Hamilton, Bermuda, July 10, 2015 - North Atlantic Drilling ("NADL" or "the Company") has been awarded a contract extension for the semi-submersible rig West Phoenix by Total E&P UK Limited, commencing mid-March 2016 and securing work for the unit through the end of August 2016. The total revenue potential for the contract extension is approximately $62 million.
A portion of the $62 million will be paid during the currently anticipated idle period from the beginning of September 2015 to the middle of March 2016. The Company has the ability to market the rig for alternate work during this period.
As part of the agreement to extend the West Phoenix, the Company has agreed to a dayrate reduction on the current contract effective from June 1, 2015 until its expected conclusion at the end of August 2015, resulting in a reduction to the remaining revenue potential of approximately $16 million.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release includes forward looking statements. Such statements are generally not historical in nature, and specifically include statements about the Company's plans, strategies, business prospects, changes and trends in its business and the markets in which it operates. In particular, statements regarding the Company's ability to complete the Auriga Acquisition, its financing of the Auriga Acquisition and projected increases in cash distributions are considered forward looking statements. These statements are made based upon management's current plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, the performance of the drilling rigs in the Company's fleet, delay in payment or disputes with customers, fluctuations in the international price of oil, changes in governmental regulations that affect the Company or the operations of the Company's fleet, increased competition in the offshore drilling industry, and general economic, political and business conditions globally. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. When considering these forward looking statements, you should keep in mind the risks described from time to time in the Company's filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 20-F. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of these factors. Further, the Company cannot assess the impact of each such factor on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward-looking statement.
This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.