conducted within the Production Solutions business segment:

Well services: Our well servicing business encompasses a full range of services performed with a mobile well servicing rig (or workover rig) and ancillary equipment throughout a well’s life cycle from completion to plugging and abandonment. Our rigs and personnel install and remove downhole equipment and eliminate obstructions in the well to facilitate the flow of oil and natural gas, often immediately increasing a well’s production. We believe the

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production increases generated by our well services substantially enhance our customers’ returns and significantly reduce their payback periods. Activities performed with our well servicing rigs can range from the milling of plugs following a plug-and-perf completion, to the installation and repair of artificial lift, to the ultimate plug and abandonment of a depleted well. Key components of our well services success include our geographic footprint, employee culture, fleet of rigs and inventory of equipment. Our operations extend across six major onshore U.S. basins, and our employee culture fosters local relationships within this expansive geographic footprint through excellent customer service and basin-level expertise.

We utilize a fleet of more than 100 rigs, approximately 40% of which are capable of performing completion-oriented work. This fleet of rigs and the inventory of equipment maintained at each of our regional locations are tailored to the needs of our customers in each particular basin. The high-specification rigs we utilize are engineered to perform in the most demanding laterals being drilled in the U.S. today. In addition, we also own and operate auxiliary equipment necessary to support the activities of our rigs, swabbing units, hot oilers, high pressure pump trucks, cementers, vacuum trucks and transport tankers in the basins in which we operate. These complementary services facilitate the production enhancement of existing wells or are called upon to plug and abandon a well at the end of its life. From January 2014 through December 2017, we operated more than 900,000 rig hours. According to the Association of Energy Service Companies (“AESC”), only 52% of industry reported well service rigs were active or available from January 2015 through December 2017. In contrast, 66% of our rigs have remained utilized in the same period.

Geographic Areas of Operation

We operate in all major onshore basins in both the U.S. and Canada, including the Permian Basin, Marcellus and Utica Shales, Eagle Ford Shale, SCOOP / STACK Formation, Bakken Formation, Haynesville Formation and Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. We provide our services through strategically placed operating facilities located in-basin throughout North America. This local presence allows us to quickly respond to customer demands and operate efficiently. Additionally, through our extensive footprint, we are able to track and implement best practices around completion and production trends and technology across all divisions and geography.

We believe that our strategic geographic positioning will benefit us as activity increases in our core operating areas. Our broad geographic footprint provides us with exposure to the ongoing recovery in drilling and completion activity and will allow us to opportunistically pursue new business in basins with the most active drilling environments.

For disclosures regarding financial statements about segment information and geographic area, see Part II, Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report.

Seasonality

Our operations are subject to seasonal factors and our overall financial results reflect seasonal variations. Specifically, we typically have experienced a pause by our customers around the holiday season in the fourth quarter, which may be compounded as our customers exhaust their annual capital spending budgets towards year end. Additionally, our operations are directly affected by weather conditions. During the winter months (first and fourth quarters) and periods of heavy snow, ice or rain, particularly in the northeastern U.S., Michigan, North Dakota, Wyoming and western Canada, our customers may delay operations or we may not be able to operate or move our equipment between locations. Also, during the spring thaw, which normally starts in late March and continues through June, some areas, primarily in western Canada, impose transportation restrictions to prevent damage caused by the spring thaw. Lastly, throughout the year heavy rains adversely affect activity levels, as well locations and dirt access roads can become impassible in wet conditions.

Weather conditions also affect the demand for, and prices of, oil and natural gas and, as a result, demand for our services. Demand for oil and natural gas is typically higher in the fourth and first quarters, resulting in higher prices in these quarters.

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Sales and Marketing

Our sales activities are conducted through a network of sales representatives and business development personnel, which provides us coverage at both the corporate and field level of our customers. Sales representatives work closely with local operations managers to target potential opportunities through strategic focus and planning. Customers are identified as targets based on their drilling and completion activity, geographic location and economic viability. Direction of the sales team is conducted through weekly meetings and daily communication. The Completion Solutions and Production Solutions teams are led by the segment presidents. Our marketing activities are performed internally with input and guidance from a third party marketing agency. Our strategy is based on building a strong North American brand though multiple media outlets including our website, select social media accounts, print, billboard advertisements, press releases and various industry-specific conferences, publications and lectures. We have a technical sales organization with expertise and focus within their specific service line. We focus on organic growth through selling of services and marketing excellence through brand service quality, technology and metrics of success. We accomplish this through communication across sales and operations departments and regions to share best practices and leverage existing customer relationships.

Customers

Our customer base includes a broad range of integrated and independent E&P companies. For the year ended December 31, 2017, our top five customers collectively accounted for approximately 29% of our revenues. For the year ended December 31, 2017, no single customer accounted for 10% or more of our revenues.

Competition

We provide our services and products across the United States and Canada and we compete against different companies in each service and product line we offer. Our competition includes many large and small oilfield service companies, including the largest integrated oilfield services companies. We believe that the principal competitive factors in the markets we serve are technology offerings, wellsite execution, service quality, technical expertise, equipment capacity, work force competency, efficiency, safety record, reputation and experience. Additionally, projects are often awarded on a bid basis, which tends to create a highly competitive environment. We seek to differentiate our company from our competitors by delivering the highest-quality services, technology and equipment possible, coupled with superior execution and operating efficiency in a safe working environment. By focusing on cultivating our existing customer relationships and maintaining our high standard of customer service, technology, safety, performance and quality of crews, equipment and services, we believe we are equipped for continued growth and success in a competitive market.

Our major competitors for our completion solutions include Halliburton Company, Schlumberger Limited, Baker Hughes Incorporated, Weatherford International Ltd., C&J Energy Services, Inc. and a significant number of locally oriented businesses. Our major competitors for our production solutions include Pioneer Energy Services Corp., Key Energy Services, Inc., Basic Energy Services, Inc., Superior Energy Services, Inc. and a significant number of locally oriented businesses.

Suppliers

We purchase a wide variety of raw materials, parts and components that are manufactured and supplied for our operations from various suppliers. We are not dependent on any single supplier for those parts, supplies or materials. During the year ended December 31, 2017, one supplier of the materials used in our services provided over 10% of our materials or equipment as a percentage of overall costs.

To date, we have generally been able to obtain the equipment, parts and supplies necessary to support our operations on a timely basis. While we believe that we will be able to make satisfactory alternative arrangements in the event of any interruption in the supply of these materials and/or products by one of our suppliers, we may not always be able to make alternative arrangements. In addition, certain materials for which we do not currently have long-term supply agreements could experience shortages and significant price increases in the future. As a result, we may be unable to mitigate any future supply shortages and our results of operations, prospects and financial condition could be adversely affected.

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Research & Technology, Intellectual Property

Our engineering and technology efforts are focused on providing efficient and cost-effective solutions to maximize production for our customers across major North American onshore basins. We have dedicated resources focused on the internal development of new technology and equipment, as well as resources focused on sourcing and commercializing new technologies through strategic partnerships. Our sales and earnings are influenced by our ability to successfully introduce new or improved products and services to the market.

We have developed a suite of proprietary downhole tools, products and techniques through both internal resources, as well as strategic partnerships with manufacturers and engineering companies looking for a reliable and expansive channel to market. Examples of our technology includes:

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We strike strategic alliances with manufacturing and technology companies to be the exclusive distributor and service provider of downhole technology across a variety of basins in North America. In these partnerships, we have exclusive rights to market and sell technology unavailable to any other service providers in the designated regions. With these partnerships, we sell the technology directly to the customer and order from the manufacturer on an as-needed basis, with no minimum volume requirements and without having to hold excess inventory.

We currently hold seven U.S. and two Canadian patents and two pending U.S. and three pending Canadian patent applications relating to our Scorpion Fully-Composite Plug^TM. We also have five U.S. patents, one Canadian patent, two pending U.S. and one pending Canadian patent application relating to our FlowGun^TM completion tool. In addition, we have entered into strategic partnerships with respect to the SmartStart PLUS^TM toe valve, QuickStart^TM frac valve, Coil Frac Sleeve System, EON Ball Drop System, and the Storm^TM, Force^TM, Centurion^TM completion product line for the frac and re-frac market. Although in the aggregate our patents, licenses and strategic partnerships are important to us, we do not regard any single patent, license or strategic partnership as critical or essential to our business as a whole. In general, we depend on our technological capabilities, customer service oriented culture and application of our know-how to distinguish ourselves from our competitors, rather than our right to exclude others through patents or exclusive licenses. We also consider the quality and timely delivery of our products, the service we provide to our customers, and the technical knowledge and skill of our personnel to be more important than our registered intellectual property in our ability to compete.

We believe we have become a “go-to” service provider for piloting new technologies across North America because of our service quality, execution at the wellsite and scale. These strategic partnerships provide us and our customers with access to unique downhole technology from independent innovators. This also allows us to minimize exposure to potential technology adoption risks and the significant costs associated with developing and implementing R&D internally. Our internal resources are focused on evolving our existing proprietary tools to stay on trend and ensure quicker, lower completion and production costs for our customers.

Risk Management and Insurance

Our operations are subject to hazards inherent in the oil and natural gas industry, including, but not limited to, accidents, blowouts, explosions, craterings, fires, oil spills and hazardous materials spills. These conditions can cause:

In addition, claims for loss of oil and gas production and damage to formations can occur in the oilfield services industry. If a serious accident were to occur at a location where our equipment and services are being used, it could result in us being named as a defendant in lawsuits asserting large claims.

Because our business involves the transportation of heavy equipment and materials, we may also experience traffic accidents which may result in spills, property damage and personal injury.

Despite our efforts to maintain high safety standards, from time to time, we have suffered accidents, and there is a risk that we will experience accidents in the future. In addition to the property and personal losses from these accidents, the frequency and severity of these incidents affect our operating costs and insurability, and our relationship with customers, employees and regulatory agencies. In particular, in recent years many of our large customers have placed an increased emphasis on the safety records of their service providers. Any significant increase in the frequency or severity of these incidents, or the general level of compensatory payments, could adversely affect the cost of, or our ability to obtain, workers’ compensation and other forms of insurance, and could have other material adverse effects on our financial condition and results of operations.

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We maintain insurance coverage of types and amounts that we believe to be customary in the industry including workers’ compensation, employer’s liability, claims based pollution, umbrella, comprehensive commercial general liability, business automobile and property. Our insurance coverage may be inadequate to cover our liabilities. In addition, we may not be able to maintain adequate insurance in the future at rates we consider reasonable and commercially justifiable or on terms as favorable as our current arrangements.

We endeavor to allocate potential liabilities and risks between the parties in our MSAs. We retain the risk for any liability not indemnified by our customers in excess of our insurance coverage. These MSAs delineate our and our customers’ respective warranty and indemnification obligations with respect to the services we provide. We endeavor to negotiate MSAs with our customers that provide, among other things, that we and our customers assume (without regard to fault) liability for damages to our respective personnel and property. For catastrophic losses, we endeavor to negotiate MSAs that include industry-standard carve-outs from the knock-for-knock indemnities. Additionally, our MSAs often provide carve-outs to the “without regard to fault” concept that would permit, for example, us to be held responsible for events of catastrophic loss only if they arise as a result of our gross negligence or willful misconduct. Our MSAs typically provide for industry-standard pollution indemnities, pursuant to which we assume liability for surface pollution associated with our equipment and originating above the surface (without regard to fault), and our customer assumes (without regard to fault) liability arising from all other pollution, including, without limitation, underground pollution and pollution emanating from the wellbore as a result of an explosion, fire or blowout.

The summary of MSAs set forth above is a summary of the material terms of the typical MSA that we have in place and does not reflect every MSA that we have entered into or may enter into in the future, some of which may contain indemnity structures and risk allocations between our customers and us that are different than those described here.

Employees

As of December 31, 2017, we had 1,772 employees (all of which were full time). Of our total employees, 1,685 were in the United States and 87 were in Canada. We are not a party to any collective bargaining agreements.

Government Regulations and Environmental, Health and Safety Matters

Our operations are subject to numerous stringent and complex laws and regulations at the U.S. federal, state and local levels governing the release, disposal or discharge of materials into the environment, health and safety aspects of our operations, or otherwise relating to environmental protection. In addition, due to our operations in Canada, we are also subject to Canadian environment statutes and regulations. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations or to obtain or comply with permits may result in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties, imposition of remedial or corrective action requirements and the imposition of injunctions or other orders to prohibit certain activities, restrict certain operations or force future compliance with environmental requirements.

There is inherent risk of incurring significant environmental costs and liabilities in the performance of our operations due to our handling of petroleum hydrocarbons, other hazardous substances and wastes, as a result of air emissions and wastewater discharges related to our operations, and because of historical operations and waste disposal practices. Spills or other releases of regulated substances, including such spills and releases that occur in the future, could expose us to material losses, expenditures and liabilities under applicable environmental laws and regulations. Under certain of such laws and regulations, we could be held strictly liable for the removal or remediation of previously released materials or property contamination, regardless of whether we were responsible for the release or contamination and even if our operations met previous standards in the industry at the time they were conducted.

The following is a summary of some of the existing laws, rules and regulations to which we are subject.

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Hazardous substances and waste handling

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”) and comparable state statutes, regulate the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal and cleanup of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. Under the guidance issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”), the individual states administer some or all of the provisions of RCRA, sometimes in conjunction with their own, more stringent requirements. We are required to manage the disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes in compliance with RCRA and analogous state laws. RCRA currently exempts many E&P wastes from classification as hazardous waste. Specifically, RCRA excludes from the definition of hazardous waste produced waters and other wastes intrinsically associated with the exploration, development, or production of crude oil and natural gas. However, these oil and gas E&P wastes may still be regulated under state solid waste laws and regulations, and it is possible that certain oil and natural gas E&P wastes now classified as non-hazardous could be classified as hazardous waste in the future. For example, in December 2016, the EPA and environmental groups entered into a consent decree to address EPA’s alleged failure to timely assess its RCRA Subtitle D criteria regulations exempting certain E&P related oil and gas wastes from regulation as hazardous wastes under RCRA. The consent decree requires the EPA to propose a rulemaking no later than March 15, 2019 for revision of certain Subtitle D criteria regulations pertaining to oil and gas wastes or to sign a determination that revision of the regulations is not necessary. If the EPA proposes rulemaking for revised oil and gas regulations, the Consent Decree requires that the EPA take final action following notice and comment rulemaking no later than July 15, 2021. Stricter regulation of wastes generated during our or our customers’ operations could result in increased costs for our operations or the operations of its customers, which could in turn reduce demand for our services and adversely affect our business.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), also known as the Superfund law, imposes joint and several liability, without regard to fault or legality of conduct, on classes of persons who are considered to be responsible for the release of a hazardous substance into the environment. These persons include the current and former owner or operator of the site where the release occurred, and anyone who transported or disposed or arranged for the transport or disposal of a hazardous substance released at the site. Persons who are or were responsible for releases of hazardous substances under CERCLA and any state analogs may be subject to joint and several, strict liability for the costs of cleaning up the hazardous substances that have been released into the environment, and for damages to natural resources and for the costs of certain health studies. We currently own, lease, or operate numerous properties that have been used for manufacturing and other operations for many years. These properties and the substances disposed or released on them may be subject to CERCLA, RCRA and analogous state laws. Under such laws, we could be required to remove previously disposed substances and wastes, remediate contaminated property, or perform remedial operations to prevent future contamination. In addition, it is not uncommon for neighboring landowners and other third-parties to file claims for personal injury and property damage allegedly caused by the hazardous substances released into the environment.

