ITEM 1. BUSINESS
General
Core Laboratories N.V. is a Netherlands limited liability company. We were established in 1936 and are one of the world's leading providers of proprietary and patented reservoir description and production enhancement services and products to the oil and gas industry. These services and products can enable our clients to improve reservoir performance and increase oil and gas recovery from their producing fields. We have over 70 offices in more than 50 countries and have approximately 3,700 employees.
References to "Core Lab", "the Company", "we", "our", and similar phrases are used throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K (this "Form 10-K") and relate collectively to Core Laboratories N.V. and its consolidated affiliates.
Business Strategy
Our business strategy is to provide advanced technologies that improve reservoir performance by (i) continuing the development of proprietary technologies through client-driven research and development, (ii) expanding the services and products offered throughout our global network of offices and (iii) acquiring complementary technologies that add key technologies or market presence and enhance existing services and products.
Development of New Technologies, Services and Products
We conduct research and development to meet the needs of our clients who are continually seeking new services and technologies to lower their costs of finding, developing and producing oil and gas. While the aggregate number of wells being drilled per year has fluctuated relative to market conditions, oil and gas producers have, on a proportional basis, increased expenditures on technology services to improve their understanding of the reservoir and increase production of oil and gas from their producing fields. We intend to continue concentrating our efforts on services and technologies that improve reservoir performance and increase oil and gas recovery.
International Expansion of Services and Products
Another component of our business strategy is to broaden the spectrum of services and products offered to our clients on a global basis. We intend to continue using our worldwide network of offices to offer our services and products that have been developed internally or obtained through acquisitions. This global emphasis allows us to enhance our revenue through efficient utilization of our worldwide network.
Acquisitions
We continually review potential acquisitions to add key services and technologies, enhance market presence or complement existing businesses.
More information relating to any significant acquisitions is included in Note 4 - Acquisitions and Divestures of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Operations
We derive our revenue from services and product sales to clients primarily in the oil and gas industry.
We operate our business in two reporting segments. These complementary segments provide different services and products and utilize different technologies for evaluating and improving reservoir performance and increasing oil and gas recovery from new and existing fields. Disclosure relating to the operations and financial information of these business segments is included in Note 21 - Segment Reporting and Other Disaggregated Information of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
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Reservoir Description: Encompasses the characterization of petroleum reservoir rock, and reservoir fluids samples to increase production and improve recovery of crude oil and natural gas from our clients' reservoirs. We provide laboratory-based analytical and field services to characterize properties of crude oil and crude oil-derived products to the oil and gas industry. We also provide proprietary and joint industry studies based on these types of analyses and manufacture associated laboratory equipment.
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Production Enhancement: Includes services and manufactured products relating to reservoir well completions, perforations, stimulation and production. We provide integrated diagnostic services to evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of well completions and to develop solutions aimed at increasing the effectiveness of enhanced oil recovery projects.
We offer our services worldwide through a global network of offices. Services accounted for 73%, 77% and 71% of our revenue from continuing operations for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
We manufacture products primarily in five facilities for distribution on a global basis. Product sales accounted for 27%, 23% and 29% of our revenue from continuing operations for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Reservoir Description
Commercial oil and gas fields consist of porous and permeable reservoir rocks that contain crude oil, natural gas and formation water. Due to the density differences of the fluids, natural gas typically caps the field and overlies an oil layer, which overlies the water. We provide services that characterize the porous reservoir rock, all three reservoir fluids and their derived products. Services relating to these fluids include determining the quality and measuring the quantity of the reservoir fluids and their derived products, such as gasoline, diesel and biofuels. This includes determining the value of different crude oil and natural gases by analyzing the individual components of complex hydrocarbons. We measure reservoir hydrocarbons at reservoir conditions to determine the changes in their physical properties with changing pressure and temperature. The number of pressure-volume-temperature ("PVT") related projects, has been increasing for the last several years, and reservoir fluid analyses now contribute approximately 65% to 70% of Reservoir Description revenue.
We analyze samples of reservoir rocks for their porosity, which determines reservoir storage capacity, and for their permeability, which defines the ability of the fluids to flow through the rock. These measurements are used to determine how much oil and gas are present in a reservoir and the rates at which the oil and gas can be produced. We also use our proprietary services and technologies to correlate the reservoir description data to wireline logs and other subsurface data.
The combined use of both the reservoir rock and fluid data are invaluable to oil companies to determine the most efficient method by which to recover, process and refine these hydrocarbons to produce the maximum value added to crude oil and natural gas fields. Early evaluations and key decisions about well performance and viability are important for optimizing a reservoir. This is accomplished by using proprietary and patented laboratory methods, including both traditional physical measurements and more recently introduced new technologies, such as Core Lab’s Non-Invasive Technologies for Reservoir OptimizationSM (“NITROSM”) services. NITROSM services includes Dual Energy Computed Tomography ("DECT"), Micro Computed Tomography, high and low frequency nuclear magnetic resonance, high-resolution gamma logging and continuous high energy x-ray fluorescence, along with other Core Lab proprietary technologies.
