Valaris plc (NYSE: VAL) (“Valaris” or the “Company”) announced that the Company continues actively working to recover or replace the blowout preventer (BOP) stack on VALARIS DS-8 following a non-drilling incident earlier this month. On March 19, 2020, the Company received a termination notice for the drilling contract for VALARIS DS-8. The Company is in discussions with the customer regarding the notice. The drilling contract represents approximately $150 million of the Company’s contracted revenue backlog of $2.5 billion as of December 31, 2019. The operating day rate for VALARIS DS-8 is approximately $620,000 per day. The Company has loss of hire insurance for $602,500 per day after the expiration of a 45-day deductible waiting period through the end of the contract in November 2020. If the contract is terminated, the Company will seek to recover losses incurred in accordance with the terms of this insurance policy, which would largely offset the lost backlog noted above. There can be no assurance as to the timing or amount of insurance proceeds paid to the Company.
The Company has received a notice of contract termination from a customer for VALARIS JU-109, which was scheduled to operate offshore Angola until July 2021. As a result of this termination, the rig’s contract is now expected to end in mid-April 2020 and contracted revenue backlog will be reduced by approximately $50 million. The Company expects to receive additional notices of contract terminations and requests to renegotiate contract day rates and terms in light of increased market uncertainty.
Since the beginning of March, VALARIS JU-87 was awarded a one-well contract with Cox in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico that commenced in mid-March, with an estimated duration of 30 days that added approximately $1 million of contracted revenue backlog. Additionally, a previously announced contract for VALARIS DS-4 with Amni offshore Ghana has been transferred to VALARIS DS-7 and is expected to commence in April 2020, and the previously announced contract for VALARIS JU-144 (EXL II) with ENI offshore Mexico has been transferred to VALARIS JU-102 and is expected to commence in September 2020.
For the period between the Company’s fleet status report that was filed on February 13, 2020 and the beginning of March, the Company executed the following new contracts and contract extensions with associated revenue backlog of approximately $100 million:
- VALARIS MS-1 awarded a three-well contract with Santos offshore Australia that is expected to commence in first quarter 2021, with an estimated duration of 155 days.
- VALARIS 8505 awarded a one-well contract with Lukoil Upstream Mexico that is expected to commence in mid-November, with an estimated duration of 80 days.
- VALARIS JU-118 (Joe Douglas) awarded a three-well contract with Fieldwood offshore Mexico that commenced in mid-March, with an estimated duration of 425 days.
- VALARIS JU-144 (EXL II) awarded a two-well contract with Fieldwood offshore Mexico that is expected to commence in April, with an estimated duration of 200 days.
- In addition, the Company is withdrawing its first quarter and full year 2020 financial guidance.
About Valaris plc
Valaris plc (NYSE: VAL) is the industry leader in offshore drilling services across all water depths and geographies. Operating a high-quality rig fleet of ultra-deepwater drillships, versatile semisubmersibles and modern shallow-water jackups, Valaris has experience operating in nearly every major offshore basin. With an unwavering commitment to safety and operational excellence, and a focus on technology and innovation, Valaris was rated first in total customer satisfaction in the latest independent survey by EnergyPoint Research - the ninth consecutive year that the Company has earned this distinction. Valaris plc is an English limited company (England No. 7023598) with its corporate headquarters located at 110 Cannon Street, London EC4N 6EU.