Business Wire

Pacific Drilling Announces Settlement in Mediation Between Quantum Pacific and Ad Hoc Group of Creditors

Share

Pacific Drilling S.A. (OTC:PACDQ) (“Pacific Drilling” or the “Company”) today announced that its plan of reorganization filed on July 31, 2018 (the “Plan”), based on a proposal presented to the Company’s Board of Directors by an ad hoc group of its secured creditors (collectively, the “Ad Hoc Group”), now has the full support of the Company’s majority shareholder, Quantum Pacific (Gibraltar) Limited (“QP”). The Plan was already supported by all of the Company’s major creditor interests. With QP’s participation, the Company expects a smooth plan confirmation process and a quick emergence from its Chapter 11 proceedings.

Pacific Drilling CEO Paul Reese commented, “The agreement reached by QP and the Ad Hoc Group delivers the final piece needed to make the Company’s Plan a consensual one that has the support of the Company’s major stakeholders. The agreement should allow the Plan to move forward efficiently and expeditiously through the implementation and confirmation process.”

Pursuant to the Plan, the Company expects to raise $1.5 billion of new capital comprised of $1.0 billion in a combination of first and second lien secured notes and $500 million of equity through a rights offering and a private placement. Under the Plan, existing holders of Pacific Drilling common shares would receive no recovery.

Under the agreement reached in successful mediation proceedings, QP and its investment partners will commit to purchase $100 million of the first lien secured notes and $100 million of the second lien secured notes to be issued pursuant to the third-party syndicated financing contemplated by the Plan and will commit to purchase $50 million of the new equity in the Company through a private placement.

Cyril Ducau, the Company’s Chairman of the Board, stated, “After over a year of negotiations, we are happy to see a breakthrough in the talks between the Quantum Pacific Group and the Ad Hoc Group. With significant new capital commitments from both groups and the support from all stakeholders, Pacific Drilling is now on track to exit Chapter 11 with one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry and ample liquidity to see it through the long-expected recovery of the offshore drilling industry.”

The Plan was developed over the course of comprehensive mediation discussions between the Company’s Board of Directors and its stakeholders. The Plan will strengthen the Company’s balance sheet by reducing its leverage and delivering a substantial amount of new capital. Upon consummation of the Plan, Pacific Drilling’s cash position will be significantly enhanced, and the Company will be in a much stronger financial position to take advantage of its dedicated, high-specification deepwater drillship fleet in anticipation of an improving market for offshore drilling services.

Additionally, upon consummation of the Plan, the Company expects to pay all unsecured trade claims in full. Consummation of the Plan is subject to execution and delivery of definitive agreements, Bankruptcy Court approval, completion of the anticipated financing transactions and other customary conditions. Given the consensus now achieved among all of the Company’s key stakeholders, it is expected that the remainder of the Chapter 11 proceedings can be concluded quickly.

N. Scott Fine, Vice Chairman of the Pacific Drilling Board of Directors, further commented, “We owe a debt of gratitude to all of our advisors and especially our mediator, Judge James Peck (ret), for their tireless work in helping us reach what the Company has strived for from the beginning of its Chapter 11 process, a consensual plan.”

The Company was advised through this process by AlixPartners LLP as Financial Advisor, Evercore as Investment Bankers and Togut, Segal & Segal LLP as bankruptcy counsel.

Additional information about our Chapter 11 proceedings can be found (i) in the Company’s Form 6-K filed along with this announcement, (ii) in the Company’s Form 20-F containing our annual report for the period ended December 31, 2017 as filed with the SEC, (iii) in the Company’s Forms 6-K filed subsequent to the Form 20-F, (iv) in other documents available on the Company’s website at www.pacificdrilling.com/investor-relations/sec-filings, and www.pacificdrilling.com/restructuring, and (v) via the Company’s restructuring information line at +1 866-396-3566 (Toll Free) or +1 646-795-6175 (International Number).

