Transocean Ltd. - Annual Report: 2015 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 10‑K

(Mark one)

☑  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015

OR

☐  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from _____ to _____

 

 

Commission file number 000-53533

TRANSOCEAN LTD.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether 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 Exchange 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 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 is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of 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, or a smaller reporting company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b‑2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer ☑     Accelerated filer ☐     Non‑accelerated filer (do not check if a smaller reporting company) ☐     Smaller reporting company ☐

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

As of June 30, 2015, 363,461,097 shares were outstanding and the aggregate market value of shares held by non‑affiliates was approximately $5.9 billion (based on the reported closing market price of the shares of Transocean Ltd. on June 30, 2015 of $16.12 and assuming that all directors and executive officers of the Company are “affiliates,” although the Company does not acknowledge that any such person is actually an “affiliate” within the meaning of the federal securities laws).  As of February 16, 2016, 364,113,962 shares were outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement to be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days of December 31, 2015, for its 2016 annual general meeting of shareholders, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10‑K.

 

TRANSOCEAN LTD. AND SUBSIDIARIES

INDEX TO ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10‑K

FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015

 

 

 

 

 

Forward‑Looking Information

The statements included in this annual report regarding future financial performance and results of operations and other statements that are not historical facts are forward‑looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the United States (“U.S.”) Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).   Forward‑looking statements in this annual report include, but are not limited to, statements about the following subjects:

Forward‑looking statements in this annual report are identifiable by use of the following words and other similar expressions:

Such statements are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to:

The foregoing risks and uncertainties are beyond our ability to control, and in many cases, we cannot predict the risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward‑looking statements.  Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated.    All subsequent written and oral forward‑looking statements attributable to us or to persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to these risks and uncertainties.  You should not place undue reliance on forward‑looking statements.  Each forward‑looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement.  We expressly disclaim any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward‑looking statement to reflect any change in our expectations or beliefs with regard to the statement or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any forward‑looking statement is based, except as required by law.

PART I

Item 1.Business

Overview

Transocean Ltd. (together with its subsidiaries and predecessors, unless the context requires otherwise, “Transocean,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”) is a leading international provider of offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells.  As of February 11, 2016, we owned or had partial ownership interests in and operated 61 mobile offshore drilling units.  As of February 11, 2016, our fleet consisted of 28 ultra‑deepwater floaters, seven harsh environment floaters, five deepwater floaters,  11 midwater floaters and 10 high‑specification jackups.  At February 11, 2016, we also had six ultra‑deepwater drillships and five high‑specification jackups under construction or under contract to be constructed.

Our primary business is to contract our drilling rigs, related equipment and work crews predominantly on a dayrate basis to drill oil and gas wells.  We specialize in technically demanding regions of the global offshore drilling business with a particular focus on deepwater and harsh environment drilling services.  We believe our mobile offshore drilling fleet is one of the most versatile fleets in the world, consisting of floaters and high‑specification jackups used in support of offshore drilling activities and offshore support services on a worldwide basis.

Transocean Ltd. is a Swiss corporation with its registered office in Steinhausen, Canton of Zug and with principal executive offices located at Chemin de Blandonnet 10, 1214 Vernier, Switzerland.  Our telephone number at that address is +41 22 930‑9000.  Our shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “RIG” and on the SIX Swiss Exchange (“SIX”) under the symbol “RIGN” (see “—Recent Developments”).  For information about the revenues, operating income, assets and other information related to our business, our segments and the geographic areas in which we operate, see “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—Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 22—Operating Segments, Geographical Analysis and Major Customers.”

Recent Developments

On November 23, 2015, we announced our intent to delist our shares from the SIX, and on December 17, 2015, we announced that the SIX listing authorities approved our application to delist our shares.  Such delisting is expected to become effective on March 31, 2016, with the last trading day scheduled to be March 30, 2016.  Our shares will continue to be listed and traded on the NYSE.

On October 29, 2015, shareholders at our extraordinary general meeting approved the reduction of the par value of each of our shares to CHF 0.10 from the original par value of CHF 15.00.  The par value reduction became effective as of January 7, 2016 upon registration in the commercial register.

On August 5, 2014, we completed an initial public offering to sell a noncontrolling interest in Transocean Partners LLC (“Transocean Partners”), a consolidated Marshall Islands limited liability company, which trades on the NYSE under the ticker symbol “RIGP”.  Through Transocean Partners Holdings Limited, a Cayman Islands company and our wholly owned subsidiary, we hold the controlling interest with 21.3 million common units and 27.6 million subordinated units and all of the incentive distribution rights.  See “Part II. Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 15—Noncontrolling Interest.”

Drilling Fleet

Fleet overview—Most of our drilling equipment is suitable for both exploration and development drilling, and we normally engage in both types of drilling activity.  Likewise, all of our drilling rigs are mobile and can be moved to new locations in response to customer demand.  All of our mobile offshore drilling units are designed to operate in locations away from port for extended periods of time and have living quarters for the crews, a helicopter landing deck and storage space for drill pipe, riser and drilling supplies.  Our drilling fleet can be generally characterized as follows: (1) floaters, including drillships and semisubmersibles, and (2) jackups.

Drillships are generally self‑propelled vessels, shaped like conventional ships, and are the most mobile of the major rig types.  All of our high‑specification drillships are equipped with a computer‑controlled dynamic positioning thruster system, which allows them to maintain position without anchors through the use of their onboard propulsion and station‑keeping systems.  Drillships typically have greater deck load and storage capacity than early generation semisubmersible rigs, which provides logistical and resupply efficiency benefits for customers.  Drillships are generally better suited to operations in calmer sea conditions and typically do not operate in areas considered to be harsh environments.  We have 13 ultra‑deepwater drillships in operation that are, and six ultra‑deepwater drillships under construction that will be, equipped with our patented dual‑activity technology.  Dual‑activity technology employs structures, equipment and techniques using two drilling stations within a dual derrick to allow these drillships to perform simultaneous drilling tasks in a parallel, rather than a  sequential manner,  reducing critical path activity, to improve efficiency in both exploration and development drilling.  In addition to dynamic positioning thruster systems, dual‑activity technology, industry‑leading hoisting capacity and a second blowout preventer system, four of our six newbuild drillships under construction will be outfitted to accommodate a future upgrade to a 20,000 pounds per square inch (“psi”) blowout preventer.