Worker Health and Safety

We are subject to a number of federal and state laws and regulations, including the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSHA”) establishing requirements to protect the health and safety of workers. The OSHA hazard communication standard, the EPA community right-to-know regulations under Title III of the federal Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act and comparable state statutes requires maintenance of information about hazardous materials used or produced in operations and provision of this information to employees, state and local government authorities and citizens. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulating and providing safety oversight of commercial motor vehicles, the EPA establishing requirements to protect human health and the environment, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives establishing requirements for the safe use and storage of explosives, and the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission establishing requirements for the protection against ionizing radiation. Substantial fines and penalties can be imposed and orders or injunctions limiting or prohibiting certain operations may be issued in connection with any failure to comply with these laws and regulations.

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Transportation safety and compliance

Operating a fleet in excess of 1,100 commercial motor vehicles, we are subject to a number of federal and state laws and regulations, including the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and Hazardous Material Regulations for Interstate travel, and comparable state regulations for Intrastate travel. Substantial fines and penalties can be imposed and orders or injunctions limiting or prohibiting certain operations may be issued in connection with any failure to comply with laws and regulations relating to the safe operation of commercial motor vehicles.

Water Discharges

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (the “Clean Water Act”) and analogous state laws impose restrictions and strict controls with respect to the discharge of pollutants, including spills and leaks of oil and other substances, into waters of the United States. The discharge of pollutants into regulated waters, including jurisdictional wetlands, is prohibited, except in accordance with the terms of a permit issued by the EPA or an analogous state agency. In September 2015, a new EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the “Corps”) rule defining the scope of federal jurisdiction over wetlands and other waters became effective (the “Clean Water Rule”). The Clean Water Rule was previously stayed nationwide to determine whether federal district or appellate courts had jurisdiction to hear cases challenging the rule. The EPA and the Corps issued a proposed rulemaking in June 2017 to repeal the Clean Water Rule, and announced their intent to issue a new rule defining the Clean Water Act’s jurisdiction. Recently, in January 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision finding that jurisdiction resides with the federal district courts to hear challenges to the Clean Water Rule; following which, the previously-filed district court cases have been allowed to proceed. Following the Supreme Court’s decision, the EPA and the Corps issued a final rule in January 2018 staying implementation of the 2015 rule for two years while the agencies reconsider the rule. Multiple states and environmental groups have challenged the stay. As a result, future implementation of the rule is uncertain at this time. To the extent the rule expands the range of properties subject to the Clean Water Act’s jurisdiction, certain energy companies could face increased costs and delays with respect to obtaining permits for dredge and fill activities in wetland areas, which in turn could reduce demand for our services. The process for obtaining permits has the potential to delay our operations and those of our customers. Spill prevention, control and countermeasure requirements of federal laws require appropriate containment berms and similar structures to help prevent the contamination of navigable waters by a petroleum hydrocarbon tank spill, rupture or leak. In addition, the Clean Water Act and analogous state laws require individual permits or coverage under general permits for discharges of storm water runoff from certain types of facilities. Federal and state regulatory agencies can impose administrative, civil and criminal penalties as well as other enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance with discharge permits or other requirements of the Clean Water Act and analogous state laws and regulations. The Clean Water Act and analogous state laws provide for administrative, civil and criminal penalties for unauthorized discharges and, together with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, impose rigorous requirements for spill prevention and response planning, as well as substantial potential liability for the costs of removal, remediation, and damages in connection with any unauthorized discharges.

Air Emissions

The federal Clean Air Act (“CAA”), and comparable state laws, regulate emissions of various air pollutants through air emissions permitting programs and the imposition of other requirements. In addition, the EPA has developed, and continues to develop, stringent regulations governing emissions of toxic air pollutants at specified sources. These regulations change frequently. These laws and regulations may require us to obtain pre-approval for the construction or modification of certain projects or facilities expected to produce or significantly increase air emissions, obtain and strictly comply with stringent air permit requirements or utilize specific equipment or technologies to control emissions of certain pollutants. For example, in May 2016, the EPA finalized rules regarding criteria for aggregating multiple small surface sites into a single source for air-quality permitting purposes applicable to the oil and gas industry. This rule could cause small facilities, on an aggregate basis, to be deemed a major source, thereby triggering more stringent air permitting requirements. In addition, in October 2015, the EPA lowered the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (“NAAQS”) for ozone from 75 to 70 parts per billion. In November 2017, the EPA published a list of areas that are in compliance with the new ozone standard and, separately in December 2017, issued responses to state recommendations for designating non-attainment areas. States have the opportunity to submit new air quality monitoring to the EPA prior to the EPA finalizing any non-attainment designations. The EPA intends to issue final attainment status designations during the first half of 2018.  State implementation of the revised NAAQS could result in stricter permitting requirements, which in turn could delay or impair our or our

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customers’ ability to obtain air emission permits, and result in increased expenditures for pollution control equipment, the costs of which could be significant. Federal and state regulatory agencies can impose administrative, civil and criminal penalties, as well as injunctive relief, for non-compliance with air permits or other requirements of the CAA and associated state laws and regulations.

Climate Change

The EPA has determined that emissions of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, present a danger to public health and the environment because emissions of such gases are, according to the EPA, contributing to warming of the Earth’s atmosphere and other climatic changes. The EPA has established greenhouse gas emission reporting requirements for sources in the oil and gas sector, and has also promulgated rules requiring certain large stationary sources of greenhouse gases to obtain preconstruction permits under the CAA and follow “best available control technology” requirements. Although we are not likely to become subject to greenhouse gas emissions permitting and best available control technology requirements because none of our facilities are presently major sources of greenhouse gas emissions, such requirements could become applicable to our customers and could have an adverse effect on their costs of operations or financial performance, thereby adversely affecting our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Also, the U.S. Congress has from time to time considered adopting legislation to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and many states have already have established regional greenhouse gas “cap- and-trade” programs. The adoption of any legislation or regulation that restricts emissions of greenhouse gases from the equipment and operations of our customers or with respect to the oil and natural gas they produce could adversely affect demand for our products and services. Finally, some scientists have concluded that increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere may produce climate changes that could have significant physical effects, such as increased frequency and severity of storms, droughts, and floods and other climatic events; if such effects were to occur, they could have an adverse impact on our operations.

Hydraulic Fracturing

Our businesses are dependent on hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling activities. Hydraulic fracturing is an important and common practice that is used to stimulate production of hydrocarbons, particularly natural gas, from tight formations, including shales. The process, which involves the injection of water, sand and chemicals under pressure into formations to fracture the surrounding rock and stimulate production, is typically regulated by state oil and natural gas commissions. However, federal agencies have asserted regulatory authority over certain aspects of the process. For example, the EPA has asserted federal regulatory authority pursuant to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act over certain hydraulic fracturing activities involving the use of diesel fuels and published permitting guidance in February 2014 addressing the performance of such activities using diesel fuels. In 2016, the EPA issued final regulations under the CAA establishing performance standards, including standards for the capture of methane emissions released during hydraulic fracturing. However, over the past year the EPA has taken several steps to delay implementation of its methane standards, and the agency proposed a rulemaking in June 2017 to stay the requirements for a period of two years and revisit implementation of the 2016 methane standards in their entirety. The EPA has not yet published a final rule but, as a result of these developments, future implementation of the 2016 standards is uncertain at this time.  Various industry and environmental groups have separately challenged both the original standards and the EPA’s attempts to delay implementation of the rule. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) previously finalized similar limitations on methane emissions from venting and flaring and leaking equipment from oil and natural gas activities on public lands, but proposed to repeal those standards in February 2018. Several states have announced their intent to file judicial challenges against any attempt to repeal the BLM methane rules.  As a result, future implementation of both the EPA and BLM methane rules is uncertain at this time. However, given the long-term trend towards increasing regulation, future federal regulation of methane and other greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas industry remain a possibility.

The EPA has also issued effluent limitation guidelines that prohibit the discharge of wastewater from hydraulic fracturing operations to publicly owned wastewater treatment plants. In addition, the BLM had previously issued final rules in March 2015 imposing stringent standards for performing hydraulic fracturing on federal and Native American lands; however, the agency finalized a separate rulemaking in December 2017 repealing its hydraulic fracturing rules. Several states and environmental groups have challenged the repeal in federal court. It is unclear how any additional federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing activities may affect our operations, but additional regulatory burdens on our customers could ultimately result in decreased demand for our services.

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Various studies analyzing the potential environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing have also been performed. For example, in December 2016, the EPA released its final report on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. The final report concluded that “water cycle” activities associated with hydraulic fracturing may impact drinking water resources “under some circumstances,” noting that the following hydraulic fracturing water cycle activities and local- or regional-scale factors are more likely than others to result in more frequent or more severe impacts: water withdrawals for fracturing in times or areas of low water availability; surface spills during the management of fracturing fluids, chemicals or produced water; injection of fracturing fluids into wells with inadequate mechanical integrity; injection of fracturing fluids directly into groundwater resources; discharge of inadequately treated fracturing wastewater to surface waters; and disposal or storage of fracturing wastewater in unlined pits. As described elsewhere in this Annual Report, these risks are regulated under various state, federal, and local laws.

Some states, counties and municipalities have enacted or are considering moratoria on hydraulic fracturing. For example, New York and Vermont have banned or are in the process of banning the use of high volume hydraulic fracturing. Alternatively, some municipalities are or have considered zoning and other ordinances, the conditions of which could impose a de facto ban on drilling and/or hydraulic fracturing operations. Further, some states, counties and municipalities are closely examining water use issues, such as permit and disposal options for processed water, which could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, prospects and results of operations if such additional permitting requirements are imposed upon our industry. If new laws or regulations that significantly restrict hydraulic fracturing are adopted, such laws could reduce our business by making it more difficult or costly for their customers to perform fracturing to stimulate production from tight formations. In addition, if hydraulic fracturing becomes regulated at the federal level as a result of federal legislation or regulatory initiatives by the EPA, the business and operations of our customers could be subject to additional permitting requirements, and also to attendant permitting delays, increased operating and compliance costs and process prohibitions, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We face many challenges and risks in the industry in which we operate. You should carefully consider each of the following risk factors and all of the other information set forth in this Annual Report, including under the section titled “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” The risks and uncertainties described are not the only ones we face. Additional risk factors not presently known to us or which we currently consider immaterial may also adversely affect our business, financial condition or future results. If any of these risks were actually to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of our common stock could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to our Business and our Industry

Our business is cyclical and depends on capital spending and well completions by the onshore oil and natural gas industry in North America, and the level of such activity is volatile. Our business has been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by industry and financial market conditions that are beyond our control.

Our business is cyclical, and we depend on our customers’ willingness to make operating and capital expenditures to explore for, develop and produce oil and natural gas in North America, which, in turn, largely depends on prevailing industry and financial market conditions that are influenced by numerous factors beyond our control, including:

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A decline in oil and natural gas commodity prices may adversely affect the demand for our services and the rates we are able to charge.

The demand for our services and the rates we are able to charge are primarily influenced by current and anticipated oil and natural gas commodity prices and the related level of capital spending and drilling and completion activity in the areas in which we have operations. Volatility or weakness in oil and natural gas commodity prices (or the perception that oil and natural gas commodity prices will decrease) affects the spending patterns of our customers and may result in the drilling of fewer new wells or lower production spending on existing wells. The products and services we provide are, to a substantial extent, deferrable in the event oil and natural gas companies reduce capital expenditures. As a result, we may experience lower utilization of, and may be unable to increase rates or be forced to lower our rates for, our equipment and services in weak oil and natural gas commodity price environments. For example, between the third quarter of 2014 and the first quarter of 2016, oil and natural gas commodity prices declined significantly, which resulted in most of our customers reducing their exploration, development and production activities, which in turn resulted in a reduction in the demand for our services, as well as the rates we were able to charge and the utilization of our assets, during this period as compared to levels in mid-2014. Reduced discovery rates of new oil and natural gas reserves in our market areas as a result of decreased capital spending may also have a negative long-term impact on our business, even in an environment of stronger oil and natural gas prices, to the extent the reduced number of wells for us to service more than offsets increasing completion activity and intensity.

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Historically, oil and natural gas commodity prices have been extremely volatile. During the past six years, the posted price for West Texas Intermediate oil has ranged from a low of $26.19 per Bbl in February 2016 to a high of $113.39 per Bbl in April 2011, and the Henry Hub spot market price of gas has ranged from a low of $1.49 per MMBtu in March 2016 to a high of $7.51 per MMBtu in January 2010. Oil and natural gas commodity prices are expected to continue to be volatile. For example, in 2017, oil prices increased to a high of $60.46 in December 2017, following a low of $42.48 in June 2017. This environment could cause prices to remain at current levels or fall to lower levels. If the prices of oil and natural gas reverse their recent increases, our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

Our business could be adversely affected by a decline in general economic conditions or a weakening of the broader energy industry.

A prolonged economic slowdown or recession in North America, adverse events relating to the energy industry or regional, national and global economic conditions and factors, particularly a slowdown in the E&P industry, could negatively impact our operations and therefore adversely affect our results. The risks associated with our business are more acute during periods of economic slowdown or recession because such periods may be accompanied by decreased exploration and development spending by our customers, decreased demand for oil and natural gas and decreased prices for oil and natural gas.

We may be unable to employ, or maintain the employment of, a sufficient number of key employees, technical personnel and other skilled and qualified workers.

The delivery of our services and products requires personnel with specialized skills and experience, including personnel who can perform physically demanding work. Our ability to be profitable and productive will depend upon our ability to employ and retain skilled workers. Workers may choose to pursue employment with our competitors or in fields that offer a more desirable work environment as a result of the volatility in the oilfield service industry and the demanding nature of our work. In addition, the shortage of fixed housing and the lack of employee housing in certain areas where we operate could make it difficult for us to attract and retain quality, long-term personnel. The right-sizing of our and our competitors’ labor force over the recent sustained period of commodity price declines, as well as a significant decrease in the wages paid by us or our competitors as a result of reduced industry demand, has resulted in a reduction of the available skilled labor force to service the energy industry, and there is no assurance that the availability of skilled labor will improve following a subsequent increase in demand for our services or an increase in wage rates. If any of these events were to occur, our capacity and profitability could be diminished and our growth potential could be impaired.

