SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES, RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Interim Financial Information

Interim Financial Information

The accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pertaining to interim financial information. Accordingly, these interim financial statements do not include all information or footnote disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements and, therefore, should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto in our 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K and other current filings with the SEC. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting of those of a normal recurring nature, necessary to present fairly the results of the periods presented have been included. The results of operations for the interim periods presented may not necessarily be indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. To conform to current period presentation, certain operating expenses of $10.1 million, previously reported in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations for the three months ended December 31, 2019 as other operating expenses were reclassified to drilling services operating expenses, excluding depreciation and amortization. The reclassification had no impact on consolidated net income, comprehensive income or shareholders' equity.

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Helmerich & Payne, Inc. and its domestic and foreign subsidiaries. Consolidation of a subsidiary begins when the Company obtains control over the subsidiary and ceases when the Company loses control of the subsidiary. Specifically, income and expenses of a subsidiary acquired or disposed of during the fiscal year are included in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) from the date the Company gains control until the date when the Company ceases to control the subsidiary. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash

Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, demand deposits with banks and all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less.  Our cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments are subject to potential credit risk, and certain of our cash accounts carry balances greater than the federally insured limits.

We had restricted cash of $48.7 million and $39.3 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $48.9 million and $35.0 million at September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Of the total at December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2020, $3.2 million and $3.6 million, respectively, is related to the acquisition of drilling technology companies, $2.0 million as of both fiscal period ends is from the initial capitalization of the captive insurance companies, and $43.4 million and $43.1 million, respectively, represents an additional amount management has elected to restrict for the purpose of potential insurance claims in our wholly-owned captive insurance companies. The restricted amounts are primarily invested in short-term money market securities.

Recently Issued Accounting Updates

Recently Issued Accounting Updates

Changes to U.S. GAAP are established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") in the form of Accounting Standards Updates ("ASUs") to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC"). We consider the applicability and impact of all ASUs. ASUs not listed below were assessed and determined to be either not applicable, clarifications of ASUs listed below, immaterial, or already adopted by the Company.

The following table provides a brief description of recent accounting pronouncements and our analysis of the effects on our financial statements:

Standard	Description	Date of Adoption	Effect on the Financial Statements or Other Significant Matters
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326) and related ASUs issued subsequent	This ASU introduces a new model for recognizing credit losses on financial instruments based on an estimate of current expected credit losses. The new model will apply to: (1) loans, accounts receivable, trade receivables, and other financial assets measured at amortized cost, (2) loan commitments and certain other off-balance sheet credit exposures, (3) debt securities and other financial assets measured at fair value through other comprehensive income (loss), and (4) beneficial interests in securitized financial assets. This update is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019.	October 1, 2020	We adopted this ASU during the first quarter of fiscal year 2021, as required. Refer to "—Allowance for Credit Losses" below for additional information.
Standards that are not yet adopted as of December 31, 2020
ASU No. 2018-14, Compensation – Retirement Benefits – Defined Benefit Plans—General (Topic 715-20): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans	This ASU amends ASC 715 to add, remove, and clarify disclosure requirements related to defined benefit, pension and other postretirement plans. This update is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2020.	October 1, 2021	We are currently evaluating the impact the new guidance may have on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
ASU No. 2019-12, Financial Instruments – Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes	This ASU simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions related to Topic 740. The ASU also improves consistent application of and simplifies GAAP for other areas of Topic 740 by clarifying and amending existing guidance. This update is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption of the amendment is permitted, including adoption in any interim period for public entities for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued. An entity that elects to early adopt the amendments in an interim period should reflect any adjustments as of the beginning of the annual period that includes that interim period. Additionally, an entity that elects early adoption must adopt all the amendments in the same period. Upon adoption, the amendments addressed in this ASU will be applied either prospectively, retrospectively or on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings. This update is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020.	October 1, 2021	We are currently evaluating the impact the new guidance may have on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

Allowance for Credit Losses

Allowance for Credit LossesOn October 1, 2020, we adopted ASU 2016-13 on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment without restating comparative periods, as permitted under the adoption provisions. Upon adoption, we recognized a $1.6 million increase to our allowance for credit losses and a corresponding cumulative adjustment to reduce retained earnings, net of income taxes, of $1.3 million. This transition adjustment reflects the development of our models to estimate expected credit losses over the life of our financial assets, which primarily consist of our accounts receivable. Pursuant to ASU 2016-13, we have evaluated our customers’ financial strength and liquidity based on aging of accounts receivable, payment history, and other relevant information, including ratings agency, credit ratings and alerts, and publicly available reports.

Self-Insurance

Self-Insurance

We have accrued a liability for estimated workers' compensation and other casualty claims incurred based upon cash reserves plus an estimate of loss development and incurred but not reported claims. The estimate is based upon historical trends. Insurance recoveries related to such liability are recorded when considered probable.