Semisubmersibles are floating vessels that can be partially submerged by means of a water ballast system such that the lower column sections and pontoons are below the water surface during drilling operations.  These rigs are capable of maintaining their position over a well through the use of an anchoring system or a computer‑controlled dynamic positioning thruster system.  Although most semisubmersible rigs are relocated with the assistance of tugs, some units are self‑propelled and move between locations under their own power when afloat on pontoons.  Typically, semisubmersibles are capable of operating in rougher sea conditions than drillships.  We have two custom‑designed, high‑capacity, dual‑activity semisubmersible drilling rigs, equipped for year‑round operations in harsh environments, including those of the Norwegian continental shelf and sub‑Arctic waters.  We have three semisubmersibles, which are designed for mild environments and are equipped with the unique tri‑act derrick.  The tri‑act derrick was designed to reduce overall well construction costs, as it allows offline tubular and riser handling operations to occur at two sides of the derrick while the center portion of the derrick is being used for normal drilling operations through the rotary table.  Additionally, five of our 30 semisubmersibles are equipped with our patented dual‑activity technology.

Jackup rigs are mobile self‑elevating drilling platforms equipped with legs that can be lowered to the ocean floor until a foundation is established to support the drilling platform.  Once a foundation is established, the drilling platform is then jacked further up the legs so that the platform is above the highest expected waves.  These rigs are generally suited for water depths of 400 feet or less.  We have five newbuild high‑specification jackups under construction that are expected to be capable of constructing wells up to 35,000 feet deep and feature advanced offshore drilling technology, including offline tubular handling features and simultaneous operations support.

Fleet categories—We further categorize the drilling units of our fleet as follows: (1) “ultra‑deepwater floaters,” (2) “harsh environment floaters,” (3) “deepwater floaters,” (4) “midwater floaters” and (5) “high‑specification jackups.”

Ultra‑deepwater floaters are equipped with high‑pressure mud pumps and are capable of drilling in water depths of 7,500 feet or greater.  Harsh environment floaters are capable of drilling in harsh environments in water depths between 1,500 and 10,000 feet and have greater displacement, which offers larger variable load capacity, more useable deck space and better motion characteristics.  Deepwater floaters are generally those other semisubmersible rigs and drillships capable of drilling in water depths between 4,500 and 7,500 feet.  Midwater floaters are generally comprised of those non‑high‑specification semisubmersibles that have a water depth capacity of less than 4,500 feet.  High‑specification jackups have high capacity derricks, drawworks, mud systems and storage and generally have a water depth capacity of between 350 and 400 feet.

As of February 11, 2016,  we owned and operated a fleet of 61 rigs, excluding rigs under construction, as follows:

Fleet status—Depending on market conditions, we may idle or stack non‑contracted rigs. An idle rig is between drilling contracts, readily available for operations, and operating costs are typically at or near normal levels.  A stacked rig typically has reduced operating costs, is staffed by a reduced crew or has no crew and is (a) preparing for an extended period of inactivity, (b) expected to continue to be inactive for an extended period, or (c) completing a period of extended inactivity.  Stacked rigs will continue to incur operating costs at or above normal operating levels for 30 to 60 days following initiation of stacking.  Some idle rigs and all stacked rigs require additional costs to return to service.  The actual cost to return to service, which in many instances could be significant and could fluctuate over time, depends upon various factors, including the availability and cost of shipyard facilities, cost of equipment and materials and the extent of repairs and maintenance that may ultimately be required.  We consider these factors, together with market conditions, length of contract, dayrate and other contract terms, when deciding whether to return a stacked rig to service.  We may, from time to time, consider marketing stacked rigs as accommodation units or for other alternative uses until drilling activity increases and we obtain drilling contracts for these units.  We may not return some stacked rigs to work for drilling services or for these alternative uses.

Drilling units—The following tables, presented as of February 11, 2016, provide certain specifications for our rigs.  Unless otherwise noted, the stated location of each rig indicates either the current drilling location, if the rig is operating, or the next operating location, if the rig is in shipyard with a follow‑on contract.  As of February 11, 2016, we owned all of the drilling rigs in our fleet noted in the tables below, except for the following: (1) those specifically described as being owned through our interests in consolidated entities that were less than wholly owned and (2) Petrobras 10000, which is subject to a capital lease through August 2029.

Rigs under construction (11)

“HSD” means high‑specification drillship.

Ultra‑deepwater floaters (28)

“HSD” means high‑specification drillship.

“HSS” means high‑specification semisubmersible.

Harsh environment floaters (7)

“HSS” means high‑specification semisubmersible.

Deepwater floaters (5)

“HSD” means high‑specification drillship.

“HSS” means high‑specification semisubmersible.

Midwater floaters (11)

“OS” means other semisubmersible.

High‑specification jackups (10)

Markets

Our operations are geographically dispersed in oil and gas exploration and development areas throughout the world.  We operate in a single, global offshore drilling market, as our drilling rigs are mobile assets and are able to be moved according to prevailing market conditions.  We may mobilize our drilling rigs between regions for a variety of reasons, including to respond to customer contracting requirements or capture demand in another locale.  Consequently, we cannot predict the percentage of our revenues that will be derived from particular geographic or political areas in future periods.

As of February 11, 2016,  our drilling fleet was located in the U.K. North Sea (13 units), U.S. Gulf of Mexico (10 units), Trinidad (seven units), Norway (five units), Brazil (four units), Angola (three units), Thailand (three units), India (two units), Malaysia (two units), Nigeria (two units), Australia (one unit), Canada (one unit), Gabon (one unit), Ivory Coast (one unit), Myanmar (one unit), Romania (one unit), Singapore (one unit), South Africa (one unit), Spain (one unit) and United Arab Emirates (one unit).

We categorize the market sectors in which we operate as follows: (1) ultra-deepwater, (2) deepwater, (3) midwater and (4) jackup.  The ultra‑deepwater, deepwater and midwater market sectors, collectively known as the floater market, are serviced by our drillships and semisubmersibles, seven of which are suited to work in harsh environments.  We generally view the ultra-deepwater market sector as water depths beginning at 7,500 feet and extending to the maximum water depths in which rigs are capable of drilling, which is currently up to 12,000 feet.  The deepwater market sector services water depths beginning at approximately 4,500 feet to approximately 7,500 feet, and the midwater market sector services water depths from approximately 300 feet to approximately 4,500 feet.  The jackup market sector begins at the outer limit of the transition zone, which is characterized by coastal and state water areas, extending to water depths of approximately 400 feet.