About Pacific Drilling

With its best-in-class drillships and highly experienced team, Pacific Drilling is committed to becoming the industry’s preferred high-specification, deepwater drilling contractor. Pacific Drilling’s fleet of seven drillships represents one of the youngest and most technologically advanced fleets in the world. Pacific Drilling has its principal offices in Luxembourg and Houston. For more information about Pacific Drilling, including our current Fleet Status, please visit our website at www.pacificdrilling.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and information contained in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are generally identifiable by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “our ability to,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “projected,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or other similar words, which are generally not historical in nature. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Our forward-looking statements express our current expectations or forecasts of possible future results or events, including our future financial and operational performance and cash balances; revenue efficiency levels; market outlook; forecasts of trends; future client contract opportunities; contract dayrates; our business strategies and plans and objectives of management; estimated duration of client contracts; backlog; expected capital expenditures; projected costs and savings; the potential impact of our Chapter 11 proceedings on our future operations and ability to finance our business; our ability to complete the restructuring transactions contemplated by our plan of reorganization; projected costs and expenses in connection with our plan of reorganization; and our ability to emerge from our Chapter 11 proceedings and continue as a going concern.

Although we believe that the assumptions and expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable and made in good faith, these statements are not guarantees, and actual future results may differ materially due to a variety of factors. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties and are based on a number of judgments and assumptions as of the date such statements are made about future events, many of which are beyond our control. Actual events and results may differ materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or implied by us in such statements due to a variety of factors, including if one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove incorrect.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations include: the global oil and gas market and its impact on demand for our services; the offshore drilling market, including reduced capital expenditures by our clients; changes in worldwide oil and gas supply and demand; rig availability and supply and demand for high specification drillships and other drilling rigs competing with our fleet; costs related to stacking of rigs; our ability to enter into and negotiate favorable terms for new drilling contracts or extensions; our ability to successfully negotiate and consummate definitive contracts and satisfy other customary conditions with respect to letters of intent and letters of award that we receive for our drillships; our substantial level of indebtedness; possible cancellation, renegotiation, termination or suspension of drilling contracts as a result of mechanical difficulties, performance, market changes or other reasons; our ability to execute our business plan and continue as a going concern in the long term; our ability to obtain Bankruptcy Court approval with respect to motions or other requests made to the Bankruptcy Court in our Chapter 11 proceedings, including maintaining strategic control as debtor in-possession; our ability to confirm and consummate our plan of reorganization in accordance with the terms of the Plan and the settlement; risks attendant to the bankruptcy process including the effects of our Chapter 11 proceedings on our operations and agreements, including our relationships with employees, regulatory authorities, clients, suppliers, banks and other financing sources, insurance companies and other third parties; the effects of our Chapter 11 proceedings on our Company and on the interests of various constituents, including holders of our common shares and debt instruments; the potential adverse effects of our Chapter 11 proceedings on our liquidity, results of operations, or business prospects; the outcome of Bankruptcy Court rulings in our Chapter 11 proceedings as well as all other pending litigation and arbitration matters; the length of time that we will operate under Chapter 11 protection and the continued availability of operating capital during the pendency of the proceedings; our ability to access adequate debtor-in-possession financing or use cash collateral; risks associated with third-party motions in our Chapter 11 proceedings, which may interfere with our ability to timely confirm and consummate our plan of reorganization and restructuring generally; increased advisory costs including administrative and legal costs to complete our plan of reorganization and other litigation; the risk that our plan of reorganization may not be accepted or confirmed, in which case there can be no assurance that our Chapter 11 proceedings will continue rather than be converted to Chapter 7 liquidation cases or that any alternative plan of reorganization would be on terms as favorable to holders of claims and interests as the terms of our Plan; the cost, availability and access to capital and financial markets, including the ability to secure new financing after emerging from our Chapter 11 proceedings; and the other risk factors described in our 2017 Annual Report on Form 20-F and our Current Reports on Form 6-K. These documents are available through our website at www.pacificdrilling.com or through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.

Contact information

Pacific Drilling S.A.
Investor Contact:
Johannes (John) P. Boots, +713 334 6662
Investor@pacificdrilling.com
or
Media Contact:
Amy L. Roddy, +713 334 6662
Media@pacificdrilling.com

About Business Wire

For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.