We self-insure a significant portion of expected losses relating to workers’ compensation, general liability and automobile liability. Generally, deductibles range from $1 million to $10 million per occurrence depending on the coverage and whether a claim occurs outside or inside of the United States. Insurance is purchased over deductibles to reduce our exposure to catastrophic events. Estimates are recorded for incurred outstanding liabilities for workers’ compensation, general, and automobile liability claims that are incurred but not reported. Estimates are based on adjusters' estimates, historical experience and statistical methods commonly used within the insurance industry that we believe are reliable. We have also engaged a third-party actuary to perform a review of our domestic casualty losses as well as losses in our captive insurance companies. Nonetheless, insurance estimates include certain assumptions and management judgments regarding the frequency and severity of claims, claim development and settlement practices. Unanticipated changes in these factors may produce materially different amounts of expense that would be reported under these programs.

International Land Drilling Risks

International Solutions Drilling Risks

International Solutions drilling operations may significantly contribute to our revenues and net operating income. There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully conduct such operations, and a failure to do so may have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. Also, the success of our International Solutions operations will be subject to numerous contingencies, some of which are beyond management’s control. These contingencies include general and regional economic conditions, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, modified exchange controls, changes in international regulatory requirements and international employment issues, risk of expropriation of real and personal property and the burden of complying with foreign laws. Additionally, in the event that extended labor strikes occur or a country experiences significant political, economic or social instability, we could experience shortages in labor and/or material and supplies necessary to operate some of our drilling rigs, thereby potentially causing an adverse material effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Many of the countries in which we operate have implemented measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These measures, including imposing mandatory closures of all non-essential business facilities, seeking voluntary closures of such facilities and imposing restrictions on, or advisories with respect to, travel, business operations and public gatherings or interactions, have significantly reduced global economic activity, thereby, resulting in lower demand for crude oil. In particular, the travel restrictions in certain countries where we operate, including the closure of their borders to travel into the country, have resulted in an inability to effectively staff or rotate personnel at, and thereby operate, certain of our rigs and could lead to an inability to fulfill our contractual obligations under contracts with customers.

We have also experienced certain risks related to our Argentine operations. In Argentina, while our dayrate is denominated in U.S. dollars, we are paid in Argentine pesos. The Argentine branch of one of our second-tier subsidiaries remits U.S. dollars to its U.S. parent by converting the Argentine pesos into U.S. dollars through the Argentine Foreign Exchange Market and repatriating the U.S. dollars. Argentina also has a history of implementing currency controls which restrict the conversion and repatriation of U.S. dollars, including controls that were implemented in September 2019. In September 2020, Argentina implemented additional currency controls in an effort to preserve Argentina's U.S. dollar reserves. As a result of these currency controls, our ability to remit funds from our Argentine subsidiary to its U.S. parent has been limited. In the past, the Argentine government has also instituted price controls on crude oil, diesel and gasoline prices and instituted an exchange rate freeze in connection with those prices. These price controls and an exchange rate freeze could be instituted again in the future. In addition, in March 2020, the Argentine government introduced labor regulations that prohibit employee dismissals or suspensions without just cause, for lack of (or reduction in) work or due to force majeure, subject to certain exceptions that may result in the payment of compensation to suspended employees and/or increased severance costs to the company. These prohibitions have resulted in significant challenges for our Argentine operations and it remains uncertain for how long they will be in effect. Further, there are additional concerns regarding Argentina's debt burden, notwithstanding Argentina's restructuring deal with international bondholders in August 2020, as Argentina attempts to manage its substantial sovereign debt issues. These concerns could further negatively impact Argentina's economy and adversely affect our Argentine operations. Argentina’s economy is considered highly inflationary, which is defined as cumulative inflation rates exceeding 100 percent in the most recent three-year period based on inflation data published by the respective governments. Nonetheless, all of our foreign subsidiaries use the U.S. dollar as the functional currency and local currency monetary assets and liabilities are remeasured into U.S. dollars with gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions included in current results of operations.

For the three months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we recorded an aggregate foreign currency loss of $1.8 million and an aggregate foreign currency gain of $1.0 million, respectively. In the future, we may incur larger currency devaluations, foreign exchange restrictions or other difficulties repatriating U.S. dollars from Argentina or elsewhere, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. As of December 31, 2020, our cash balance in Argentina was $23.8 million.

Because of the impact of local laws, our future operations in certain areas may be conducted through entities in which local citizens own interests and through entities (including joint ventures) in which we hold only a minority interest or pursuant to arrangements under which we conduct operations under contract to local entities. While we believe that neither operating through such entities nor pursuant to such arrangements would have a material adverse effect on our operations or revenues, there can be no assurance that we will in all cases be able to structure or restructure our operations to conform to local law (or the administration thereof) on terms acceptable to us.

Although we attempt to minimize the potential impact of such risks by operating in more than one geographical area, during the three months ended December 31, 2020, approximately 4.4 percent of our operating revenues were generated from international locations in our drilling business compared to 7.8 percent during the three months ended December 31, 2019. During the three months ended December 31, 2020, approximately 18.1 percent of operating revenues from international locations were from operations in South America compared to 87.0 percent during the three months ended December 31, 2019. Substantially all of the South American operating revenues were from Argentina and Colombia. The future occurrence of one or more international events arising from the types of risks described above could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operati