The market for offshore drilling rigs and associated services reflects oil companies’ demand for equipment for drilling exploration, appraisal and development wells and for performing maintenance on existing production wells.    Activity levels of exploration and production (“E&P”) companies and their associated capital expenditures are largely driven by the worldwide demand for energy, including crude oil and natural gas.  Worldwide energy supply and demand drives oil and natural gas prices, which in turn, impact E&P companies’ ability to fund investments in exploration, development and production activities.

At present, the industry is experiencing a cyclical downturn.  Sustained weak commodity pricing has resulted in our customers delaying investment decisions and postponing exploration and production programs.  Oil and natural gas prices do not currently support sustained demand for drilling rigs across all asset classes and regions.  As a result of this reduced demand, we have seen a sharp decline in the execution of drilling contracts for the global offshore drilling fleet and an unprecedented level of early drilling contract terminations.  We currently expect very few drilling contracts to be awarded in 2016, exacerbating the excess rig capacity and resulting in continued downward pressure on dayrates.  In this environment, older and less capable assets are more likely to be permanently retired, ultimately reducing the available supply of drilling rigs.  During the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, we sold 17 and two drilling units, respectively, for scrap value, and at December 31, 2015, we have five additional rigs classified as held for sale for scrap value.

Despite current market conditions, our long‑term outlook for the offshore drilling sector remains positive, particularly for high‑specification assets.  Prior to the downturn, Brazil, the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, and West Africa emerged as key ultra‑deepwater market sectors, and licensing activity demonstrated an increased interest in deepwater fields as E&P companies looked to explore new prospects.  We expect deepwater oil and gas production will continue to be a part of the long‑term strategy for E&P companies as they strive to meet global demand for hydrocarbons replacing reserves.  A number of new deepwater and ultra‑deepwater development opportunities have been identified globally.  If commodity prices stabilize and rebound to sustainable levels, we anticipate that many of the projects will receive approval to move forward.  Many of these projects are technically demanding due to factors such as water depth, complex well designs, deeper drilling depth, high pressure and temperature, sub‑salt, harsh environments, and heightened regulatory standards; therefore, they require sophisticated drilling units.  Generally, ultra‑deepwater rigs are the most modern, technologically advanced class of the offshore fleet and have capabilities that are attractive to exploration and production companies operating in deeper water depths or other challenging environments or with complex well designs.

Financial Information about Geographic Areas

The following table presents the geographic areas in which our operating revenues were earned (in millions):

The following table presents the geographic areas in which our long‑lived assets were located (in millions):

Contract Drilling Services

Our contracts to provide offshore drilling services are individually negotiated and vary in their terms and provisions.  We obtain most of our drilling contracts through competitive bidding against other contractors and direct negotiations with operators.  Drilling contracts generally provide for payment on a dayrate basis, with higher rates for periods while the drilling unit is operating and lower rates or zero rates for periods of mobilization or when drilling operations are interrupted or restricted by equipment breakdowns, adverse environmental conditions or other conditions beyond our control.

A dayrate drilling contract generally extends over a period of time covering either the drilling of a single well or group of wells or covering a stated term.  At December 31, 2015, the contract backlog was approximately $16.0 billion, representing a decrease of 29 percent and 43 percent, respectively, compared to the contract backlog at December 31, 2014 and 2013, which was $22.5 billion and $28.2 billion, respectively.  See “Part II. Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Outlook—Drilling market” and “Part II. Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Outlook—Performance and Other Key Indicators.”

Certain of our drilling contracts with customers may be cancelable for the convenience of the customer upon payment of an early termination payment.  Such payments, however, may not fully compensate us for the loss of the contract.  Contracts also customarily provide for either automatic termination or termination at the option of the customer typically without the payment of any termination fee, under various circumstances such as non‑performance, in the event of extended downtime or impaired performance caused by equipment or operational issues, or periods of extended downtime due to force majeure events.  Many of these events are beyond our control.  The contract term in some instances may be extended by the customer exercising options for the drilling of additional wells or for an additional term.  Our contracts also typically include a provision that allows the customer to extend the contract to finish drilling a well‑in‑progress.  During periods of depressed market conditions, our customers may seek to renegotiate firm drilling contracts to reduce their obligations or may seek to repudiate their contracts.  Suspension of drilling contracts will result in the reduction in or loss of dayrate for the period of the suspension.  If our customers cancel some of our contracts and we are unable to secure new contracts on a timely basis and on substantially similar terms, or if contracts are suspended for an extended period of time or if a number of our contracts are renegotiated, it could adversely affect our consolidated results of operations or cash flows.  See “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks related to our business—Our drilling contracts may be terminated due to a number of events.”

Consistent with standard industry practice, our customers generally assume, and indemnify us against, well control and subsurface risks under dayrate drilling contracts.  Under all of our current drilling contracts, our customers, as the operators, indemnify us for pollution damages in connection with reservoir fluids stemming from operations under the contract and we indemnify the operator for pollution from substances in our control that originate from the rig, such as diesel used onboard the rig or other fluids stored onboard the rig and above the water surface.  Also, under all of our current drilling contracts, the operator indemnifies us against damage to the well or reservoir and loss of subsurface oil and gas and the cost of bringing the well under control.  However, our drilling contracts are individually negotiated, and the degree of indemnification we receive from the operator against the liabilities discussed above can vary from contract to contract, based on market conditions and customer requirements existing when the contract was negotiated.  In some instances, we have contractually agreed upon certain limits to our indemnification rights and can be responsible for damages up to a specified maximum dollar amount, which is, in any case, immaterial to us.  The nature of our liability and the prevailing market conditions, among other factors, can influence such contractual terms.  In most instances in which we are indemnified for damages to the well, we have the responsibility to redrill the well at a reduced dayrate.  Notwithstanding a contractual indemnity from a customer, there can be no assurance that our customers will be financially able to indemnify us or will otherwise honor their contractual indemnity obligations.  See “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks related to our business—Our business involves numerous operating hazards, and our insurance and indemnities from our customers may not be adequate to cover potential losses from our operations.”