Subscribe to releases from Business Wire

Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Latest releases from Business Wire

DC Secretary Announces Annual Determinations Committees Outcome28.3.2024 23:14:00 EET | Press release

DC Administration Services, Inc. has today announced the composition of five regional Determinations Committees (DCs), effective from April 27, 2024. Voting Dealers (for all regions): Voting Non-Dealers (for all regions): Bank of America N.A. Citadel LLC Barclays Bank plc Elliott Management Corporation BNP Paribas Pacific Investment Management Company LLC Citibank, N.A. Deutsche Bank AG Goldman Sachs International JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Voting Dealer for the Americas, EMEA, AEJ, and Japan Determination Committees: Mizuho Securities Co., Ltd. The process for selecting DC members is specified in the DC rules. The DC rules, along with more information about the Determinations Committees and what they do can be found at the Determinations Committees website: https://www.cdsdeterminationscommittees.org/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240328441002/en/ Contact information Press Inquiries: Orlando Figueroa orlando.figueroa@citadelspv.com

Faster Recoveries, Improved Security: HTEC and G2 Risk Solutions Join Forces to Advance Bankruptcy Management28.3.2024 19:02:00 EET | Press release

HTEC, a global digital consulting, software engineering, and product development company, is announcing a strategic collaboration with G2 Risk Solutions (G2RS), the preeminent provider of end-to-end bankruptcy technology solutions. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240328622816/en/ HTEC & G2 Risk Solutions Partnership (Photo: Business Wire) Under the agreement, G2RS will engage HTEC to incorporate its leading-edge technology into G2RS’ premier bankruptcy management platform. As the creators of the most comprehensive national bankruptcy database and the first bankruptcy management portal, G2RS is an industry pioneer. By adding HTEC’s premium engineering to the G2RS technology stack, G2RS will offer new and innovative functionalities to help clients expedite financial recoveries, increase data protection, and reduce operational inefficiencies in the bankruptcy management life cycle. “We are thrilled to be a part o

LambdaTest Launches The Phoenix Project, an Employee Resource Group for Women28.3.2024 18:00:00 EET | Press release

LambdaTest, a leading cloud-based unified testing platform, announced the launch of The Phoenix Project, an Employee Resource Group (ERG) dedicated to supporting and promoting the success of its female employees. “LambdaTest is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace where all employees feel valued and empowered to reach their full potential,” said Chandini Chopra, VP of People and Culture at LambdaTest. “The Phoenix Project is a critical step towards achieving this goal by providing a platform for professional development, networking, and mentorship, especially for our women employees.” The Phoenix Project Aims To: Offer professional development workshops, networking opportunities, and dedicated time off for women to participate in ERG initiatives. Provide mentorship programs connecting senior female employees with mentees. Promote leadership development among women within the company. Create a sense of community for women in the workplace. Leadership and

The reopening of the Yokohama Museum of Art adds another innovative and distinctive venue for events in Yokohama28.3.2024 18:00:00 EET | Press release

After extensive renovations, the iconic Yokohama Museum of Art has reopened its doors to visitors from all over the world. The museum’s reopening paves the way to new and closer collaboration with international events in Yokohama. This extraordinary venue is the ideal setting for a one-of-a-kind gathering, in part, supported by the Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau (hereinafter YCVB). The Yokohama Museum of Art Founded in 1989, the Yokohama Museum of Art collects over 14,000 works of art that reflect the many facets of life in Yokohama—past, present, and future. The reopening of the museum coincides with the Yokohama Triennale, an international exhibition featuring contemporary artists whose decentralized exhibits turn the entire metropolis into an art museum. The 8th Yokohama Triennale is being held from March 15 to June 9, 2024, with the Yokohama Museum of Art being a pivotal venue for the exhibition. With the museum firmly back on the map as Yokohama’s leading artistic venue, YC

Eight new sustainability-themed experiences—exclusive to Yokohama—for convention participants28.3.2024 18:00:00 EET | Press release

In a survey conducted by Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau (hereinafter YCVB), many convention attendees expressed particular interest in Yokohama’s culture, sightseeing spots, and local cuisine. In response, YCVB has developed eight new Yokohama Tours for event attendees to enjoy during their free time in Yokohama, keeping in line with our ethos of sustainability. Noge Area Bar-Hopping Tour, complete with guide Known affectionately by locals as Yokohama’s kitchen, Noge is a bustling nightlife spot that is home to over 600 izakaya (Japanese-style pubs). A knowledgeable local guide will lead participants to all the hidden gems in Noge, where they can indulge in distinctive, delicious pub-style food and drink. With easy on-foot accessibility, participants can rest assured this fun night out won’t impact their carbon footprint. Soto Zen Tour of Sojiji, head temple of the Soto Zen school As a prominent Zen sect in Japan, Soto Zen provides one of the best Zen wellness experiences. Durin

In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.

Visit our pressroom
HiddenA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.Eye