We may be unable to implement price increases or maintain existing prices on our services.

We periodically seek to increase the prices on our services to offset rising costs and to generate higher returns for our stockholders. However, we operate in a very competitive industry and as a result, we are not always successful in raising, or maintaining, our existing prices. Additionally, during periods of increased market demand, a significant amount of new service capacity, including new well service rigs, wireline units and coiled tubing units, may enter the market, which also puts pressure on the pricing of our services and limits our ability to increase prices.

Even when we are able to increase our prices, we may not be able to do so at a rate that is sufficient to offset such rising costs. In periods of high demand for oilfield services, a tighter labor market may result in higher labor costs. During such periods, our labor costs could increase at a greater rate than our ability to raise prices for our services. Also, we may not be able to successfully increase prices without adversely affecting our activity levels. The inability to maintain our pricing and to increase our pricing as costs increase could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

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Our operations are subject to conditions inherent in the oilfield services industry.

Conditions inherent in the oil and natural gas industry can cause personal injury or loss of life, disruption or suspension in operations, damage to geological formations, damage to facilities, substantial revenue loss, business interruption and damage to, or destruction of, property, equipment and the environment. Such risks may include, but are not limited to:

Defects or other performance problems in the products that we sell or services that we offer could result in our customers seeking damages from us for losses associated with these defects or other performance problems. In addition, our completion and production services could become a source of spills or releases of fluids, including chemicals used during hydraulic fracturing activities, at the site where such services are performed, or could result in the discharge of such fluids into underground formations that were not targeted for fracturing or well completion activities, such as potable aquifers, or at third party properties. These risks could expose us to substantial liability for personal injury, wrongful death, property damage, loss of oil and natural gas production, pollution and other environmental damages and could result in a variety of claims, losses and remedial obligations that could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations. For example, on August 31, 2017, an incident occurred at a wellsite operated by Pioneer Natural Resources resulting in the death of an employee of one of our subsidiaries. The subsidiary is a defendant in a lawsuit related to this incident. The existence, frequency and severity of such incidents could affect operating costs, insurability and relationships with customers, employees and regulators. In particular, our customers may elect not to purchase our services if they view our safety record as unacceptable or otherwise experience material defects in our products or performance problems, which could cause us to lose customers and substantial revenue, and any litigation or claims, even if fully indemnified or insured, could negatively affect our reputation with our customers and the public and make it more difficult for us to compete effectively or obtain adequate insurance in the future.

We have operated at a loss in the past, and there is no assurance of our profitability in the future.

Historically, we have experienced periods of low demand for our services and have incurred operating losses. In the future, we may not be able to reduce our costs, increase our revenues or reduce our debt service obligations sufficiently to achieve or maintain profitability and generate positive operating income. Under such circumstances, we may incur further operating losses and experience negative operating cash flow.

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Restrictions in our debt agreements could limit our growth and our ability to engage in certain activities.

We made term loan borrowings of $125 million under our credit facility concurrently with the consummation of our initial public offering (our “IPO”). The operating and financial restrictions and covenants in our credit facility and any future financing agreements could restrict our ability to finance future operations or capital needs or to expand or pursue our business activities. For example, our credit facility restricts or limits our ability to:

Furthermore, our credit facility contains certain other operating covenants. Our ability to comply with the covenants and restrictions contained in our credit facility, and, as of the end of each quarter, compliance with a leverage ratio, an asset coverage ratio and a fixed charge coverage ratio, may be affected by events beyond our control, including prevailing economic, financial and industry conditions. If market or other economic conditions deteriorate, our ability to comply with these covenants may be impaired. Any violation of the restrictions, covenants, or ratio tests in our credit facility could result in an event of default, which may cause a significant portion of our indebtedness becoming immediately due and payable, and our lenders’ commitment to provide further loans to us may terminate. We might not have, or be able to obtain, sufficient funds to make these accelerated payments. Any subsequent replacement of our credit facility or any new indebtedness could have similar or greater restrictions. For more information about our credit facility, please read “Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations—Our credit facilities—Our credit facility.”

We may incur additional indebtedness or issue additional equity securities to execute our long-term growth strategy, which may reduce our profitability or result in significant dilution to our stockholders.

We may require additional capital in the future to develop and execute our long-term growth strategy. For the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017, we incurred approximately $9.1 million and $45.2 million, respectively, in capital expenditures and our capital expenditure budget for 2018, excluding possible acquisitions, is expected to be between $53 million and $57 million. We continually evaluate our capital expenditures, and the amount we ultimately spend will depend on a number of factors including expected industry activity levels and company initiatives. We believe the net proceeds from our IPO and borrowings under our credit facility, together with cash flows from operations, should be sufficient to fund our capital requirements for the next twelve months. If we incur additional indebtedness or issue additional equity securities, our profitability may be reduced and our stockholders may experience significant dilution.

We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service all of our indebtedness and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under applicable debt instruments, which may not be successful.

Our ability to make scheduled payments on or to refinance our indebtedness obligations depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which are subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and certain financial, business and other factors beyond our control. We may not be able to maintain a level of cash flows from operating activities sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness. For example, as of December 31, 2017, we had $119.9 million of debt outstanding under the Former Nine Credit Facility and $122.3 million of debt outstanding under the Former Beckman Credit Facility. As of

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December 31, 2016, we had $120.6 million of debt outstanding under the Former Nine Credit Facility that was then scheduled to mature on January 1, 2018, which was within twelve months of the date of the issuance of our audited financial statements and thereby resulted in a “going concern” paragraph being included in our independent registered public accounting firm’s audit report. Delivery of audited financial statements including a going concern qualification would result in an event of default under the Former Nine Credit Facility absent an amendment or waiver. On March 23, 2017, we received the requisite waiver from the lenders under the Former Nine Credit Facility with respect to this potential event of default. On August 2, 2017, we also entered into an amendment to the Former Nine Credit Facility, which extended the maturity to May 31, 2018. We repaid the Former Nine Credit Facility and the Former Beckman Credit Facility in full with a portion of the proceeds from our IPO and $125 million of term loan borrowings under our new credit facility. However, our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements going forward will depend on our future operating performance, which is affected by prevailing economic and competitive conditions, the level of drilling and completions activities in the North American E&P industry, and financial, business and other factors, many of which are beyond our control.

If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures, sell assets, seek additional capital or restructure or refinance indebtedness. Our ability to restructure or refinance indebtedness will depend on the condition of the capital markets and our financial condition at such time. Any refinancing of indebtedness could be at higher interest rates and may require us to comply with more onerous covenants, which could further restrict business operations. The terms of existing or future debt instruments may restrict us from adopting some of these alternatives. In addition, any failure to make payments of interest and principal on outstanding indebtedness on a timely basis would likely result in a reduction of our credit rating, which could harm our ability to incur additional indebtedness. In the absence of sufficient cash flows and capital resources, we could face substantial liquidity problems and might be required to dispose of material assets or operations to meet debt service and other obligations. We may not be able to consummate those dispositions, and the proceeds of any such disposition may not be adequate to meet any debt service obligations then due. These alternative measures may not be successful and may not permit us to meet scheduled debt service obligations.

Our current and potential competitors may have longer operating histories, significantly greater financial or technical resources and greater name recognition than we do.

The oilfield services industry is highly competitive and fragmented and includes several large companies that compete in many of the markets we serve, as well as numerous small companies that compete with us on a local basis. The oilfield services industry competes primarily on a regional basis, and the intensity of competition may vary significantly from region to region at any particular time. We believe the principal competitive factors in the market areas we serve include price, equipment quality, supply chains, balance sheet strength and financial condition, product and service quality, safety record, availability of crews and equipment and technical proficiency.

Many of our existing and potential competitors have substantially greater financial, technical, manufacturing and other resources than we do. The greater size of many of our competitors provides them with cost advantages as a result of their economies of scale and their ability to obtain volume discounts and purchase raw materials at lower prices. As a result, such competitors may have stronger bargaining power with their suppliers and have an advantage over us in pricing as well as securing a sufficient supply of raw materials during times of shortage. Many of our competitors also have better brand name recognition, stronger presence in more geographic markets, more established distribution networks, larger customer bases, more in-depth knowledge of the target markets, and the ability to provide a much broader array of services. Some of our competitors may also be able to devote greater resources to the research and development, promotion and sale of their products and better withstand the evolving industry standards and changes in market conditions as compared to us. Our operations may be adversely affected if our competitors introduce new products or services with better features, performance, prices or other characteristics than our products and services or expand into service areas where we operate. Our operations may also be adversely affected if our competitors are able to respond more quickly to new or emerging technologies and services and changes in customer requirements.

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Competitive pressures could reduce our market share or require us to reduce the price of our services and products, particularly during industry downturns, either of which would harm our business and operating results. Significant increases in overall market capacity have also caused active price competition and led to lower pricing and utilization levels for our services and products. The competitive environment has intensified since the recent industry downturn that began in late 2014, which caused an oversupply of, and reduced demand for, oilfield services, and we have seen substantial reductions in the prices we can charge for our services. Any significant future increase in overall market capacity for completion and production services may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Fuel conservation measures may reduce oil and natural gas demand.

Fuel conservation measures, alternative fuel requirements and increasing consumer demand for alternatives to oil and natural gas could reduce demand for oil and natural gas. The impact of the changing demand for oil and natural gas may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and prospects. Additionally, the increased competitiveness of alternative energy sources (such as wind, solar geothermal, tidal, fuel cells and biofuels) could reduce demand for hydrocarbons and therefore for our services, which would lead to a reduction in our revenues.

Our success may be affected by our ability to implement new technologies and services. Additionally, we rely on a limited number of manufacturers to produce the proprietary products used in the provision of our services, which exposes us to risks.

Our success may be affected by the ongoing development and implementation of new product designs, methods and improvements, and our ability to protect, obtain and maintain intellectual property assets related to these developments. If we are not able to obtain patent or other protection of our technology, it may not be economical for us to continue to develop systems, services and technologies to meet evolving industry requirements at prices acceptable to our customers. Further, we may face competitive pressure to develop, implement or acquire certain new technologies at a substantial cost. Although we take measures to ensure that we use advanced technologies, changes in technology or improvements in our competitors’ equipment could make our equipment less competitive or require significant capital investments to keep our equipment competitive.

We currently rely on a limited number of manufacturers for production of the proprietary products used in the provision of our services. Termination of the manufacturing relationship with any of these manufacturers could affect our ability to provide services to our customers. Though other alternate sources of supply for our proprietary products exist, we would need to establish relationships with new manufacturers, which could potentially involve significant expense and delay. Any protracted curtailment or interruptions of the supply of any of our key products, whether or not as a result or termination of our manufacturing relationships, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, business and results of operations.

Some of our competitors are large national and multinational companies that may be able to devote greater financial, technical, manufacturing and marketing resources to research and development of new systems, services and technologies and may have a larger number of manufacturers for their products or ability to manufacture their own products. As competitors and others use or develop new or comparable technologies in the future, we may lose market share or be placed at a competitive disadvantage if we are not able to develop and implement new technologies or products on a timely basis or at an acceptable cost. If we are unable to compete effectively given these risks, our business and results of operations could be affected.

Our success may be affected by the use and protection of our proprietary technology as well as our ability to enter into license agreements. There are limitations to our intellectual property rights and, thus, our right to exclude others from the use of such proprietary technology.

Our success may be affected by our development and implementation of new product designs and improvements and by our ability to protect, obtain and maintain intellectual property assets related to these developments. We rely on a combination of patents and trade secret laws to establish and protect this proprietary technology. We have received patents and have filed patent applications with respect to certain aspects of our technology, and we generally rely on patent protection with respect to our proprietary technology, as well as a combination of trade secrets and copyright law, employee and third-party non-disclosure agreements and other

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protective measures to protect intellectual property rights pertaining to our products and technologies. In addition, we are a party to and rely on several arrangements with third parties, which give us exclusive distribution rights to certain product offerings with desirable intellectual property assets, and we may enter into similar arrangements in the future. Such measures may not provide meaningful protection of our trade secrets, know-how or other intellectual property in the event of any unauthorized use, misappropriation or disclosure. We cannot assure you that competitors will not infringe upon, misappropriate, violate or challenge our intellectual property rights in the future. If we are not able to adequately protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, such intellectual property rights may not provide significant value to our business, results of operations or financial condition.

Moreover, our rights in our confidential information, trade secrets, and confidential know-how will not prevent third parties from independently developing similar technologies or duplicating such technologies. Publicly available information (e.g., information in issued patents, published patent applications and scientific literature) can be used by third parties to independently develop technology, and we cannot provide assurance that this independently developed technology will not be equivalent or superior to our proprietary technology. In addition, while we have patented some of our key technologies, we do not patent all of our proprietary technology, even when regarded as patentable. The process of seeking patent protection can be long and expensive. There can be no assurance that patents will be issued from currently pending or future applications or that, if patents are issued, they will be of sufficient scope or strength to provide meaningful protection or any commercial advantage to us. Further, with respect to exclusive third-party arrangements, these arrangements could be terminated, which would result in our inability to provide the services and/or products covered by such arrangements.

We may be adversely affected by disputes regarding intellectual property rights and the value of our intellectual property rights is uncertain.

We may become involved in dispute resolution proceedings from time to time to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights. In these dispute resolution proceedings, a defendant may assert that our intellectual property rights are invalid or unenforceable. Third parties from time to time may also initiate dispute resolution proceedings against us by asserting that our businesses infringe, impair, misappropriate, dilute or otherwise violate another party’s intellectual property rights. We may not prevail in any such dispute resolution proceedings, and our intellectual property rights may be found invalid or unenforceable or our products and services may be found to infringe, impair, misappropriate, dilute or otherwise violate the intellectual property rights of others. The results or costs of any such dispute resolution proceedings may have an adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition. Any dispute resolution proceeding concerning intellectual property could be protracted and costly, is inherently unpredictable and could have an adverse effect on our business, regardless of its outcome.

We are exposed to the credit risk of our customers, and the deterioration of the financial condition of our customers could adversely affect our financial results.

We are subject to the risk of loss resulting from nonpayment or nonperformance by our customers, many of whose operations are concentrated solely in the domestic and Canadian E&P industry which, as described above, is subject to volatility and, therefore, credit risk. Our credit procedures and policies may not be adequate to fully reduce customer credit risk. If we are unable to adequately assess the creditworthiness of existing or future customers or unanticipated deterioration in their creditworthiness, any resulting increase in nonpayment or nonperformance by them and our inability to re-market or otherwise use our equipment could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects and/or results of operations. In the course of our business we hold accounts receivable from our customers. In the event of the financial distress or bankruptcy of a customer, we could lose all or a portion of such outstanding accounts receivable associated with that customer. Further, if a customer was to enter into bankruptcy, it could also result in the cancellation of all or a portion of our service contracts with such customer at significant expense or loss of expected revenues to us.