The interpretation and enforceability of a contractual indemnity depends upon the specific facts and circumstances involved, as governed by applicable laws, and may ultimately need to be decided by a court or other proceeding which will need to consider the specific contract language, the facts and applicable laws.  The law generally considers contractual indemnity for criminal fines and penalties to be against public policy.  Courts also restrict indemnification for criminal fines and penalties.  The inability or other failure of our customers to fulfill their indemnification obligations, or unenforceability of our contractual protections could have a material adverse effect on our

consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows.  See “Part II. Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 14—Commitments and Contingencies.”

Significant Customers

We engage in offshore drilling services for most of the leading international oil companies or their affiliates, as well as for many government‑controlled oil companies and independent oil companies.  For the year ended December 31, 2015, our most significant customers were Chevron Corporation (together with its affiliates, “Chevron”) and Royal Dutch Shell plc (together with its affiliates, “Shell”), representing approximately 14 percent and 10 percent, respectively, of our consolidated operating revenues.  No other customers accounted for 10 percent or more of our consolidated operating revenues in the year ended December 31, 2015.  Additionally, as of February 11, 2016, the customers with the most significant aggregate amount of contract backlog associated with our drilling contracts were Shell and Chevron, representing approximately 51 percent and 21 percent, respectively, of our total contract backlog.  See “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks related to our business—We rely heavily on a relatively small number of customers and the loss of a significant customer or a dispute that leads to the loss of a customer could have a material adverse impact on our financial results.”

Employees

We require highly skilled personnel to operate our drilling units.  Consequently, we conduct extensive personnel recruiting, training and safety programs.  At December 31, 2015, we had approximately 9,100 employees associated with our continuing operations,  including approximately 500 persons engaged through contract labor providers.  Approximately 30 percent of our total workforce, working primarily in Angola, the U.K., Nigeria, Norway, Australia and Brazil are represented by, and some of our contracted labor work under, collective bargaining agreements, substantially all of which are subject to annual salary negotiation. These negotiations could result in higher personnel expenses, other increased costs or increased operational restrictions, as the outcome of such negotiations apply to all offshore employees not just the union members.  Additionally, failure to reach agreement on certain key issues may result in strikes, lockouts or other work stoppages that may materially impact our operations.

Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Congress that could encourage additional unionization efforts in the U.S., as well as increase the chances that such efforts succeed.  Additional unionization efforts, if successful, new collective bargaining agreements or work stoppages could materially increase our labor costs and operating restrictions.

Joint Venture, Agency and Sponsorship Relationships and Other Investments

As of December 31, 2015, we held a 70.9 percent limited liability company interest in Transocean Partners.  On August 5, 2014, we completed the initial public offering of 20.1 million common units of Transocean Partners, which trades on the NYSE under the ticker symbol “RIGP.”  During the year ended December 31, 2015, Transocean Partners repurchased 91,500 common units under its unit repurchase program, and at December 31, 2015, 20.0 million publicly traded common units remained outstanding.  We hold the remaining 21.3 million common units and 27.6 million subordinated units of Transocean Partners and all of its incentive distribution rights.

Additionally, in some areas of the world, local customs and practice or governmental requirements necessitate the formation of joint ventures with local participation.  We may or may not control these joint ventures.  We are an active participant in several joint venture drilling companies, principally in Angola, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nigeria.  Local laws or customs in some areas of the world also effectively mandate establishment of a relationship with a local agent or sponsor.  When appropriate in these areas, we enter into agency or sponsorship agreements.  Some of the joint ventures in which we participate are as follows:

We hold a 65 percent interest in ADDCL, a consolidated Cayman Islands joint venture company formed to own Discoverer Luanda, which operates in Angola.  Our local partner, Angco Cayman Limited, a Cayman Islands company, holds the remaining 35 percent interest in ADDCL.  Beginning January 31, 2016, Angco Cayman Limited will have the right to exchange its interest in the joint venture for cash at an amount based on an appraisal of the fair value of the drillship, subject to certain adjustments.

We hold a 70 percent interest in TDSOI, a consolidated British Virgin Islands joint venture company formed to own Transocean Honor, which operates in Angola.  Our local partner, Angco II, a Cayman Islands company, holds the remaining 30 percent interest in TDSOI.  Under certain circumstances, Angco II will have the right to exchange its interest in the joint venture for cash at an amount based on an appraisal of the fair value of the jackup, subject to certain adjustments.

We hold a 24 percent direct interest and a 36 percent indirect interest in Indigo Drilling Limited (“Indigo”), a consolidated Nigerian joint venture company formed to engage in drilling operations offshore Nigeria.  Our local partners,  Mr. Fidelis Oditah and Mr. Chima Ibeneche, each hold a 12.5 percent direct interest, and our other partners, Mr. Joseph Obi and Mr. Ben Osuno, together own a 15 percent indirect interest, in Indigo.

Additionally, we hold interests in certain joint venture companies in Angola, Indonesia, Malaysia and Nigeria that have been formed to perform certain management services and other onshore support services for our operations.

Technological Innovation

We are a leading international provider of offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells.  We specialize in technically demanding sectors of the global offshore drilling business.  Our fleet is considered one of the most versatile in the world with a particular focus on deepwater and harsh environment drilling capabilities.  Since launching the offshore industry’s first jackup drilling rig in 1954, we have achieved a long history of technological innovations, including the first dynamically positioned drillship, the first rig to drill year‑round in the North Sea and the first semisubmersible rig for year‑round sub‑Arctic operations.  In recent years, we have repeatedly achieved the world water depth record, holding the current world record at 10,411 feet.  Eighteen rigs in our existing fleet are, and six of our rigs that are currently under construction will be, equipped with our patented dual‑activity technology, which allows our rigs to perform simultaneous drilling tasks in a parallel rather than sequential manner and reduces critical path activity while improving efficiency in both exploration and development drilling.  Additionally, three rigs in our existing fleet are equipped with the unique tri‑act derrick, which allows offline tubular and riser activities during normal drilling operations and is patented in certain market sectors in which we operate.

We continue to develop and deploy industry‑leading technology.  In addition to our patented dual‑activity drilling technology, some of our most recent newbuild drillships will include industry‑leading hookload capability, compensated cranes for performing subsea installations, hybrid power systems and reduced emissions and advanced generator protection.  The newbuild drillships will also be outfitted with two blowout preventers and triple liquid mud systems and are designed to accept 20,000 psi blowout preventers in the future.  The effective use of and continued improvements in technology to address our customers’ requirements are critical to maintaining our competitive position within the contract drilling services industry.  We expect to continue to develop technology internally, through partnerships, such as our collaboration with a customer to develop a fault‑resistant and fault‑tolerant blowout preventer control system, or to acquire technology through strategic acquisitions.

