PACIFIC DRILLING REDUCES LOSSES BUT WITHDRAWS FULL YEAR 2020 FINANCIAL GUIDANCE

Pacific Drilling reported results for the first quarter of 2020. Net loss for first-quarter 2020 was $61.0 million or $0.81 per diluted share, compared to net loss of $308.1 million or $4.11 per diluted share in fourth-quarter 2019.
Pacific Drilling CEO Bernie Wolford commented, “The first quarter of this year started strong with improving market fundamentals and solid demand growth for high-specification drillships, reflected in increased utilization and rising dayrates. Pacific Khamsin worked through the quarter in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico on a contract that is expected to keep the rig busy operating with Equinor and Total into the fourth quarter of this year. Pacific Bora and Pacific Sharav both completed their projects for Eni and Chevron respectively, just after the end of the quarter. And, Pacific Santa Ana worked under contract for Petronas in Mauritania until March 29 when the client provided us with a notice of suspension due to force majeure. We have subsequently agreed to a reduced standby rate, which we believe is likely to continue through the end of this year.”
Mr. Wolford continued, “Since mid-March, we have seen significant cuts in our clients’ current year’s capital expenditure budgets as a result of COVID-19 pandemic related oil demand destruction and the resulting severe oversupply of oil. We expect a significant reduction in exploration drilling in the near term as well as deferral of major development programs until 2021 or later. As we look ahead, we see significant uncertainty in the global market for our services as our customers have cancelled or delayed to 2021 work that had been scheduled or awarded to us for 2020. These market conditions will negatively affect our revenue, profitability and cash flows for 2020 and 2021. In light of these unprecedented market conditions and in an abundance of caution to protect our access to working capital, we drew the full availability under our $50 million revolving credit facility on March 20, 2020. We continue to work closely with our clients to keep our employees safe and our rigs sanitary as we navigate through these challenging times.”
Currently, Pacific Drilling has 7 modern drillships: Pacific Meltem, Pacific Sharav, Pacific Khamsin, Pacific Santa Ana, Pacific Scirocco, Pacific Mistral and Pacific Bora
(Source: Pacific Drilling – Image: Pacific Khamsin in Las Palmas/TRIAC)