In addition, during times when the oil or natural gas markets weaken, our customers are more likely to experience financial difficulties, including being unable to access debt or equity financing, which could result in a reduction in our customers’ spending for our services.

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Our assets require capital for maintenance, upgrades and refurbishment, and we may require capital expenditures for new equipment.

Our equipment requires capital investment in maintenance, upgrades and refurbishment to maintain their competitiveness. For the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017, we spent approximately $3.8 million and $9.6 million, respectively, on capital expenditures related to maintenance. Our equipment typically does not generate revenue while it is undergoing maintenance, refurbishment or upgrades. Any maintenance, upgrade or refurbishment project for our assets could increase our indebtedness or reduce cash available for other opportunities. Further, such projects may require proportionally greater capital investments as a percentage of total asset value, which may make such projects difficult to finance on acceptable terms. To the extent we are unable to fund such projects, we may have less equipment available for service or our equipment may not be attractive to potential or current customers. Additionally, competition or advances in technology within our industry may require us to update our products and services. Such demands on our capital or reductions in demand and the increase in cost to maintain labor necessary for such maintenance and improvement, in each case, could have a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity position, financial condition, prospects and results of operations and may increase costs.

We may record losses or impairment charges related to idle assets or assets that we sell.

Prolonged periods of low utilization, changes in technology or the sale of assets below their carrying value may cause us to experience losses. These events could result in the recognition of impairment charges that increase our net loss. In 2015, we recognized $35.5 million of goodwill impairment charges for two operating units.  In 2016, we recognized $12.2 million of goodwill impairment in one of our operating units due to persistent low completions activity in the market where the unit operates. In 2017, we recognized $31.5 million of goodwill impairment and $3.8 million of impairment to intangible assets in one of our operating units, due to a general decline in activity coupled with a methodology transition from open hole to cemented completions. Significant impairment charges as a result of a decline in market conditions or otherwise could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations in future periods.

Competition among oilfield service and equipment providers is affected by each provider’s reputation for safety and quality.

Our activities are subject to a wide range of national, state and local occupational health and safety laws and regulations. In addition, customers maintain their own compliance and reporting requirements. Failure to comply with these health and safety laws and regulations, or failure to comply with our customers’ compliance or reporting requirements, could tarnish our reputation for safety and quality and have a material adverse effect on our competitive position.

Seasonal and adverse weather conditions adversely affect demand for services and operations.

Weather can have a significant impact on demand as consumption of energy is seasonal, and any variation from normal weather patterns, cooler or warmer summers and winters, can have a significant impact on demand. Adverse weather conditions, such as hurricanes, tropical storms and severe cold weather, may interrupt or curtail operations, or customers’ operations, cause supply disruptions and result in a loss of revenue and damage to our equipment and facilities, which may or may not be insured. Specifically, we typically have experienced a pause by our customers around the holiday season in the fourth quarter, which may be compounded as our customers exhaust their annual capital spending budgets towards year end. Additionally, our operations are directly affected by weather conditions. During the winter months (first and fourth quarters) and periods of heavy snow, ice or rain, particularly in the northeastern U.S., Michigan, North Dakota, Wyoming and western Canada, our customers may delay operations or we may not be able to operate or move our equipment between locations. Also, during the spring thaw, which normally starts in late March and continues through June, some areas, primarily in western Canada, impose transportation restrictions to prevent damage caused by the spring thaw. For the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017, we generated approximately 4.4% and 4.0%, respectively, of our revenue from our operations in western Canada. Lastly, throughout the year heavy rains adversely affect activity levels, as well locations and dirt access roads can become impassible in wet conditions.

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Oilfield anti-indemnity provisions enacted by many states may restrict or prohibit a party’s indemnification of us.

We typically enter into agreements with our customers governing the provision of our services, which usually include certain indemnification provisions for losses resulting from operations. Such agreements may require each party to indemnify the other against certain claims regardless of the negligence or other fault of the indemnified party; however, many states place limitations on contractual indemnity agreements, particularly agreements that indemnify a party against the consequences of its own negligence. Furthermore, certain states, including Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas and Wyoming, have enacted statutes generally referred to as “oilfield anti-indemnity acts” expressly prohibiting certain indemnity agreements contained in or related to oilfield services agreements. Such oilfield anti-indemnity acts may restrict or void a party’s indemnification of us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects and results of operations.

The growth of our business through acquisitions may expose us to various risks, including those relating to difficulties in identifying suitable, accretive acquisition opportunities and integrating businesses, assets and personnel, as well as difficulties in obtaining financing for targeted acquisitions and the potential for increased leverage or debt service requirements.

As a component of our business strategy, we have pursued and intend to continue to pursue selected, accretive acquisitions of complementary assets, businesses and technologies. Acquisitions involve numerous risks, including:

The process of integrating an acquired business may involve unforeseen costs and delays or other operational, technical and financial difficulties and may require a disproportionate amount of management attention and financial and other resources. Our failure to achieve consolidation savings, to incorporate the acquired businesses and assets into our existing operations successfully or to minimize any unforeseen operational difficulties could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, there is intense competition for acquisition opportunities in our industry. Competition for acquisitions may increase the cost of, or cause us to refrain from, completing acquisitions.

In addition to potential future acquisitions, the ongoing integration of our business in connection with the Combination present a number of risks that could affect our results of operations. In particular, integrating the businesses from the Combination is difficult and involves a number of special risks, including the diversion of management’s attention to the assimilation of the operations, the unpredictability of costs related to the Combination and the difficulty of integration of the businesses, products, services, technology and employees. The ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of the Combination will depend, in part, upon whether the integration of the various businesses, products, services, technology and employees is accomplished in an efficient and effective manner, and there can be no assurance that this will occur.

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Furthermore, we may not have sufficient capital resources to complete additional acquisitions. Historically, we have financed acquisitions primarily with funding from our equity investors, cash generated by operations and borrowings under debt facilities. We may incur substantial indebtedness to finance future acquisitions and also may issue equity, debt or convertible securities in connection with such acquisitions. Debt service requirements could represent a significant burden on our results of operations and financial condition and the issuance of additional equity or convertible securities could be dilutive to our existing stockholders. Furthermore, we may not be able to obtain additional financing on satisfactory terms. Even if we have access to the necessary capital, we may be unable to continue to identify additional suitable acquisition opportunities, negotiate acceptable terms or successfully acquire identified targets.

Our ability to grow through acquisitions and manage growth will require us to continue to invest in operational, financial and management information systems and to attract, retain, motivate and effectively manage our employees. The inability to effectively manage the integration of acquisitions could reduce our focus on current operations and subsequent acquisitions, which, in turn, could negatively impact our earnings and growth. Our financial position and results of operations may fluctuate significantly from period to period, based on whether or not significant acquisitions are completed in particular periods.

We are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding issues of health, safety and protection of the environment. Under these laws and regulations, we may become liable for penalties, damages or costs of remediation or other corrective measures. Any changes in laws or government regulations could increase our costs of doing business.

Our operations are subject to stringent federal, state, local and tribal laws and regulations relating to, among other things, protection of natural resources, clean air and drinking water, wetlands, endangered species, greenhouse gasses, nonattainment areas, the environment, occupational health and safety, chemical use and storage, waste management, waste disposal and transportation of waste and other hazardous and nonhazardous materials. Our operations involve risks of environmental liability, including leakage from an operator’s casing during our operations or accidental spills onto or into surface or subsurface soils, surface water or groundwater. Some environmental laws and regulations may impose strict liability, joint and several liability, or both. In some situations, we could be exposed to liability as a result of our conduct that was lawful at the time it occurred or the conduct of, or conditions caused by, third parties without regard to whether we caused or contributed to the conditions. Additionally, environmental concerns, including clean air, drinking water contamination and seismic activity, have prompted investigations that could lead to the enactment of regulations, limitations, restrictions or moratoria that could potentially have a material adverse impact on our business. Actions arising under these laws and regulations could result in the shutdown of our operations, fines and penalties (administrative, civil or criminal), revocations of permits to conduct business, expenditures for remediation or other corrective measures and/or claims for liability for property damage, exposure to hazardous materials, exposure to hazardous waste, nuisance or personal injuries. Sanctions for noncompliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations may also include the assessment of administrative, civil or criminal penalties, revocation of permits and temporary or permanent cessation of operations in a particular location and issuance of corrective action orders. Such claims or sanctions and related costs could cause us to incur substantial costs or losses and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects and results of operations. Additionally, an increase in regulatory requirements, limitations, restrictions or moratoria on oil and natural gas exploration and completion activities at a federal, state or local level could significantly delay or interrupt our operations, limit the amount of work we can perform, increase our costs of compliance, or increase the cost of our services, thereby possibly having a material adverse impact on our financial condition.

If we do not perform our operations in accordance with government, industry, customer, or our own stringent occupational safety, health and environmental standards, we could lose business from our customers, many of whom have an increased focus on environmental and safety issues.

We are subject to the EPA, the U.S. Department of Transportation (the “DOT”), U.S. Nuclear Regulation Commission, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, OSHA and state regulatory agencies that regulate operations to prevent air, soil and water pollution. The energy extraction sector is one of the sectors designated for increased enforcement by the EPA, which will continue to regulate our industry in the years to come, potentially resulting in additional regulations that could have a material adverse impact on our business, prospects or financial condition.

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The EPA regulates air emissions from all engines, including off-road diesel engines that are used by us to power equipment in the field under the federal Clean Air Act’s (“CAA”) Tier 4 emission standards. The Tier 4 standards require substantial reductions in emissions of particulate matter and nitrous oxide from off-road diesel engines. Such emission reductions can be achieved through the use of appropriate control technologies. Under these U.S. emission control regulations, we could be limited in the number of certain off-road diesel engines we can purchase if we are unable to find a sufficient number of Tier 4-compliant engines from manufacturers. Further, these emission control regulations could result in increased capital and operating costs.

Changes in environmental laws and regulations could lead to material increases in our costs, and liability exposure, for future environmental compliance and remediation. Additionally, if we expand the size or scope of our operations, we could be subject to regulatory requirements that are more stringent than the requirements under which we are currently allowed to operate or require additional authorizations to continue operations. Compliance with this additional regulatory burden could increase our operating or other costs.

Federal, state and local legislative and regulatory initiatives relating to hydraulic fracturing could prohibit, restrict or limit hydraulic fracturing operations, or increase our operating costs.

Our businesses are dependent on hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling activities. Hydraulic fracturing is an important and common practice that is used to stimulate production of hydrocarbons, particularly natural gas, from tight formations, including shales. The process, which involves the injection of water, sand and chemicals under pressure into formations to fracture the surrounding rock and stimulate production, is typically regulated by state oil and natural gas commissions. However, federal agencies have asserted regulatory authority over certain aspects of the process. For example, the EPA has asserted federal regulatory authority pursuant to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act over certain hydraulic fracturing activities involving the use of diesel fuels and published permitting guidance in February 2014 addressing the performance of such activities using diesel fuels. In 2016, the EPA issued final regulations under the CAA establishing performance standards, including standards for the capture of methane emissions released during hydraulic fracturing. However, over the past year the EPA has taken several steps to delay implementation of its methane standards, and the agency proposed a rulemaking in June 2017 to stay the requirements for a period of two years and revisit implementation of the 2016 methane standards in their entirety. The EPA has not yet published a final rule but, as a result of these developments, future implementation of the 2016 standards is uncertain at this time.  Various industry and environmental groups have separately challenged both the original standards and EPA’s attempts to delay implementation of the rule. The BLM previously finalized similar limitations on methane emissions from venting and flaring and leaking equipment from oil and natural gas activities on public lands, but proposed to repeal those standards in February 2018. Several states have announced their intent to file judicial challenges against any attempt to repeal the BLM methane rules.  As a result, future implementation of both the EPA and BLM methane rules is uncertain at this time. However, given the long-term trend towards increasing regulation, future federal regulation of methane and other greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas industry remain a possibility.

The EPA has also issued effluent limitation guidelines that prohibit the discharge of wastewater from hydraulic fracturing operations to publicly owned wastewater treatment plants. In addition, the BLM had previously issued final rules in March 2015 imposing stringent standards for performing hydraulic fracturing on federal and Native American lands; however, the agency finalized a separate rulemaking in December 2017 repealing its hydraulic fracturing rules. Several states and environmental groups have challenged the repeal in federal court. It is unclear how any additional federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing activities may affect our operations, but additional regulatory burdens on our customers could ultimately result in decreased demand for our services.

Various studies analyzing the potential environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing have also been performed. For example, in December 2016, the EPA released its final report on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. The final report concluded that “water cycle” activities associated with hydraulic fracturing may impact drinking water resources “under some circumstances,” noting that the following hydraulic fracturing water cycle activities and local- or regional-scale factors are more likely than others to result in more frequent or more severe impacts: water withdrawals for fracturing in times or areas of low water availability; surface spills during the management of fracturing fluids, chemicals or produced water; injection of fracturing fluids into wells with inadequate mechanical integrity; injection of fracturing fluids directly into groundwater resources; discharge of inadequately treated fracturing wastewater to surface waters; and disposal or storage of fracturing wastewater in unlined pits. As described elsewhere in this Annual Report, these risks are regulated under various state, federal and local laws.

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Some states, counties and municipalities have enacted or are considering moratoria on hydraulic fracturing. For example, New York and Vermont have banned or are in the process of banning the use of high volume hydraulic fracturing. Alternatively, some municipalities are or have considered zoning and other ordinances, the conditions of which could impose a de facto ban on drilling and/or hydraulic fracturing operations. Further, some states, counties and municipalities are closely examining water use issues, such as permit and disposal options for processed water, which could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, prospects and results of operations if such additional permitting requirements are imposed upon our industry. If new laws or regulations that significantly restrict hydraulic fracturing are adopted, such laws could reduce our business by making it more difficult or costly for their customers to perform fracturing to stimulate production from tight formations. In addition, if hydraulic fracturing becomes regulated at the federal level as a result of federal legislation or regulatory initiatives by the EPA, the business and operations of our customers could be subject to additional permitting requirements, and also to attendant permitting delays, increased operating and compliance costs and process prohibitions, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Existing or future laws and regulations related to greenhouse gases and climate change could have a negative impact on our business and may result in additional compliance obligations with respect to the release, capture and use of greenhouse gasses that could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, prospects and financial condition.