Environmental Compliance

Our operations are subject to a variety of global environmental regulations.  We monitor our compliance with environmental regulation in each country of operation and, while we see an increase in general environmental regulation, we have made and will continue to make the required expenditures to comply with current and future environmental requirements.  We make expenditures to further our commitment to environmental improvement and the setting of a global environmental standard as part of our wider corporate responsibility effort.  We assess the environmental impacts of our business, focusing on the areas of greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, discharges and waste management.  Our actions are designed to reduce risk in our current and future operations, to promote sound environmental management and to create a proactive environmental program.  To date, we have not incurred material costs in order to comply with recent environmental legislation, and we do not believe that our compliance with such requirements will have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, consolidated results of operations or cash flows.

For a discussion of the effects of environmental regulation, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks related to our business—Compliance with or breach of environmental laws can be costly, expose us to liability and could limit our operations.”

Available Information

Our website address is www.deepwater.com.  Information contained on or accessible from our website is not incorporated by reference into this annual report on Form 10‑K and should not be considered a part of this report or any other filing that we make with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).  We make available on this website free of charge, our annual reports on Form 10‑K, quarterly reports on Form 10‑Q, current reports on Form 8‑K  and amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file those materials with, or furnish those materials to, the SEC.  You may also find on our website information related to our corporate governance, board committees and company code of business conduct and ethics.  The SEC also maintains a website, www.sec.gov, which contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding SEC registrants, including us.

We intend to satisfy the requirement under Item 5.05 of Form 8‑K to disclose any amendments to our Code of Integrity and any waiver from any provision of our Code of Integrity by posting such information in the Governance section of our website at www.deepwater.com.

 

Item 1A.Risk Factors

Risks related to our business

Our business depends on the level of activity in oil and gas exploration, development and production in offshore areas worldwide.  Demand for our services depends on oil and natural gas industry activity and expenditure levels that are directly affected by trends in oil and, to a lesser extent, natural gas prices.

Oil and gas prices are extremely volatile and are affected by numerous factors, including the following:

Demand for our services is particularly sensitive to the level of exploration, development and production activity of, and the corresponding capital spending by, oil and natural gas companies, including national oil companies.  Any prolonged reduction in oil and natural gas prices could depress the immediate levels of exploration, development and production activity.  Perceptions of longer term lower oil and natural gas prices by oil and gas companies could similarly reduce or defer major expenditures given the long‑term nature of many large‑scale development projects.  Lower levels of activity result in a corresponding decline in the demand for our services, which could have a material adverse effect on our revenue and profitability.  Oil and gas prices and market expectations of potential changes in these prices significantly affect this level of activity.  However, increases in near‑term commodity prices do not necessarily translate into increased drilling activity since customers’ expectations of longer‑term future commodity prices typically drive demand for our rigs.  The current commodity pricing environment has had a negative impact on demand for our services, and it could worsen.  Since December 31, 2014, the price of crude oil as reported on the New York Mercantile Exchange has declined by approximately 50 percent.  Consequently, customers have delayed or cancelled many exploration and development programs, resulting in reduced demand for our services.  Also, increased competition for customers’ drilling budgets could come from, among other areas, land‑based energy markets worldwide.  The availability of quality drilling prospects, exploration success, relative production costs, the stage of reservoir development and political and regulatory environments also affect customers’ drilling campaigns.  Worldwide military, political and economic events have contributed to oil and gas price volatility and are likely to do so in the future.

The offshore contract drilling industry is highly competitive with numerous industry participants, none of which has a dominant market share.  Drilling contracts are traditionally awarded on a competitive bid basis. Although rig availability, service quality and technical capability are drivers of customer contract awards, bid pricing and intense price competition are often key determinants for which qualified contractor is awarded a job.

The offshore drilling industry has historically been cyclical and is impacted by oil and natural gas price levels and volatility.  There have been periods of high customer demand, limited rig supply and high dayrates, followed by periods of low customer demand, excess rig supply and low dayrates.  Changes in commodity prices can have a dramatic effect on rig demand, and periods of excess rig supply may intensify competition in the industry and result in the idling of older and less technologically advanced equipment.   We have idled and stacked rigs, and may in the future idle or stack additional rigs or enter into lower dayrate drilling contracts in response to market conditions.  We cannot predict when or if any idled or stacked rigs will return to service.

During prior periods of high dayrates and rig utilization rates,  we and other industry participants have responded to increased customer demand by increasing the supply of rigs through ordering the construction of new units. In periods of low oil and natural gas price

levels, growth in new construction has historically resulted in an oversupply of rigs and has caused a subsequent decline in dayrates and rig utilization rates, sometimes for extended periods of time. Presently, there are numerous recently constructed high‑specification floaters and other drilling units capable of competing with our rigs that have entered the global market, and there are more that are under construction.  The entry into service of these new units has increased and will continue to increase supply.  The increased supply has contributed to and may continue to contribute to a reduction in dayrates as rigs are absorbed into the active fleet and has led to accelerated stacking of the existing fleet.

Two of our six ultra‑deepwater drillships and our five high‑specification jackups currently under construction, have not been contracted for work.  Combined with the rapid increase in the number of rigs in the global market completing contracts and becoming idle, the number of new units expected to be delivered without contracts has intensified and may further intensify price competition.  Any further increase in construction of new units would likely exacerbate the negative impact of increased supply on dayrates and utilization rates.  Additionally, lower market dayrates and intense price competition may drive customers to demand renegotiation of existing contracts to lower dayrates in exchange for longer contract terms.  In an over‑supplied market, we may have limited bargaining power to negotiate on more favorable terms.  Lower dayrates and rig utilization rates could adversely affect our revenues and profitability.

