Impairments and Other Charges

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Impairments and Other Charges

Impairments and Other Charges

Note 10 Impairments and Other Charges

The components of impairments and other charges are provided below:

	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30,				September 30,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
	(in thousands)
Goodwill impairments	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	27,798
Intangible asset impairment		—		—		—		83,625
US Drilling		—		—		—		87,333
Canada Drilling		545		—		58,545		—
International Drilling		—		544		215		63,620
Drilling Solutions		—		(17)		—		28,624
Rig Technologies		—		(182)		418		2,526
Oil and gas related assets		—		—		—		12,286
Severance and transaction related costs		2,324		4,779		4,916		16,614
Other assets		199		(107)		1,325		16,877
Total	$	3,068	$	5,017	$	65,419		339,303

We review our assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. If the estimated undiscounted future cash flows are not sufficient to support the asset’s recorded value, an impairment charge is recognized to the extent the carrying amount of the long-lived asset exceeds its estimated fair value. Management considers a number of factors such as estimated future cash flows from the assets, appraisals and current market value analysis in determining fair value. The determination of future cash flows requires the estimation of utilization, dayrates, operating margins, sustaining capital and remaining economic life. Such estimates can change based on market conditions, technological advances in the industry or changes in regulations governing the industry. A significantly prolonged period of lower oil and natural gas prices could continue to adversely affect the demand for and prices of our services, which could result in future impairment charges.

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021

Canada Drilling

During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, we recognized an impairment of $58.5 million related to the sale of the Canada Drilling assets in July 2021.

Severance and transaction related costs

During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, we recognized charges of $4.9 million due to severance and reorganization costs due to ongoing cost cutting and consolidation measures that we enacted in response to the challenging industry environment.

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020

Goodwill impairments

We have historically performed our annual goodwill impairment test during the second quarter of each year. In addition to our annual impairment test, we are required to regularly assess whether a triggering event has occurred which would require interim impairment testing. Due to industry conditions during the first quarter of 2020 and the corresponding impact on future expectations of demand for our products and services, including the effect on our stock price, we determined a triggering event had occurred and performed a quantitative impairment assessment of our goodwill. Based on the results of our goodwill test performed, we recognized impairment charges to write off the remaining goodwill balances attributable to our Drilling Solutions and Rig Technologies operating segments of $11.4 million and $16.4 million, respectively.

Intangible asset impairments

We also reviewed our intangible assets for impairment in the first quarter of 2020 as a result of the industry conditions. The fair value of our intangible assets is determined using discounted cash flow models. Based on our updated projections of future cash flows, the fair value of our intangible assets did not support the carrying value. As such, we recognized an impairment of $83.6 million to write off all remaining intangible assets attributable to our Drilling Solutions and Rig Technologies operating segments.

US Drilling

Due to the sharp decline in activity as a result of industry conditions in the US in the first part of the year relative to the same period in the prior year, we recorded impairments of $33.3 million and functionally retired $54.0 million of our lower specification rigs in the Lower 48 and Alaska markets totaling approximately $87.3 million. We determined that the assets were either functionally obsolete, would be no longer used, or the carrying value was not fully recoverable and was in excess of its fair value.

International Drilling

We impaired $30.5 million during the three months ended March 31, 2020, which represented rig and drilling-related equipment in international markets which have been impacted by market conditions and other factors.

During the second quarter of 2020, we wrote off all the remaining value on our rig and drilling-related equipment in Venezuela due to our lack of work in the country and limited visibility to any possibility of further work. This resulted in a charge of $32.6 million.

Drilling Solutions

We impaired or retired $28.6 million of fixed assets, equipment and inventory in our Drilling Solutions segment as a result of the significant decline in utilization experienced over the first half of the year due to industry conditions. We determined that the assets were either functionally obsolete, would be no longer used, or the carrying value was not fully recoverable and was in excess of its fair value.

Rig Technologies

As a result of our periodic analysis on inventories for our Rig Technologies segment, we recorded a $2.5 million provision for obsolescence.

Oil & gas related assets

In the first quarter of 2020, we recognized an impairment of $12.3 million to various assets related to our retained interest in the oil and gas properties located on the North Slope of Alaska.

Severance and transaction related costs

During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, we recognized charges of $16.6 million due to severance and other related costs incurred to right-size our cost structure.

Other assets

We wrote down or provided for $16.9 million of certain other assets including receivables related to our operations. The charges were primarily attributable to markets which have been adversely impacted by foreign sanctions or other political risk issues as well as bankruptcies or other financial problems.