Changes in environmental requirements related to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change may negatively impact demand for our services. For example, oil and natural gas E&P may decline as a result of environmental requirements, including land use policies responsive to environmental concerns. Federal, state and local agencies have been evaluating climate-related legislation and other regulatory initiatives that would restrict emissions of greenhouse gases in areas in which we conduct business. Because our business depends on the level of activity in the oil and natural gas industry, existing or future laws and regulations related to greenhouse gases and climate change, including incentives to conserve energy or use alternative energy sources, could have a negative impact on our business if such laws or regulations reduce demand for oil and natural gas. Likewise, such restrictions may result in additional compliance obligations with respect to the release, capture, sequestration and use of greenhouse gasses that could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, prospects and financial condition. Finally, some scientists have concluded that increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere may produce climate changes that could have significant physical effects, such as increased frequency and severity of storms, droughts, and floods and other climatic events; if such effects were to occur, they could have an adverse impact on our operations.

Studies by both state or federal agencies demonstrating a correlation between earthquakes and oil and natural gas activities could result in increased regulatory and operational burdens.

In light of concerns about seismic activity being triggered by the injection of produced waters into underground wells, certain regulators are also considering additional requirements related to seismic safety for hydraulic fracturing activities. A 2015 U.S. Geological Survey report identified eight states, including Texas, with areas of increased rates of induced seismicity that could be attributed to fluid injection or oil and gas extraction.  Any regulation that restricts the ability of our customers to dispose of produced waters or increases their cost of doing business could cause them to curtail operation, which in turn could decrease demand for our services and have a material adverse effect on our business.

We may be subject to claims for personal injury and property damage or other litigation, which could materially adversely affect our financial condition, prospects and results of operations.

Our services are subject to inherent risks that can cause personal injury or loss of life, damage to or destruction of property, equipment or the environment or the suspension of our operations. As the wells we service continue to become more complex, our exposure to such inherent risks becomes greater as downhole risks increase exponentially with an increase in complexity and lateral length. Our operations are also exposed to risks of labor organizing and risks of claims for alleged employment-related liabilities, including risks of claims related to alleged wrongful termination or discrimination, wage payment practices, retaliation claims and other human resource related matters. Litigation arising from operations where our facilities are located, or our services are provided, may cause us to be named as a defendant in lawsuits asserting potentially large claims including claims for exemplary damages. For example, transportation of heavy equipment creates the potential for our trucks to become involved in roadway accidents, which in turn could result in personal injury or property damages lawsuits being filed against us.

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We maintain what we believe is customary and reasonable insurance to protect our business against most potential losses, but such insurance may not be adequate to cover our liabilities, especially as the inherent risks in our operations increase with increasing well complexity, and we are not fully insured against all risks, including alleged employment related liabilities. Further, our insurance has deductibles or self-insured retentions and contains certain coverage exclusions. The current trend in the insurance industry is towards larger deductibles and self-insured retentions. In addition, insurance may not be available in the future at rates that we consider reasonable and commercially justifiable, compelling us to have larger deductibles or self-insured retentions to effectively manage expenses. As a result, we could become subject to material uninsured liabilities or situations where we have high deductibles or self-insured retentions that expose us to liabilities that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects or results of operations.

In recent years, oilfield services companies have been the subject of a significant volume of wage and hour-related litigation, including claims brought under the Federal Labor Standards Act, in which employee pay practices have been challenged. We have been named as defendants in these lawsuits, and we do not maintain insurance for alleged wage and hour-related litigation. Some of these cases remain outstanding and are in various states of negotiation and/or litigation. The frequency and significance of wage- or other employment-related claims may affect expenses, costs and relationships with employees and regulators.  Additionally, we could become subject to material uninsured liabilities that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects or results of operations.

Our operations are subject to cyber security risks that could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

The efficient operation of our business is dependent on our information technology (“IT”) systems. Accordingly, we rely upon the capacity, reliability and security of our IT hardware and software infrastructure and our ability to expand and update this infrastructure in response to our changing needs. Our IT systems are subject to possible breaches and other threats that could cause us harm. If our systems for protecting against cyber security risks prove not to be sufficient, we could be adversely affected by, among other things, loss or damage of intellectual property, proprietary information, or customer data; interruption of business operations; or additional costs to prevent, respond to, or mitigate cyber security attacks. These risks could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and result of operations.

Changes in transportation regulations may increase our costs and negatively impact our results of operations.

We are subject to various transportation regulations including as a motor carrier by the DOT and by various federal, state and tribal agencies, whose regulations include certain permit requirements of highway and safety authorities. These regulatory authorities exercise broad powers over our trucking operations, generally governing such matters as the authorization to engage in motor carrier operations, safety, equipment testing, driver requirements and specifications and insurance requirements. Certain motor vehicle operators are required to register with the DOT. This registration requires an acceptable operating record. The DOT periodically conducts compliance reviews and may revoke registration privileges based on certain safety performance criteria, and a revocation could result in a suspension of operations. Since 2010, the DOT has pursued its Compliance, Safety, Accountability (“CSA”) program in an effort to improve commercial truck and bus safety. A component of CSA is the Safety Measurement System (“SMS”), which analyzes all safety violations recorded by federal and state law enforcement personnel to determine a carrier’s safety performance. The SMS is intended to allow the DOT to identify carriers with safety issues and intervene to address those problems.

The trucking industry is subject to possible regulatory and legislative changes that may impact our operations, such as changes in fuel emissions limits, hours of service regulations that govern the amount of time a driver may drive or work in any specific period and limits on vehicle weight and size. For example, in December 2016, the DOT finalized minimum training standards for new drivers seeking a commercial driver’s license, and effective December 2017, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has mandated electronic logging devices in all interstate commercial trucks. As the federal government continues to develop and propose regulations relating to fuel quality, engine efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions, we may experience an increase in costs related to truck purchases and maintenance, impairment of equipment productivity, a decrease in the residual value of vehicles, unpredictable fluctuations in fuel prices and an increase in operating expenses. Increased truck traffic may contribute to deteriorating road conditions in some areas where our operations are performed. Our operations,

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including routing and weight restrictions, could be affected by road construction, road repairs, detours and state and local regulations and ordinances restricting access to certain roads. Proposals to increase federal, state or local taxes, including taxes on motor fuels, are also made from time to time, and any such increase would increase our operating costs. Also, state and local regulation of permitted routes and times on specific roadways could adversely affect our operations. We cannot predict whether, or in what form, any legislative or regulatory changes or municipal ordinances applicable to our logistics operations will be enacted and to what extent any such legislation or regulations could increase our costs or otherwise adversely affect our business or operations.

We are dependent on customers in a single industry. The loss of one or more significant customers could adversely affect our financial condition, prospects and results of operations.

Our customers are engaged in the oil and natural gas E&P business in North America, which has been historically volatile. For the year ended December 31, 2017, our five largest customers, collectively accounted for approximately 29% of total revenues, and no single customer accounted for 10% or more of our revenue. If we were to lose several key alliances over a relatively short period of time or if one of our largest customers fails to pay or delays in paying a significant amount of our outstanding receivables, we could experience an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and prospects. Additionally, the E&P industry is characterized by frequent consolidation activity. Changes in ownership of our customers may result in the loss of, or reduction in, business from those customers, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Our executive officers and certain key personnel are critical to our business and these officers and key personnel may not remain with us in the future.

Our future success depends in substantial part on our ability to hire and retain our executive officers and other key personnel. In particular, we are highly dependent on certain of our executive officers, particularly our President and Chief Executive Officer, Ann G. Fox, and the President of our Completion Solutions segment, David Crombie. These individuals possess extensive expertise, talent and leadership, and they are critical to our success. The diminution or loss of the services of these individuals, or other integral key personnel affiliated with entities that we acquire in the future, could have a material adverse effect on our business. Furthermore, we may not be able to enforce all of the provisions in any employment agreement we have entered into with certain of our executive officers and such employment agreements may not otherwise be effective in retaining such individuals. In addition, we may not be able to retain key employees of entities that we acquire in the future. This may impact our ability to successfully integrate or operate the assets we acquire.

A terrorist attack or armed conflict could harm our business.

The occurrence or threat of terrorist attacks in the United States or other countries, anti-terrorist efforts and other armed conflicts involving the United States or other countries, including continued hostilities in the Middle East, may adversely affect the United States and global economies and could prevent us from meeting financial and other obligations. We could experience loss of business, delays or defaults in payments from payors or disruptions of fuel supplies and markets if wells, operations sites or other related facilities are direct targets or indirect casualties of an act of terror or war. Such activities could reduce the overall demand for oil and natural gas, which, in turn, could also reduce the demand for our products and services. Oil and natural gas related facilities could be direct targets of terrorist attacks, and our operations could be adversely impacted if infrastructure integral to our customers’ operations is destroyed or damaged. Costs for insurance and other security may increase as a result of these threats, and some insurance coverage may become more difficult to obtain, if available at all. Terrorist activities and the threat of potential terrorist activities and any resulting economic downturn could adversely affect our results of operations, impair our ability to raise capital or otherwise adversely impact our ability to realize certain business strategies.

Delays or restrictions in obtaining, or inability to obtain or renew, permits or authorizations by our customers for their operations or by us for our operations could impair our business.

In most states, our operations and the operations of our customers require permits or authorizations from one or more governmental agencies or other third parties to perform drilling and completion and production activities, including hydraulic fracturing. Such permits or approvals are typically required by state agencies, but federal and local governmental permits may also be required. We are also required to obtain federal, state, local and/or third-party permits and authorizations in some jurisdictions in connection with our wireline services and trucking

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operations. The requirements for permits or authorizations vary depending on the location where the associated activities will be conducted. As with most permitting and authorization processes, there is a degree of uncertainty as to whether a permit will be granted, the time it will take for a permit or approval to be issued and the conditions which may be imposed in connection with the granting of the permit. In Texas, rural water districts have begun to impose restrictions on water use and may require permits for water used in drilling and completion activities. In addition, some of our customers’ drilling and completion activities may take place on federal land or Native American lands, requiring leases and other approvals from the federal government or Native American tribes to conduct such drilling and completion activities. Permitting, authorization or renewal delays, the inability to obtain new permits or the revocation of current permits could cause a loss of revenue and potentially have a materially adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects or results of operations.

Our Canadian operations subject us to currency translation risk, which could cause our results to fluctuate significantly from period to period.

A portion of our revenues are derived from our Canadian activities and operations. As a result, we translate the results of our operations and financial condition of our Canadian operations into U.S. dollars. Therefore, our reported results of operations and financial condition are subject to changes in the exchange rate between the two currencies. Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could affect our revenue, expenses and operating margins. Currently, we do not hedge our exposure to changes in foreign exchange rates.

Risks Related to our Common Stock

SCF controls a significant percentage of our voting power.

SCF owns approximately 38% of our outstanding common stock. In addition, certain of our directors are currently employed by SCF. Consequently, SCF is able to strongly influence all matters that require approval by our stockholders, including the election and removal of directors, changes to our organizational documents and approval of acquisition offers and other significant corporate transactions. This concentration of ownership will limit your ability to influence corporate matters, and as a result, actions may be taken that you may not view as beneficial. This concentration of stock ownership may also adversely affect the trading price of our common stock to the extent investors perceive a disadvantage in owning stock of a company with a controlling stockholder.

Certain of our directors may have conflicts of interest because they are also directors or officers of SCF. The resolution of these conflicts of interest may not be in our or your best interests.

Certain of our directors, namely David C. Baldwin and Andrew L. Waite, are currently officers of L.E. Simmons & Associates, Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (“LESA”), SCF’s ultimate general partner. In addition, Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Waite are both directors of Forum Energy Technology, a corporation in which SCF and its affiliates own an approximate 21% equity interest as of December 31, 2017. These positions may conflict with such individuals’ duties as one of our directors or officers regarding business dealings and other matters between SCF and us. The resolution of these conflicts may not always be in the best interest of the Company or its stockholders.

SCF and its affiliates are not limited in their ability to compete with us, and the corporate opportunity provisions in our charter could enable SCF to benefit from corporate opportunities that may otherwise be available to us.

SCF and its affiliates have investments in other oilfield service companies that may compete with us, and SCF and its affiliates may invest in such other companies in the future. SCF, its other affiliates and its portfolio companies are referred to herein as the “SCF Group.” Conflicts of interest could arise in the future between us, on the one hand, and the SCF Group, on the other hand, concerning among other things, potential competitive business activities or business opportunities.

Our charter provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, we renounce any interest or expectancy in any business opportunity that involves any aspect of the energy equipment or services business or industry and that may be from time to time presented to SCF or any of our directors or officers who is also an employee, partner, member, manager, officer or director of any SCF Group entity, even if the opportunity is one that we might reasonably have pursued or had the ability or desire to pursue if granted the opportunity to do so. Our

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charter further provides that no such person or party shall be liable to us by reason of the fact that such person pursues any such business opportunity, or fails to offer any such business opportunity to us. As a result, any of our directors or officers who is also an employee, partner, member, manager, officer or director of any SCF Group entity may become aware, from time to time, of certain business opportunities, such as acquisition opportunities, and may direct such opportunities to other businesses in which they have invested, in which case we may not become aware of or otherwise have the ability to pursue such opportunity. Further, such businesses may choose to compete with us for these opportunities. As a result, by renouncing our interest and expectancy in any business opportunity that may be from time to time presented to any member of an SCF Group entity or any of our directors or officers who is also an employee, partner, member, manager, officer or director of any SCF Group entity, our business or prospects could be adversely affected if attractive business opportunities are procured by such parties for their own benefit rather than for ours. Our charter provides that any amendment to or adoption of any provision inconsistent with our charter’s provisions governing the renouncement of business opportunities must be approved by the holders of at least 80% of the voting power of the outstanding stock of the corporation entitled to vote thereon. Any actual or perceived conflicts of interest with respect to the foregoing could have an adverse impact on the trading price of our common stock.

The requirements of being a public company, including compliance with the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) and the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), may strain our resources, increase our costs and distract management, and we may be unable to comply with these requirements in a timely or cost-effective manner.

As a newly public company, we need to comply with new laws, regulations and requirements, certain corporate governance provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, related regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and the requirements of the NYSE, with which we are not required to comply as a private company. We are currently evaluating these rules, regulations and requirements, and we cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs.

Complying with these statutes, regulations and requirements will occupy a significant amount of time of our board of directors and management and will significantly increase our costs and expenses. Among other things, we will need to:

In addition, beginning with our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018, we will be required to comply with certain provisions of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that requires that we document and test our internal control over financial reporting and issue management’s assessment of our internal control over financial reporting in such annual report. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act also requires that our independent registered public accounting firm opine on those internal controls upon becoming a large accelerated filer, as defined in the SEC rules, or otherwise ceasing to qualify as an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act. We are evaluating our existing controls against the standards adopted by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. During the course of our ongoing evaluation and integration of the internal control over financial reporting, we may identify areas requiring improvement, and we may have to design enhanced processes and controls to address issues and prevent fraud identified through this review. For example, we anticipate the need to hire additional administrative and accounting personnel to conduct our financial reporting. We cannot be certain at this time that we will be able to successfully complete the procedures, certification and attestation requirements of Section 404.