Certain of our drilling contracts with customers may be cancelable at the option of the customer upon payment of an early termination payment.  Such payments may not, however, fully compensate us for the loss of the contract.  Drilling contracts also customarily provide for either automatic termination or termination at the option of the customer typically without the payment of any termination fee, under various circumstances such as non‑performance, as a result of significant downtime or impaired performance caused by equipment or operational issues, or sustained periods of downtime due to force majeure events.  Many of these events are beyond our control.  During periods of depressed market conditions, we are subject to an increased risk of our customers seeking to repudiate their contracts, including through claims of non‑performance.  We are at continued risk of experiencing early contract terminations in the current weak commodity price environment as operators look to reduce their capital expenditures.  During the year ended December 31, 2015, our customers early terminated or cancelled contracts for Discoverer Americas,  Polar Pioneer,  Sedco 714,  Sedco Energy and Transocean Spitsbergen, and these rigs currently remain idle.  Subsequent to December 31, 2015, we received notices of early termination or cancellation of drilling contracts for Deepwater Champion,  Deepwater Millennium, Discoverer Deep Seas, GSF Constellation II,  GSF Development Driller I and Transocean John Shaw.  Our customers’ ability to perform their obligations under their drilling contracts, including their ability to fulfill their indemnity obligations to us, may also be negatively impacted by an economic downturn.  Our customers, which include national oil companies, often have significant bargaining leverage over us.  If our customers cancel some of our contracts, and we are unable to secure new contracts on a timely basis and on substantially similar terms, or if contracts are suspended for an extended period of time or if a number of our contracts are renegotiated, it could adversely affect our consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows.  See “Item 1. Business—Contract Drilling Services.”

At February 11, 2016, the contract backlog associated with our continuing operations was approximately $15.5 billion.  This amount represents the firm term of the drilling contract multiplied by the contractual operating rate, which may be higher than the actual dayrate we receive or we may receive other dayrates included in the contract such as waiting on weather rate, repair rate, standby rate or force majeure rate.  The contractual operating dayrate may also be higher than the actual dayrate we receive because of a number of factors, including rig downtime or suspension of operations.

Several factors could cause rig downtime or a suspension of operations, including:

In certain drilling contracts, the dayrate may be reduced to zero or result in customer credit against future dayrate if, for example, repairs extend beyond a stated period of time.  Our contract backlog includes signed drilling contracts and, in some cases, other definitive agreements awaiting contract execution.  We may not be able to realize the full amount of our contract backlog due to events beyond our control.  In addition, some of our customers have experienced liquidity issues in the past and these liquidity issues could be experienced again if commodity prices decline to lower levels for an extended period of time.  Liquidity issues and other market pressures could lead our customers to go into bankruptcy or could encourage our customers to seek to repudiate, cancel or renegotiate these agreements for various reasons (see “—Our drilling contracts may be terminated due to a number of events”).  Our inability to realize the full amount of our contract backlog may have a material adverse effect on our consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Our ability to renew expiring drilling contracts or obtain new drilling contracts will depend on the prevailing market conditions at the time.  If we are unable to obtain new drilling contracts in direct continuation with existing contracts or for our uncontracted newbuild units, or if new drilling contracts are entered into at dayrates substantially below the existing dayrates or on terms otherwise less favorable compared to existing contract terms, our revenues and profitability could be adversely affected.

The offshore drilling markets in which we compete experience fluctuations in the demand for drilling services.  A number of existing drilling contracts for our drilling rigs that are currently operating are scheduled to expire before December 31, 2017.  Seven of the units we currently have under construction as part of our newbuild program, two ultra‑deepwater drillships and our five high‑specification jackups are being constructed without customer drilling contracts.  We will attempt to secure drilling contracts for these units prior to their completion.  We may be unable to obtain drilling contracts for our rigs that are currently operating upon the expiration or termination of such contracts or obtain drilling contracts for our newbuilds, and there may be a gap in the operation of the rigs between the current contracts and subsequent contracts.  In particular, if oil and natural gas prices remain low, as is currently the case, or it is expected that such prices will decrease in the future, at a time when we are seeking drilling contracts for our rigs, we may be unable to obtain drilling contracts at attractive dayrates or at all.

We must make substantial capital and operating expenditures to maintain our fleet.  These expenditures could increase as a result of changes in the following:

Changes in offshore drilling technology, customer requirements for new or upgraded equipment and competition within our industry may require us to make significant capital expenditures in order to maintain our competitiveness.  In addition, changes in governmental regulations, safety or other equipment standards, as well as compliance with standards imposed by maritime self-regulatory organizations, may require us to make additional unforeseen capital expenditures.  As a result, we may be required to take our rigs out of service for extended periods of time, with corresponding losses of revenues, in order to make such alterations or to add such equipment.  In the future, market conditions may not justify these expenditures or enable us to operate our older rigs profitably during the remainder of their economic lives.

In addition, in order to execute our growth plan, we may require additional capital in the future.  If we are unable to fund capital expenditures with our cash flow from operations or sales of non-strategic assets, we may be required to either incur additional borrowings or raise capital through the sale of debt or equity securities.  Our ability to access the capital markets may be limited by our financial condition at the time, by changes in laws and regulations or interpretation thereof and by adverse market conditions resulting from, among other things, general economic conditions and contingencies and uncertainties that are beyond our control.  If we raise funds by issuing equity securities, existing shareholders may experience dilution.  Our failure to obtain the funds for necessary future capital expenditures could have a material adverse effect on our business and on our statements of financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Certain credit rating agencies have recently downgraded the credit ratings of our non‑credit enhanced senior unsecured long‑term debt (“Debt Rating”).  In February 2015, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded our Debt Rating to below investment grade and, in October 2015, further downgraded our Debt Rating, and recently announced that our Debt Rating is again under review for further downgrade.  In March 2015, Standard & Poor’s downgraded our Debt Rating to below investment grade and recently further downgraded our Debt Rating with negative outlook.  In October 2015, Fitch Ratings downgraded our Debt Rating to below investment grade and recently further downgraded our Debt Rating with negative outlook.

Our Debt Rating levels could have material adverse consequences on our business and future prospects and could:

The downgrades have caused some of the effects listed above, and any further downgrades may cause or exacerbate, any of the effects listed above.

At December 31, 2015 and 2014, our overall debt level was approximately $8.5 billion and $10.1 billion, respectively.  This substantial level of debt and other obligations could have significant adverse consequences on our business and future prospects, including the following:

We engage in offshore drilling services for most of the leading international oil companies or their affiliates, as well as for many government‑controlled oil companies and independent oil companies.  For the year ended December 31, 2015, our most significant customers were Chevron and Shell, accounting for approximately 14 percent and 10 percent, respectively, of our consolidated operating revenues from continuing operations.  As of February 11, 2016, the customers with the most significant aggregate amount of contract backlog associated with our drilling contracts were Shell and Chevron, representing approximately 51 percent and 21 percent, respectively, of our total contract backlog.  The loss of any of these customers or another significant customer, or a decline in payments under any of our drilling contracts, could, at least in the short term, have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows.

In addition, our drilling contracts subject us to counterparty risks.  The ability of each of our counterparties to perform its obligations under a contract with us will depend on a number of factors that are beyond our control and may include, among other things, general economic conditions, the condition of the offshore drilling industry, prevailing prices for oil and natural gas, the overall financial condition of the counterparty, the dayrates received and the level of expenses necessary to maintain drilling activities.  In addition, in depressed market conditions, such as we are currently experiencing our customers may no longer need a drilling rig that is currently under contract or may be able to obtain a comparable drilling rig at a lower dayrate.  Should a counterparty fail to honor its obligations under an agreement with us, we could sustain losses, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Worldwide financial and economic conditions could restrict our ability to access the capital markets at a time when we would like, or need, to access such markets, which could have an impact on our flexibility to react to changing economic and business conditions.  Worldwide economic conditions have in the past impacted, and could in the future impact, the lenders participating in our credit facilities and our customers, causing them to fail to meet their obligations to us.  If economic conditions preclude or limit financing from banking institutions participating in our credit facilities, we may not be able to obtain similar financing from other institutions.  A slowdown in economic activity could further reduce worldwide demand for energy and extend or worsen the current period of low oil and natural gas prices.  A further decline in oil and natural gas prices or an extension of the current low oil and natural gas prices could reduce demand for our drilling services and have a material adverse effect on our consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

The world economy is currently facing a number of challenges.  An extended period of negative outlook for the world economy could reduce the overall demand for oil and natural gas and for our services.  These potential developments, or market perceptions concerning these and related issues, could affect our consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows.  In addition, turmoil and hostilities in the Middle East, North Africa and other geographic areas and countries are adding to overall risk.  An extended period of negative outlook for the world economy could further reduce the overall demand for oil and natural gas and for our services.  Such changes could adversely affect our consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Our operating and maintenance costs will not necessarily fluctuate in proportion to changes in our operating revenues.  Costs for operating a rig are generally fixed or only semi‑variable regardless of the dayrate being earned.  In addition, should our rigs incur unplanned downtime while on contract or idle time between drilling contracts, we will not always reduce the staff on those rigs because we could use the crew to prepare the rig for its next contract.  During times of reduced activity, reductions in costs may not be immediate as portions of the crew may be required to prepare rigs for stacking, after which time the crew members are assigned to active rigs or dismissed.  As our rigs are mobilized from one geographic location to another, the labor and other operating and maintenance costs can vary significantly.  In general, labor costs increase primarily due to higher salary levels and inflation.  Equipment maintenance costs fluctuate depending upon the type of activity the unit is performing and the age and condition of the equipment, and these costs could increase for short or extended periods as a result of regulatory or customer requirements that raise maintenance standards above historical levels.  Contract preparation costs vary based on the scope and length of contract preparation required and the duration of the firm contractual period over which such expenditures are amortized.

As of February 11, 2016, we had six ultra‑deepwater floater and five high‑specification jackup newbuild rig projects.    We also have a variety of other more limited shipyard projects at any given time.  These shipyard projects are subject to the risks of delay or cost overruns inherent in any such construction project resulting from numerous factors, including the following:

These factors may contribute to cost variations and delays in the delivery of our newbuild units and other rigs undergoing shipyard projects.  Delays in the delivery of these units would result in delay in contract commencement, resulting in a loss of revenue to us, and may also cause customers to terminate or shorten the term of the drilling contract for the rig pursuant to applicable late delivery clauses.  In the event of termination of any of these drilling contracts, we may not be able to secure a replacement contract on as favorable terms, if at all.

Our operations also rely on a significant supply of capital and consumable spare parts and equipment to maintain and repair our fleet.  We also rely on the supply of ancillary services, including supply boats and helicopters.  Shortages in materials, manufacturing defects, delays in the delivery of necessary spare parts, equipment or other materials, or the unavailability of ancillary services could negatively impact our future operations and result in increases in rig downtime and delays in the repair and maintenance of our fleet.

The combined response team to the Macondo well incident was unable to stem the flow of hydrocarbons from the well prior to the sinking of Deepwater Horizon.  The resulting spill of hydrocarbons was the most extensive in U.S. history.  Under the Deepwater Horizon drilling contract and in accordance with our settlement agreement with the operator, BP agreed to indemnify us with respect to certain matters, and we agreed to indemnify BP with respect to certain matters (see “Part II. Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 14—Commitments and Contingencies—Macondo well incident commitments and contingencies—BP Settlement Agreement”).  We could experience a material adverse effect on our consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows to the extent that BP fails to fully satisfy its indemnification obligations, including by reason of

financial or legal restrictions, or our insurance policies do not fully cover these amounts.  In addition, in connection with our settlement with the DOJ, we agreed that we will not use payments pursuant to a civil consent decree by and among the DOJ and certain of our affiliates (the “Consent Decree”) as a basis for indemnity or reimbursement from non‑insurer defendants named in the complaint by the U.S. or their affiliates.

On February 25, 2013, we and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) entered into an administrative agreement (the “EPA Agreement”) related to the Macondo well incident, which has a five‑year term.  In the EPA Agreement, we agreed to, among other things, continue the implementation of certain programs and systems; comply with certain employment and contracting procedures; engage independent compliance auditors and a process safety consultant; and give reports and notices with respect to various matters.  Subject to certain exceptions, the EPA Agreement prohibits us from entering into, extending or engaging in certain business relationships with individuals or entities that are debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment or similarly restricted.  In addition, if we fail to comply with the terms of the EPA Agreement, we may be subject to suspension, debarment or statutory disqualification.  See “Part II. Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 14—Commitments and Contingencies—Macondo well incident commitments and contingencies—EPA Agreement.”