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Moreover, we expect that being a public company subject to these rules and regulations may make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance and we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. As a result, it may be more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve on our board of directors or as executive officers.

We have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, with regard to the reporting of income tax expense (benefit), related balance sheet accounts and other comprehensive income and also with regard to segregation of certain accounting duties. We may identify additional material weaknesses in the future or otherwise fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls, which may result in material misstatements of our financial statements or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations.

In connection with a review of our financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2017, we identified a material weakness in our internal control over the reporting of income tax expense (benefit), the related balance sheet accounts and other comprehensive income. A material weakness is defined as a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

During the first quarter of 2017, we hired a tax professional as our tax director, who performed a detailed review of our deferred taxes and our tax provision and identified certain immaterial errors in our income tax expense (benefit) and deferred tax balance for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015. Upon review of our internal controls in connection with the identification of these errors, we determined that we did not design and maintain an effective control environment with formal accounting policies and controls, and with trained professionals with an appropriate level of income tax knowledge and experience, to properly analyze, record and disclose the accounting matters commensurate with our financial reporting requirements related to income taxes. Specifically, we did not have controls designed to address the accuracy of income tax expense (benefit) and related combined balance sheet accounts, including deferred income taxes, as well as adequate procedures and controls to review the work of external experts engaged to assist in income tax matters or to monitor the presentation and disclosure of income taxes.

This material weakness resulted in the need to correct misstatements in our combined financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 prior to their issuance. The misstatements were not material to either 2016 or 2015.  This material weakness could result in a misstatement of the aforementioned account balances or disclosures that would result in a material misstatement of the annual or interim consolidated financial statements that would not be prevented or detected.  

As described above, during the first quarter of 2017, we hired a tax professional as our tax director, who identified the misstatements described above and will be responsible for performing a detailed review of our deferred taxes and our annual and quarterly tax provision for all future periods. Further, we have implemented additional review procedures within the accounting and finance department. These actions are subject to ongoing management review and the oversight of our board of directors.

In addition, in connection with the preparation of our financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, we identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, specifically as it related to segregation of certain accounting duties stemming from our decentralized accounting structure and limited number of accounting personnel. We did not design and maintain adequate controls to address segregation of certain accounting duties related to journal entries, account reconciliations and other accounting functions. Certain accounting personnel have the ability to prepare and post journal entries, as well as reconcile accounts, without an independent review by someone other than the preparer. Specifically, our internal controls were not designed or operating effectively to evidence that journal entries were appropriately recorded or were properly reviewed for validity, accuracy and completeness. Immaterial misstatements have been identified related to the inadequate segregation of accounting duties.  This material weakness could result in a misstatement of the aforementioned account balances or disclosures that would result in a material misstatement of the annual or interim consolidated financial statements that would not be prevented or detected.  

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We have begun to remediate and plan to further remediate this material weakness relating to segregation of certain accounting duties. We have replaced the less sophisticated accounting systems used by our newly-acquired subsidiaries with the enterprise resource planning system used by the majority of our subsidiaries. Also, we are working with third party consultants to identify internal control risks and implement remedies. These actions are subject to ongoing management review and the oversight of our board of directors.

The material weaknesses described above or any newly identified material weakness could limit our ability to prevent or detect a misstatement of our accounts or disclosures that could result in a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements. We cannot assure you that the measures we have taken to date, or any measures we may take in the future, will be sufficient to remediate the control deficiencies that led to the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting described above or to avoid potential future material weaknesses. In addition, neither our management nor an independent registered public accounting firm has ever performed an evaluation of our internal control over financial reporting in accordance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act because no such evaluation has been required. Had we or our independent registered public accounting firm performed an evaluation of our internal control over financial reporting in accordance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, additional material weaknesses may have been identified.

Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and prevent fraud. If we are unable to successfully remediate our existing or any future material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, or identify any additional material weaknesses that may exist, the accuracy and timing of our financial reporting may be adversely affected, we may be unable to maintain compliance with securities law requirements regarding timely filing of periodic reports in addition to applicable stock exchange listing requirements, we may be unable to prevent fraud, investors may lose confidence in our financial reporting, and our stock price may decline as a result. Additionally, our reporting obligations as a public company could place a significant strain on our management, operational and financial resources and systems for the foreseeable future and may cause us to fail to timely achieve and maintain the adequacy of our internal control over financial reporting.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research reports or publish unfavorable research about our business, the price and trading volume of our common stock could decline.

The trading market for our common stock depends in part on the research reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. If one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our securities, the price of our securities would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases to cover us or fails to publish regular reports on us, interest in the purchase of our securities could decrease, which could cause the price of our common stock and other securities and their trading volume to decline.

Our charter and bylaws contain provisions that could delay, discourage or prevent a takeover attempt even if a takeover might be beneficial to our stockholders, and such provisions may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

Provisions contained in our charter and bylaws could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us. Our charter and bylaws also impose various procedural and other requirements, which could make it more difficult for stockholders to effect certain corporate actions. For example, our charter authorizes our board of directors to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of unissued series of preferred stock without any vote or action by our stockholders. Thus, our board of directors can authorize and issue shares of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting or other rights of holders of our capital stock. These rights may have the effect of delaying or deterring a change of control of our company. Additionally, for example, our bylaws (i) establish limitations on the removal of directors and on the ability of our stockholders to call special meetings, (ii) include advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors and for proposing matters that can be acted upon at stockholder meetings, (iii) provide that our board of directors is expressly authorized to adopt, or to alter or repeal, our bylaws, and (iv) provide for a classified board of directors, consisting of three classes of approximately equal size, each class serving staggered three-year terms, so that only approximately one-third of our directors will be elected each year. These provisions could limit the price that certain investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock.

Our charter designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our

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stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents.

Our charter provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, employees or agents to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), our charter or our bylaws or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each such case subject to such Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of, and consented to, the provisions of our charter described in the preceding sentence. This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and such persons. Alternatively, if a court were to find these provisions of our charter inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We do not intend to pay dividends on our common stock, and we expect that our debt agreements will place certain restrictions on our ability to do so. Consequently, your only opportunity to achieve a return on your investment is if the price of our common stock appreciates.

We do not plan to declare dividends on shares of our common stock in the foreseeable future. Additionally, our credit facility places certain restrictions on our ability to pay cash dividends. Consequently, unless we revise our dividend policy, your only opportunity to achieve a return on your investment in us will be if you sell your common stock at a price greater than you paid for it. There is no guarantee that the price of our common stock that will prevail in the market will ever exceed the price at which you purchased your shares of common stock.

Future sales of our common stock in the public market could reduce our stock price, and any additional capital raised by us through the sale of equity or convertible securities may dilute your ownership in us.

We may sell additional shares of common stock in subsequent public offerings. We may also issue additional shares of common stock or convertible securities. We have 23,873,583 shares of our common stock outstanding (all shares reflect the 8.0256 for 1 stock split that took place in connection with the IPO in January 2018 – Note 2) and SCF-VII, L.P. and SCF-VII(A), L.P. (collectively, “SCF”) own 9,086,888 shares of our common stock or approximately 38% of our total outstanding shares, all of which are restricted from immediate resale under the federal securities laws and are subject to lock-up agreements with the underwriters in our IPO but may be sold into the market in the future. SCF and certain of our other stockholders are parties to the Amended Stockholders Agreement (as defined and described in Item 13. “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence—Transactions with our Significant Stockholders and our Directors and Executive Officers—Stockholders Agreement”), which will require us to effect the registration of their shares in certain circumstances no earlier than the expiration of the lock-up period contained in the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with our IPO. Additionally, 7,097,491 shares held by our employees and others will be eligible for sale at various times and subject to a 180 day lock-up agreement contained in the Existing Stockholders Agreement, including shares eligible for sale upon exercise of vested options.

In connection with our IPO, we filed a registration statement with the SEC on Form S-8 providing for the registration of shares of our common stock issued or reserved for issuance under our equity incentive plan. Subject to the satisfaction of vesting conditions, the expiration of lock-up agreements and the requirements of Rule 144, shares registered under the registration statement on Form S-8 will be available for resale immediately in the public market without restriction.

We cannot predict the size of future issuances of our common stock or securities convertible into common stock or the effect, if any, that future issuances and sales of shares of our common stock will have on the market price of our common stock. Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock (including shares issued in connection with

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an acquisition), or the perception that such sales could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices of our common stock.

The underwriters of our IPO may waive or release parties to the lock-up agreements entered into in connection with our IPO, which could adversely affect the price of our common stock.

In connection with our IPO, we, all of our directors and executive officers and SCF entered into lock-up agreements with respect to their common stock, pursuant to which they are subject to certain resale restrictions for a period of 180 days following the date of the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with our IPO. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC may, at any time and without notice, release all or any portion of the common stock subject to the foregoing lock-up agreements. If the restrictions under the lock-up agreements are waived, then common stock will be available for sale into the public markets, which could cause the market price of our common stock to decline and impair our ability to raise capital.

A significant reduction by SCF of its ownership interests in us could adversely affect us.

We believe that SCF’s substantial ownership interest in us provides them with an economic incentive to assist us to be successful. Upon the expiration or earlier waiver of the lock-up restrictions on transfers or sales of our securities following the completion of our IPO, SCF will not be subject to any obligation to maintain its ownership interest in us and may elect at any time thereafter to sell all or a substantial portion of or otherwise reduce its ownership interest in us. If SCF sells all or a substantial portion of its ownership interest in us, it may have less incentive to assist in our success and its affiliates that are expected to serve as members of our board of directors may resign. Such actions could adversely affect our ability to successfully implement our business strategies which could adversely affect our cash flows or results of operations.

Taking advantage of the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to “emerging growth companies” may make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage of certain reduced reporting and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. Pursuant to these reduced disclosure requirements, emerging growth companies are not required to, among other things, comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, provide certain disclosures regarding executive compensation, holding stockholder advisory votes on executive compensation or obtain stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In addition, emerging growth companies have longer phase-in periods for the adoption of new or revised financial accounting. We would cease to be an emerging growth company if we have more than $1.07 billion in annual revenue, have more than $700 million in market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates, or issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt over a three-year period.

We intend to take advantage of all of the reduced reporting requirements and exemptions, including the longer phase-in periods for the adoption of new or revised financial accounting standards under Section 107 of the JOBS Act, until we are no longer an emerging growth company. If we were to subsequently elect instead to comply with these public company effective dates, such election would be irrevocable pursuant to Section 107 of the JOBS Act.

Our election to use the phase-in periods permitted by this election may make it difficult to compare our financial statements to those of non-emerging growth companies and other emerging growth companies that have opted out of the longer phase-in periods under Section 107 of the JOBS Act and who will comply with new or revised financial accounting standards. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our common stock price may be more volatile. Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies.

We may not be able to utilize a portion of our net operating loss carryforwards (“NOLs”) to offset future taxable income for U.S. federal or state tax purposes, which could adversely affect our net income and cash flows.

As of December 31, 2017, the Company had federal and state income tax NOLs of approximately $168.1 million, which will begin to expire between 2023 and 2033. Utilization of these NOLs depends on many factors,

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including our future taxable income, which cannot be assured. In addition, Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Section 382”), generally imposes an annual limitation on the amount of an NOL that may be used to offset taxable income when a corporation has undergone an “ownership change” (as determined under Section 382). Determining the limitations under Section 382 is technical and highly complex. An ownership change generally occurs if one or more shareholders (or groups of shareholders) who are each deemed to own at least 5% of the corporation’s stock increase their ownership by more than 50 percentage points over their lowest ownership percentage within a rolling three-year period. In the event that an ownership change has occurred—or were to occur—with respect to a corporation following its recognition of an NOL, utilization of such NOL would be subject to an annual limitation under Section 382, generally determined by multiplying the value of the corporation’s stock at the time of the ownership change by the applicable long-term tax-exempt rate as defined in Section 382. However, this annual limitation would be increased under certain circumstances by recognized built-in gains of the corporation existing at the time of the ownership change. In the case of an NOL that arose in a taxable year beginning before January 1, 2018, any unused annual limitation with respect to an NOL generally may be carried over to later years, subject to the expiration of such NOL 20 years after it arose.

The issuance of additional stock in our IPO, combined with ownership shifts over the rolling three-year period, resulted in an ownership change under Section 382 and we may be prevented from fully utilizing our NOLs prior to their expiration. Future changes in our stock ownership or future regulatory changes could also limit our ability to utilize our NOLs. To the extent we are not able to offset future taxable income with our NOLs, our net income and cash flows may be adversely affected.

None.

The following table describes the material facilities owned or leased by us as of December 31, 2017.

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From time to time, we have various claims, lawsuits and administrative proceedings that are pending or threatened with respect to personal injury, workers’ compensation, contractual matters and other matters. Although no assurance can be given with respect to the outcome of these and the effect such outcomes may have, we believe any ultimate liability resulting from the outcome of such claims, lawsuits or administrative proceedings, to the extent not otherwise provided for or covered by insurance, will not have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results or financial condition.

We have been named in the following proceeding:

Christina Sparks, et al v. Pioneer Natural Resources, et al., Filed in the District Court, 142nd Judicial District, Midland County, Texas. On August 31, 2017, an accident occurred while a five-employee crew of Big Lake Services, LLC, a subsidiary of Nine (“Big Lake Services”), was performing workover services at an oil and gas wellsite near Midland, Texas, operated by Pioneer Natural Resources, resulting in the death of a Big Lake Services employee, Juan De La Rosa. On December 7, 2017, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Mr. De La Rosa’s minor children in the Midland County District Court against Pioneer Natural Resources, Big Lake Services, and Phillip Hamilton related to this accident. The petition alleges, among other things, that the defendants acted negligently, resulting in the death of Mr. De La Rosa. The plaintiffs are seeking money damages, including punitive damages.

We maintain insurance coverage against liability for, among other things, personal injury (including death), which coverage is subject to certain exclusions and deductibles. We tendered this matter to our insurance company for defense and indemnification of Big Lake Services and the other defendants. While we maintain such insurance policies with insurers in amounts and with coverage and deductibles that we, with the advice of our insurance advisors and brokers, believe are reasonable and prudent, we cannot assure you that this insurance will be adequate to protect us from all material expenses related to current or potential future claims for personal and property damage or that these levels of insurance will be available in the future at economical prices.

Not applicable.

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PART II

Market Information

In connection with our IPO, our common stock began trading on the NYSE under the symbol “NINE” on January 19, 2018. Prior to that, there was no public market for our common stock. As a result we have not set forth quarterly information with respect to the high and low prices for our common stock for the two most recent fiscal years. From January 19, 2018, our first day of trading on NYSE, to March 21, 2018, the high and low prices for our common stock were $29.00 and $22.23, respectively.

Holders

As of March 21, 2018, we had approximately 23,873,583 shares of common stock outstanding and 112 stockholders of record. The number of record holders does not include persons who held shares of our common stock in nominee or “street name” accounts through brokers.