New governmental safety and environmental requirements applicable to both deepwater and shallow water operations have been adopted for drilling in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico following the Macondo well incident.  In order to obtain drilling permits, operators must submit applications that demonstrate compliance with the enhanced regulations, which require independent third‑party inspections, certification of well design and well control equipment and emergency response plans in the event of a blowout, among other requirements.  Operators have previously had, and may in the future have, difficulties obtaining drilling permits in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.  In addition, the oil and gas industry has adopted new equipment and operating standards, such as the American Petroleum Institute Standard 53 related to the installation and testing of well control equipment.  These new safety and environmental guidelines and standards and any further new guidelines or standards the U.S. government or industry may issue or any other steps the U.S. government or industry may take, could disrupt or delay operations, increase the cost of operations, increase out‑of‑service time or reduce the area of operations for drilling rigs in the U.S. and non‑U.S. offshore areas.

Other governments could take similar actions related to implementing new safety and environmental regulations in the future.  Additionally, some of our customers have elected to voluntarily comply with some or all of the new inspections, certification requirements and safety and environmental guidelines on rigs operating outside of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.  Additional governmental regulations and requirements concerning licensing, taxation, equipment specifications and training requirements or the voluntary adoption of such requirements or guidelines by our customers could increase the costs of our operations, increase certification and permitting requirements, increase review periods and impose increased liability on offshore operations.  The requirements applicable to us under the Consent Decree and the EPA Agreement cover safety, environmental, reporting, operational and other matters and are in addition to the regulations applicable to other industry participants and may require additional agreements and corporate compliance resources that, together with our cooperation guilty plea agreement by and among the DOJ and certain of our affiliates (the “Plea Agreement”), could cause us to incur additional costs and liabilities.

The continuing effects of the enhanced regulations may also decrease the demand for drilling services, negatively affect dayrates and increase out‑of‑service time, which could ultimately have a material adverse effect on our revenues and profitability.  We are unable to predict the impact that the continuing effects of the enhanced regulations will have on our operations.

Our business in the offshore drilling industry is affected by laws and regulations relating to the energy industry and the environment, including international conventions and treaties, and regional, national, state, and local laws and regulations.  The offshore drilling industry depends on demand for services from the oil and gas exploration and production industry, and, accordingly, we are directly affected by the adoption of laws and regulations that, for economic, environmental or other policy reasons, curtail exploration and development drilling for oil and gas.  Compliance with such laws, regulations and standards, where applicable, may require us to make significant capital expenditures, such as the installation of costly equipment or operational changes, and may affect the resale values or useful lives of our rigs.  We may also incur additional costs in order to comply with other existing and future regulatory obligations, including, but not limited to, costs relating to air emissions, including greenhouse gases (“GHGs”), the management of ballast waters, maintenance and inspection, development and implementation of emergency procedures and insurance coverage or other financial assurance of our ability to address pollution incidents.  Offshore drilling in certain areas has been curtailed and, in certain cases, prohibited because of concerns over protection of the environment.  These costs could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations

or cash flows.  A failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations may result in administrative and civil penalties, criminal sanctions or the suspension or termination of our operations.

To the extent new laws are enacted or other governmental actions are taken that prohibit or restrict offshore drilling or impose additional environmental protection requirements that result in increased costs to the oil and gas industry, in general, or the offshore drilling industry, in particular, our business or prospects could be materially adversely affected.  The operation of our drilling rigs will require certain governmental approvals.  These governmental approvals may involve public hearings and costly undertakings on our part.  We may not obtain such approvals or such approvals may not be obtained in a timely manner.  If we fail to timely secure the necessary approvals or permits, our customers may have the right to terminate or seek to renegotiate their drilling contracts to our detriment.  The amendment or modification of existing laws and regulations or the adoption of new laws and regulations curtailing or further regulating exploratory or development drilling and production of oil and gas could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results or financial condition.  Compliance with any such new legislation or regulations could have an adverse effect on our statements of operations and cash flows.

As an operator of mobile offshore drilling units in some offshore areas, we may be liable for damages and costs incurred in connection with oil spills or waste disposals related to those operations, and we may also be subject to significant fines in connection with spills.  For example, an oil spill could result in significant liability, including fines, penalties and criminal liability and remediation costs for natural resource damages, as well as third-party damages, to the extent that the contractual indemnification provisions in our drilling contracts are not enforceable or otherwise sufficient, or if our customers are unwilling or unable to contractually indemnify us from these risks.  Additionally, we may not be able to obtain such indemnities in our future drilling contracts, and our customers may not have the financial capability to fulfill their contractual obligations to us.  Also, these indemnities may be held to be unenforceable in certain jurisdictions, as a result of public policy or for other reasons.  For example, one of the courts in the litigation related to the Macondo well incident has refused to enforce aspects of our indemnity with respect to certain environmental‑related liabilities.  Laws and regulations protecting the environment have become more stringent in recent years, and may in some cases impose strict liability, rendering a person liable for environmental damage without regard to negligence.  These laws and regulations may expose us to liability for the conduct of or conditions caused by others or for acts that were in compliance with all applicable laws at the time they were performed.  The application of these requirements or the adoption of new requirements or measures could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows.  In addition, our Consent Decree, the EPA Agreement and probation arising out of our Plea Agreement add to these regulations, requirements and liabilities.  Our guilty plea to negligently discharging oil into the U.S. Gulf of Mexico in connection with the Macondo well incident caused us to incur liabilities under the environmental laws relating to the Macondo well incident.  We may be subject to additional liabilities and penalties.

We operate in various regions throughout the world, which may expose us to political and other uncertainties, including risks of:

Our non‑U.S. contract drilling operations are subject to various laws and regulations in certain countries in which we operate, including laws and regulations relating to the import and export, equipment and operation of drilling units, currency conversions and repatriation, oil and gas exploration and development, taxation and social contributions of offshore earnings and earnings of expatriate personnel.  We are also subject to the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) and other U.S. laws and regulations governing our international operations.  In addition, various state and municipal governments, universities and other investors have proposed or adopted divestment and other initiatives regarding investments including, with respect to state governments, by state retirement systems in companies that do business with countries that have been designated as state sponsors of terrorism by the U.S. State Department.  Failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including those relating to sanctions and export restrictions, may subject us to criminal sanctions or civil remedies, including fines, denial of export privileges, injunctions or seizures of assets.  Investors could view any potential violations of OFAC regulations negatively, which could adversely affect our reputation and the market for our shares.

Governments in some foreign countries have become increasingly active in regulating and controlling the ownership of concessions and companies holding concessions, the exploration for oil and gas and other aspects of the oil and gas industries in their countries, including