Dividend Policy

We do not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. We currently intend to retain future earnings, if any, to fund our operations and to develop and grow our business. Our future dividend policy is within the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon various factors our board of directors deems relevant, including our results of operations, financial condition, capital requirements and investment opportunities. In addition, our credit facility places restrictions on our ability to pay cash dividends.

Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans

For disclosures regarding securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans, see Part III, Item 12. “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters” of this report.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

During the year ended December 31, 2017, we have issued unregistered securities to a limited number of persons, as described below. None of these transactions involved any underwriters, underwriting discounts or commissions or any public offering, and we believe that each of these transactions was exempt from the registration requirements pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, Regulation D or Regulation S promulgated thereunder or Rule 701 of the Securities Act. The recipients of these securities represented their intention to acquire the securities for investment only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof, and appropriate legends were affixed to the share certificates and instruments issued in these transactions.

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The following table sets forth information on the restricted stock awards issued by us and common stock issued pursuant to the exercise of stock options during the year ended December 31, 2017.

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The following table sets forth information on the stock options issued by us during the year ended December 31, 2017.

No cash consideration was paid to us by any recipient of any of the foregoing options for the grant of such options. All of the stock options described above issued prior to the completion of the Combination were granted under the Stock Plan, to the officers, employees and consultants of the Company.

Pursuant to a Subscription Agreement dated January 17, 2017, three Nine Employees subscribed to each purchase 4,414 shares of our common stock in exchange for cash payments of $99,891.00 each.

On January 31, 2017, we issued 24,157 shares of common stock to the former members of Pat Greenlee Builders, LLC as deferred consideration for the G8 Oil Tool Acquisition.

On February 28, 2017, we completed the Combination, through which Nine Energy Service, Inc. and Beckman Production Services, Inc. were combined. In the Combination, Nine Energy Service, Inc. was the surviving entity, all of the outstanding shares held by each of the former Beckman Production Services, Inc. shareholders in Beckman Production Services, Inc. were acquired in exchange for 5,371,293 of our shares.

In connection with the Combination and pursuant to subscription agreements dated March 10, 2017, we offered each of our stockholders (our existing stockholders and the Beckman stockholders) who were accredited investors or non-U.S. persons (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) the opportunity to purchase shares of our common stock worth $20 million in the aggregate, up to their pro-rata ownership of the Company in the Combined Nine Subscription Offer). If each eligible purchaser did not purchase its respective pro rata portion of such approximately $20 million of shares of our common stock, the eligible purchasers that elected to participate in the Combined Nine Subscription Offer were entitled, but not obligated, to purchase the remaining number of shares of our common stock worth $20 million in the aggregate. In connection with Combined Nine Subscription Offer, 55 stockholders, including some of our executive officers and directors, subscribed to purchase 641,357 shares of our common stock in exchange for aggregate cash payments of approximately $20 million. The proceeds from the Combined Nine Subscription Offer were used to (i) to finance the purchase of non-accredited investors’ shares in the Combination and pay fees and expenses related to the Combination and (ii) for general corporate purposes, including ensuring compliance with our financial covenants under the Existing Nine Credit Facility. In connection with the Combined Nine Subscription Offer, we issued to those stockholders who purchased shares of our common stock a warrant to purchase additional shares of our common stock on the basis of one warrant share for every two shares purchased in the Combined Nine Subscription Offer, resulting in warrants issued to purchase an aggregate of 320,582 shares of our common stock. The warrants were called by the Company on July 25, 2017, and all warrants that were not exercised by August 23, 2017 expired and are deemed cancelled.

In addition to the Combined Nine Subscription Offer, though not in connection with the Combination, pursuant to subscription agreements dated March 10, 2017, we offered each of our existing stockholders pre-Combination who were accredited investors or non-U.S. persons (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) the opportunity to purchase shares of our common stock worth $5 million in the aggregate, up to their pro-rata ownership of the Company (the “Nine Subscription Offer”). If each eligible purchaser did not purchase its respective pro rata portion of such approximately $5 million of shares of our common stock, the eligible purchasers that elected to participate in the Nine Subscription Offer were entitled, but not obligated, to purchase the remaining number of shares of our common stock worth $5 million in the aggregate. In connection with Nine Subscription Offer, 41 stockholders, including some of our executive officers and directors, subscribed to purchase 160,335 shares of our common stock in exchange for aggregate cash payments of approximately $5 million. The proceeds from the Nine Subscription Offer were retained by us to ensure compliance with our financial covenants under the Existing Nine Credit Facility. In connection with the Nine Subscription Offer, we issued to those

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stockholders who purchased shares of our common stock a warrant to purchase additional shares of our common stock on the basis of one warrant share for every two shares purchased in the Nine Subscription Offer, resulting in warrants issued to purchase an aggregate of 80,095 shares of our common stock. The warrants were called by the Company on July 25, 2017, and all warrants that were not exercised by August 23, 2017 expired and are deemed cancelled.

In addition to the Combined Nine Subscription Offer and the Nine Subscription Offer, though not in connection with the Combination, pursuant to subscription agreements dated February 10, 2017, Beckman offered each of its stockholders pre-Combination who were accredited investors or non-U.S. persons (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) the opportunity to purchase shares of its common stock worth $15 million in the aggregate, up to their pro-rata ownership of Beckman (the “Beckman Subscription Offer” and with the Combined Nine Subscription Offer and the Nine Subscription Offer, the “Subscription Offers”). If each eligible purchaser did not purchase its respective pro rata portion of such approximately $15 million of shares of its common stock, the eligible purchasers that elected to participate in the Beckman Subscription Offer were entitled, but not obligated, to purchase the remaining number of shares of its common stock worth $15 million in the aggregate. In connection with Beckman Subscription Offer, 15 stockholders, including some of our executive officers and directors, subscribed to purchase 105,680 shares of Beckman common stock in exchange for aggregate cash payments of approximately $15 million (481,030 shares of our common stock after giving effect to the application of the exchange ratio used with respect to the Combination to convert the shares of Beckman common stock into shares of our common stock). The proceeds from the Beckman Subscription Offer were used to pay outstanding indebtedness under the Existing Beckman Credit Facility. In connection with the Beckman Subscription Offer, Beckman issued to those stockholders who purchased shares of its common stock a warrant to purchase additional shares of its common stock on the basis of one warrant share for every two shares purchased in the Beckman Subscription Offer, resulting in warrants issued to purchase an aggregate of 240,438 shares of our common stock based on the exchange ratio used with respect to the combination. Beckman shares of common stock issued in the Beckman Subscription Offer and warrants purchased in the Beckman Subscription Offer converted into shares and warrants of our common stock based on the exchange ratio used with respect to the Combination. The warrants were called by the Company on July 25, 2017, and all warrants that were not exercised by August 23, 2017 expired and are deemed cancelled.

Pursuant to a Subscription Agreement dated March 31, 2017, a former Company employee subscribed to purchase 32,102 shares of our common stock in exchange for a cash payment of approximately $1.0 million.

On July 25, 2017, we provided notice to all existing holders of the Company’s common stock that we were offering for sale up to approximately $20 million of the Company’s common stock at $18.69 per share to those stockholders who were accredited investors. We closed the July 2017 Subscription Offer on August 23, 2017.

Pursuant to the Employment Agreement dated November 20, 2017, as amended by the First Amendment thereto dated December 20, 2017, Clinton Roeder, the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, purchased $300,000 of our common stock on January 23, 2018, at the Fair Market Value (as defined in the Nine Energy Service, Inc. 2011 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Stock Plan”)). Pursuant to such Employment Agreement, the Company granted (i) options to purchase 4,000 shares of our common stock with an exercise price equal to the Fair Market Value (as defined in the Stock Plan) and (ii) $600,000 of shares of restricted stock at a price per share equal to the Fair Market Value (as defined in the Stock Plan), to Mr. Roeder under the Stock Plan.

Use of Proceeds from Registered Securities

In January 2018, we completed our IPO of 8,050,000 shares of common stock (including 1,050,000 shares pursuant to an over-allotment option) at a price to the public of $23.00 per share pursuant to our registration statement on Form S‑1 (File 333‑217601), as amended and declared effective by the SEC on January 18, 2018 (the “Registration Statement”). J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC acted as joint book-running managers and representatives of the underwriters in our IPO.

The aggregate gross proceeds of our IPO were $185.2 million.  After subtracting underwriting discounts and commissions of $12.5 million and offering expenses of approximately $3.2 million, we received net proceeds of approximately $169.5 million.  We used a portion of these net proceeds, together with $125.0 million of term loan borrowings under our credit facility, to fully repay the outstanding indebtedness under our former credit

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facilities.  Further, our credit agreement required that we use a portion of the proceeds from the over-allotment option to make a prepayment of the term loan borrowings of $9.7 million. The remainder of the net proceeds were used for general corporate purposes. No payments, fees or expenses have been paid, directly or indirectly, to any of our officers, directors or their associates, holders of 10% or more of any class of our equity securities or other affiliates.

Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers

None.

This section presents our selected consolidated financial data for the periods and as of the dates indicated. The financial data set forth below, as well as our audited financial statements and related notes give effect to the Combination and represent the consolidated results of Nine and Beckman and their respective subsidiaries. The selected historical consolidated financial data presented below is not intended to replace our historical consolidated financial statements. The following selected consolidated financial data should be read in conjunction with both Part II, Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and Part II, Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report in order to fully understand those factors which may affect the comparability of the information presented below.

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All shares and per share data reflect the 8.0256 for 1 stock split that took place in January 2018.

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The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with “Selected financial data” and our financial statements and related notes included under Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Annual Report”). This discussion contains forward-looking statements based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our operations and the industry in which we operate. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of risks and uncertainties, including those described in this Annual Report under “Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements” and “Risk factors.” We assume no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.

Overview

We are a leading North American onshore completion and production services provider that targets unconventional oil and gas resource development. We partner with our E&P customers across all major onshore basins in both the U.S. and Canada to design and deploy downhole solutions and technology to prepare horizontal, multistage wells for production. We focus on providing our customers with cost-effective and comprehensive completion solutions designed to maximize their production levels and operating efficiencies. We believe our success is a product of our culture, which is driven by our intense focus on performance and wellsite execution as well as our commitment to forward-leaning technologies that aid us in the development of smarter, customized applications that drive efficiencies.

On February 28, 2017, we completed the Combination, pursuant to which all of the issued and outstanding shares of Beckman common stock were converted into shares of our common stock, other than 1.6% of Beckman shares paid in cash. Prior to the Combination, Beckman, a growth-oriented oilfield services company that provides a wide range of well service and coiled tubing services, was also an SCF Partners portfolio company. As a result, the Combination was accounted for using the reorganization accounting method for entities under common control. Under this method of accounting, the financial statements and the discussions herein include the operating results of Nine and Beckman. In this Annual Report, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Nine,” “we,” “us,” “our” and the “Company” refer to (i) Nine Energy Service, Inc. and its subsidiaries together with Beckman prior to the Combination and (ii) Nine Energy Service, Inc. and its subsidiaries after the Combination. For more information on the Combination, see Note 3—“Acquisitions and Combinations” in our audited financial statements.

We operate in two segments:

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For more information on our services and segments, see Item 1. “Business—Our Segments.”

How We Generate Revenue and the Costs of Conducting Our Business

We generate our revenues by providing completion and production services to E&P customers across all major onshore basins in both the U.S. and Canada. We primarily earn our revenues pursuant to work orders entered into with our customers on a job-by-job basis. We typically will enter into a Master Service Agreement (“MSA”) with each customer that provides a framework of general terms and conditions of our services that will govern any future transactions or jobs awarded to us. Each specific job is obtained through competitive bidding or as a result of negotiations with customers. The rate we charge is determined by location, complexity of the job, operating conditions, duration of the contract and market conditions. In addition to MSAs, we have entered into a select number of longer-term contracts with certain customers relating to our wireline and cementing services, and we may enter into similar contracts from time to time to the extent beneficial to the operation of our business. These longer-term contracts address pricing and other details concerning our services, but each job is performed on a standalone basis.

The principal expenses involved in conducting both our Completion Solutions and Production Solutions segments are labor costs, materials and freight, the costs of maintaining our equipment and fuel costs. Our direct labor costs vary with the amount of equipment deployed and the utilization of that equipment. Another key component of labor costs relates to the ongoing training of our field service employees, which improves safety rates and reduces employee attrition.

How We Evaluate Our Operations

We manage our operations through two business segments, Completion Solutions and Production Solutions, as described above. We evaluate the performance of these segments based on a number of financial and non-financial measures, including the following:

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Factors Affecting the Comparability of our Future Results of Operations to our Historical Results of Operations

Our future results of operations may not be comparable to our historical results of operations for the periods presented, primarily for the reasons described below:

Industry Trends and Outlook

Our business depends to a significant extent on the level of unconventional resource development activity and corresponding capital spending of oil and natural gas companies onshore in North America. These activity and spending levels are strongly influenced by the current and expected oil and natural gas prices. Oil and natural gas prices declined significantly between the third quarter of 2014 and the first quarter of 2016. However, oil and natural gas prices have since gradually increased, a positive trend that was bolstered in the fourth quarter of 2016 when members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and certain other oil-producing nations agreed to reduce their oil output. This price recovery has stimulated an increase in onshore North American completions activity, and if the current price environment holds or continues to improve, we expect a further increase in demand for our services. As the demand for our services and complexity of our jobs increase, we anticipate the ability to increase prices for our services, creating more favorable margins for the services we provide.

The increase in high-intensity, high-efficiency completions of oil and gas wells further enhances the demand for our services. We compete with a limited number of service companies for the most complex and technically demanding wells in which we specialize, which are characterized by extended laterals, increased stage spacing and cluster spacing and high proppant loads. These well characteristics lead to increased operating leverage and returns for us, as we are able to complete more jobs and stages with the same number of units and crews. Service providers for these projects are selected based on their technical expertise and ability to execute safely and efficiently, rather than only price.

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Results of Operations

Year Ended December 31, 2017 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2016

Revenue

Total revenue is comprised of revenue from Completion Solutions and Production Solutions. Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2017 increased by $261.3 million, or 93%, to $543.7 million, from $282.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. Both segments’ businesses depend to a significant extent on the level of unconventional resource development activity and corresponding capital spending of oil and natural gas companies onshore in North America, which in turn are strongly influenced by current and expected oil and natural gas prices, which were low during most of 2016, but showed improvement during 2017. During 2016, the closing price of oil reached a 12-year low of $26.19 per barrel and the closing price of natural gas reached an 18-year low of $1.49 per MMBtu. During 2017, the closing price of oil reached a high of $60.46 per barrel and the closing price of natural gas reached a high of $3.71 per MMBtu. The increase in revenue by reportable segment is discussed below.

Completion Solutions:  Completion Solutions segment revenue increased by $244.3 million, or 110%, to $465.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 from $221.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 due to a significant increase in completions activity and increased pricing in 2017 in response to the improvement of industry conditions. The increase in demand and price for our services resulted from our customers increasing their North American capital expenditures and drilling and completing more new wells in the year ended December 31, 2017 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2016. Wireline revenue increased 67% from the year ended December 31, 2016 to the year ended December 31, 2017; total wireline stages completed increased 65% due to the increase in

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overall market activity.  Completion tools revenue increased 173%, reflecting a 243% increase in stages.  Revenue per stage fell 20% due to transition from a higher volume of plugs sold from sleeves reflective of the market change. Cementing revenue increased by 154% on a 75% increase in job count and improved pricing from the year ended December 31, 2016 to the year ended December 31, 2017. Coiled Tubing Services revenue increased 107%, with total jobs increasing 48%.

Production Solutions:  Production Solutions segment revenue increased by $17.0 million, or 28%, to $77.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 from $60.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. Hours worked for the Production Solutions segment increased approximately 26%. The increases were primarily attributable to our customers’ increase in well maintenance and increased well completions activity, which was in response to the improvement of industry conditions described above.  Production Solutions average pricing increased by 1% for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to the year ended December 31, 2016.

Cost of Revenues

Cost of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2017 increased by $202.4 million, or 82%, compared to the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase was a result of an increase in revenue-generating activity related to improvement in the oil and gas market. Activity-driven costs were primarily responsible for the increase; materials installed in wells and consumed while performing services increased by $94.5 million and other activity-driven costs were $43.5 million higher. Compensation and benefits increased by $60.5 million.

Completion Solutions:  Completion Solutions segment cost of services for the year ended December 31, 2017 increased by $190.2 million, or 98%, when compared to the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase was driven primarily by the increased level of activity. Costs related to materials installed in wells and consumed while performing services increased by $93.4 million, and other activity-driven costs increased by $39.7 million. Additionally, compensation and benefits were $54.4 million higher, as headcount was increased in response to the increase in revenue and forecasted activity increases.  

Production Solutions:  Production Solutions segment cost of services for the year ended December 31, 2017 increased by $12.2 million, or 24%, when compared to the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase was due to the increase in revenue-generating activity. Compensation and benefits increased by $6.1 million and other activity-driven costs increased by $5.9 million.

Adjusted Gross Profit (Excluding Depreciation and Amortization)

Completion Solutions:  Adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization) increased $54.1 million to $81.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization) of $27.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 as a result of the factors described above under “Revenue” and “Cost of revenues.”

Production Solutions:  Adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization) increased $4.9 million to $14.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to $9.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 as a result of the factors described above under “Revenue” and “Cost of revenues.”

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses increased by $10.2 million, to $49.6 million, for the year ended December 31, 2017 from $39.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase was partly due to a $3.2 million increase in legal, audit and other professional fees incurred in connection with the combination of Nine with Beckman, and related to preparations for our IPO. Compensation and benefits, including stock-based compensation, increased by $6.8 million, and other general and administrative expenses increased in order to support the company’s increased level of activity. These increases were partly offset by a $1.3 million decline in the revaluation of the contingent liability related to the purchase of Scorpion.  General and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue were 9% for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared with 14% for the year ended December 31, 2016.

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Depreciation

Depreciation expense for the year ended December 31, 2017 decreased by $1.8 million, to $53.4 million, from $55.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The decrease resulted primarily from sales of fixed assets during 2016 and 2017.

Impairment of Goodwill and Intangible Assets

For the year ended December 31, 2017, we recognized $31.5 million of goodwill impairment and $3.8 million of impairment of intangible assets in one of our Completions Solutions segment operating units, which resulted from declining profitability and deteriorating market conditions.  In the year ended December 31, 2016, we recognized $12.2 million of goodwill impairment in another operating unit in the Completion Solutions segment due to persistently low completions activity in the market where the unit operates.

The December 31, 2017 goodwill impairment test for the Production Solutions segment indicated that the estimated fair value calculation provided only 11% of cushion in relation to carrying value.  Fair value was determined using both an income and market value approach.  In the income approach, discounted cash flows were based on estimated equipment utilization, revenue, operating expenses and capital expenditures.  In the market value approach, fair value was estimated using financial information from comparable entities.  As a result of the limited cushion, this segment’s goodwill, which totals $13.0 million, is susceptible to impairment risk from adverse economic conditions in the future.  

Amortization of Intangibles

Amortization of intangibles decreased by $0.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to the year ended December 31, 2016.

Interest Expense

Interest expense was $15.7 million during the year ended December 31, 2017, an increase of $1.5 million from the year ended December 31, 2016. Higher interest rates accounted for an increase of approximately $2.4 million, which was partly offset by a $0.9 million decrease due to lower amortization and write-off of deferred financing costs.

Taxes

The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2017 was 7%, compared with 27% for the year ended December 31, 2016. The Company’s tax position changed during the fourth quarter of 2016 when a valuation allowance was recorded against the net deferred tax asset. We have excluded deferred tax liabilities related to certain indefinite life intangibles when calculating the amount of valuation allowance needed as these liabilities cannot be considered a source of income when determining the realizability of the net deferred tax assets. A full valuation allowance typically results in an effective rate of 0%, but the underlying tax amortization of the indefinite life intangibles, along with the rate change impact of tax reform, resulted in the effective rate of 7% for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA was $59.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 as compared with $9.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, an increase of 506%. The Adjusted EBITDA increase is primarily due to the changes in revenues and expenses discussed above.  See “Non-GAAP financial measures” below for further explanation.

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Year Ended December 31, 2016 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2015

Revenue

Total revenue is comprised of revenue from Completion Solutions and Production Solutions. Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2016 decreased by $196.2 million, or 41%, to $282.4 million from $478.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2015. Both segments’ businesses depend to a significant extent on the level of unconventional resource development activity and corresponding capital spending of oil and natural gas companies onshore in North America, which in turn are strongly influenced by current and expected oil and natural gas prices, which were low during most of 2016. In the first quarter of 2016, the closing price of oil reached a 12-year low of $26.19 per barrel and the closing price of natural gas reached an 18-year low of $1.49 per MMBtu. The decrease in revenue by reportable segment is discussed below.

Completion Solutions:  Completion Solutions segment revenue decreased by $158.7 million, or 42%, to $221.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 from $380.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2015 due to the significant decline in completions activity and lowered pricing in 2016 in response to the weak industry conditions. This reduction in demand and price for our services resulted from our customers reducing North American capital expenditures and drilling and completing fewer new wells in 2016 as compared to 2015. In our U.S. Wireline service, although our total stages completed increased slightly by approximately 6% due to increased market share, our revenue was down approximately 38% year over year due to pricing decreases. U.S. Cementing revenue was down approximately 44% with job count dropping approximately 19% year-over-year. Coiled Tubing services revenue dropped approximately 15% although total jobs increased 10% year-over-year. Demand for our pinpoint frac sleeve systems declined most significantly in the Bakken region, which had a rig count decline over 70% coupled with a methodology transition from open hole to cemented completions.

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Production Solutions:  Production Solutions segment revenue decreased by $37.5 million, or 38%, to $60.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 from $98.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2015. Hours worked for the Production Solutions segment decreased by 27% for the year ended December 31, 2016 compared to the year ended December 31, 2015. Such decreases were primarily attributable to our customers’ deferred well maintenance and decreased well completions activity, which was in response to the weak industry conditions described above. Production Solutions average pricing decreased by 15% for the year ended December 31, 2016 compared to the year ended December 31, 2015.

Cost of Revenues

Cost of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016 decreased by $127.1 million, or 34%, when compared to the year ended December 31, 2015. This decrease was a result of a decline in revenue-generating activity related to the generally depressed oil and natural gas market. Activity-driven costs were the largest contributors to the decline in expenses. Materials installed in wells and consumed while performing services at the well decreased by $51 million. Other activity-related expenses fell by more than $15 million. Additionally, compensation and benefits were reduced by $53 million as the organization was sized to meet the lower levels of activity. Cost of revenues as a percentage of total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2016 was 87%, which represented an increase of 9% from 78% for the year ended December 31, 2015. The change in costs of revenues by reportable segment is further discussed below.

Completion Solutions:  Completion Solutions segment cost of services for the year ended December 31, 2016 decreased by $101.5 million, or 34%, to $194.4 million when compared to the year ended December 31, 2015. The decrease in cost of revenues was due to the decline in revenue-generating activity, which was a result of the generally depressed oil and natural gas market. Activity-driven costs were the largest contributors to the decline in expenses. Materials installed in wells and consumed while performing services at the well decreased by $50 million. Other activity-driven costs fell by more than $10 million. In addition, compensation and benefits were reduced by $34 million in response to the decline in activity.

Production Solutions:  Production Solutions segment cost of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016 decreased by $25.5 million, or 33%, to $51.7 million when compared to the year ended December 31, 2015. The decrease in cost of revenues was due to the decline in revenue-generating activity, which was a result of a generally depressed oil and natural gas market. Compensation and benefits were reduced by $19 million in response to the drop in activity, and activity-related costs fell by more than $6 million.

Adjusted Gross Profit (Excluding Depreciation and Amortization)

Completion Solutions:  Adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization) decreased $57.2 million to $27.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 compared to adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization) of $84.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2015 as a result of the factors described above under “Revenue” and “Cost of revenues.”

Production Solutions:  Adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization) decreased $11.9 million to $9.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 compared to $21.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2015 as a result of the factors described above under “Revenue” and “Cost of revenues.”

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative (“G&A”) expense, which represents costs associated with managing and supporting our operations, decreased by $3.5 million, or 8%, to $39.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 from $42.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2015. The decrease in G&A expense is primarily a result of a reduction in compensation and benefits, which declined $3.9 million due to headcount and salary reductions. G&A as a percentage of total revenue was 14% for the year ended December 31 2016 compared with 9% for the year ended December 31, 2015, which was primarily a result of decreased revenue, which is described under “—Revenues.”

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Depreciation

Depreciation expense for the year ended December 31, 2016 decreased $3.6 million to $55.3 million from $58.9 million for the year December 31, 2015. The decline resulted from sales of fixed assets during both 2015 and 2016.

Impairment of Goodwill

For the year ended December 31, 2016, we recognized $12.2 million of goodwill impairment in one of the operating units in our Completion Solutions segment due to persistently low completions activity in the market where the unit operates. In 2015, we recognized goodwill impairment charges of $30.4 million and $5.1 million for two of the operating units in our Completion Solutions segment as a result of the decline in completions activity and forecasted activity declines.

Amortization of Intangibles

Intangible assets, acquired in business acquisitions, are amortized over 3 to 15 years. Amortization expense increased by $0.4 million during 2016, primarily due to a full year of amortization expense on intangible assets acquired during 2015.

Interest Expense

We incurred $14.2 million of interest expense during the year ended December 31, 2016, an increase of $4.3 million, or 43%, from the year ended December 31, 2015. Higher interest rates accounted for approximately $3.3 million of the increase; $1.0 million of the increase was due to the write-off of a portion of deferred financing costs as a result of amending debt agreements.

Taxes

Tax expense includes current income taxes expected to be due based on taxable income to be reported during the applicable period in the various jurisdictions in which we conduct business, and deferred income taxes based on changes in the tax effect of temporary differences between the bases of assets and liabilities for financial reporting and tax purposes at the beginning and end of the applicable period. The effective tax rate, calculated by dividing provision for income tax expense by income from continuing operations before income taxes, was 27% and 27% for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA was $9.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2016 as compared with $73.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2015, a decrease of 87%. The Adjusted EBITDA decrease is primarily due to the changes in revenues and expenses discussed above.  See “Non-GAAP financial measures” below for further explanation.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are supplemental non-GAAP financial measures that are used by management and external users of our financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies.

We define EBITDA as net income (loss) before interest expense, depreciation, amortization and income tax expense. EBITDA is not a measure of net income or cash flows as determined by GAAP.

We define Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA further adjusted for (i) impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets, (ii) transaction expenses related to acquisitions or the Combination, (iii) loss from discontinued operations, (iv) loss or gains from the revaluation of contingent liabilities, (v) non-cash stock-based compensation expense, (vi) loss or gains on sale of assets, (vii) inventory write-down and (viii) adjustment for other expenses or charges, to exclude certain items which we believe are not reflective of ongoing performance of our business, such as costs related to this offering, legal expenses and settlement costs related to litigation outside the ordinary course of business, and restructuring costs.

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Management believes EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are useful because they allow for a more effective evaluation of our operating performance and compare the results of our operations from period to period without regard to our financing methods or capital structure. We exclude the items listed above from net income in arriving at these measures because these amounts can vary substantially from company to company within our industry depending upon accounting methods and book values of assets, capital structures and the method by which the assets were acquired. These measures should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income as determined in accordance with GAAP or as an indicator of our operating performance. Certain items excluded from these measures are significant components in understanding and assessing a company’s financial performance, such as a company’s cost of capital and tax structure, as well as the historic costs of depreciable assets, none of which are components of these measures. Our computations of these measures may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. We believe that these are widely followed measures of operating performance.

The following table presents a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to the GAAP financial measure of net income (loss):

Return on invested capital

ROIC is a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure. We define ROIC as after-tax net operating profit, divided by average total capital. We define after-tax net operating profit as income (loss) from continuing operations (net of tax) plus interest expense, less taxes on interest. We define total capital as book value of equity plus the book value of debt less balance sheet cash and cash equivalents. We then take the average of the current and prior year-end total capital for use in this analysis.

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Management believes ROIC is a meaningful measure because it quantifies how well we generate operating income relative to the capital we have invested in our business and illustrates the profitability of a business or project taking into account the capital invested. Management uses ROIC to assist them in capital resource allocation decisions and in evaluating business performance. Although ROIC is commonly used as a measure of capital efficiency, definitions of ROIC differ, and our computation of ROIC may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies.

The following table provides an explanation of our calculation of ROIC:

Adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization)

GAAP defines gross profit as revenues less cost of revenues, and includes in costs of revenues depreciation and amortization. We define adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization) as revenues less cost of revenues (excluding depreciation and amortization). This measure differs from the GAAP definition of gross profit because we do not include the impact of depreciation and amortization, which represent non-cash expenses.

Management uses adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization) to evaluate operating performance and to determine resource allocation between segments. We prepare adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization) to eliminate the impact of depreciation and amortization because we do not consider depreciation and amortization indicative of our core operating performance. Adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization) should not be considered as an alternative to gross profit (loss), operating income (loss) or any other measure of financial performance calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization) may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies because other companies may not calculate adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization) or similarly titled measures in the same manner as we do.

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The following table presents a reconciliation of adjusted gross profit (excluding depreciation and amortization) to GAAP gross profit (loss).