Core Lab's proprietary DECT scanner-based deliverables generate millimeter-scale three dimensional images and accompanying high-resolution petrophysical logs on cored intervals by calibrating DECT information to the vast library of physical measurements in Core Lab's proprietary database. The DECT deliverables from Core Lab are more detailed than down-hole logs and provide better bed resolution as well as accurate information on rock properties such as lithology, porosity, density, rock strength and acoustic velocities.
DECT, when combined with Continuous Dual Gamma and Scanning X-ray Fluorescence (“CS-XRF”), allows Core Lab to assess continuous high-resolution elemental composition of the cored intervals. A proprietary formation-specific “inversion” technique can be used to convert the detailed elemental composition to a continuous mineral log enabling us to generate detailed lithologic descriptions of the reservoir and to perform a comprehensive reservoir characterization.
Core Lab conducts a wide variety of physical laboratory measurements to measure and evaluate fluid flow through the rock, often at in-situ reservoir temperatures and pressures. These are most commonly applied to conventional reservoirs. We have also developed unique analytical processes to understand the flow characteristics and saturation profiles of unconventional reservoir systems including (1) High Frequency Nuclear Magnetic Resonance measurements to gain insights into movable vs. non-movable fluid saturations of these complex systems; and (2) Enhanced Oil Recovery of shale reservoirs by evaluating the effectiveness of gas cycling in nano-pore structures to significantly increase long-term production rates and volumes.
Core Lab has been at the forefront of digital transformation technologies for more than two decades. Core Lab’s extensive, proprietary databases and analog technologies, coupled with artificial intelligence (“AI”) and machine learning, help our clients improve efficiencies and lower operating costs throughout the upstream value chain. The analysis and integration, of these critical datasets is enhanced because of Core Lab’s proprietary RAPIDTM database. Core Lab’s proprietary World Wide Rock CatalogTM provides a database and analog reference set for predicting properties when physical measurements are unavailable.
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Core’s proprietary legacy portfolio of geological studies and rock and fluid property datasets on conventional reservoirs and seals, accessible through Core’s database platform, RAPIDTM, are being leveraged in energy transition projects as well, and are proving invaluable to operators evaluating potential Carbon Capture and Storage (“CCS”) sites in onshore and offshore Miocene and Oligocene reservoirs along the U.S. Gulf Coast. These legacy studies, originally conducted to evaluate hydrocarbon reservoirs, provide critical data for reconnaissance, benchmarking, and risk reduction ahead of new coring projects for CCS site assessment.
Core Lab’s Digital Innovation Group integrates results and interpretations into a comprehensive, web-enabled platform, RAPIDTM, for client access. This allows our clients to gain insight into their core intervals at an accelerated pace, for both non-invasive technologies as well as time-honored physical laboratory measurements. Through this integrated visually interactive platform, key reservoir performance indicators are presented, evaluated and shared within client workgroups.
Core Lab’s Digital Innovation Group works collaboratively with multiple international and national oil companies on projects that utilize several of Core Lab’s proprietary digital technologies and services. Core Lab’s proprietary Advanced Rock Typing technology combines Core Lab’s vast, comprehensive database of physical measurements, and World Wide Rock CatalogTM with its proprietary image acquisition technology and innovative AI image recognition. These technologies provide clients with analog data sets in situations where acquisition of new conventional core may not be possible. High-resolution images of wellbore cuttings and sidewall cores are quickly and efficiently matched with analogs from Core Lab’s proprietary database of samples from around the world. Physically measured data sets from the matching analogs are delivered to our clients in time to make appraisal and development decisions.
Core Lab also applies its rock fluid and data analytical capabilities to CO2 and other gas and liquid projects. These projects may be for enhanced oil recovery in mature fields, or for CO2-CCS projects.
Core Lab holds various patents, trade secrets, and proprietary designs for laboratory equipment required to analyze reservoir rocks as well as the properties and phase behavior of reservoir fluids and derived products. We manufacture a wide range of ambient and reservoir condition rock and fluid analysis laboratory equipment for our own use throughout our international laboratory network. Among these devices are complex, high-pressure, high temperature, reservoir condition, multi-phase flow systems and full visualization PVT cells, along with the ancillary equipment required to support these laboratory programs. We also sell equipment of this type to universities, government institutes, and client company research labs.
While recognizing the need to optimize the logistical chain of our clients, from producing well to retail sales of petroleum products, a state-of-the-art IT platform CONNECT: was launched to efficiently acquire our field data, laboratory analysis, optimize workflows and any other observations relevant to our client base. The system is designed for single data entry, and that data can be used for further analysis and, more importantly, be shared with our clients by process flow dashboards with key performance indicators. The system can also share real-time data on mobile devices, enabling our clients to make quick decisions. This methodology of sharing data has been embraced by an increasing number of clients, as it has not only saved them costs, but, more importantly, the data can be used for trend analysis in many ways, such as the ability to forecast bottlenecks, thus eliminating waste and increasing efficiency. Two experience centers have been set up, in the U.S. and Europe, where our clients can get acquainted with optimizing the flow of business as well as our advanced systems for data analysis. All initiatives are meant to increase efficiency and add value to our client base. All data is being made available through dashboard technology, which for internal purposes is being used to measure the efficiency of workflows throughout the organization.
During 2021, we added new modules to our suite of IT platforms that enhance the distribution chain of our customers, with similar structure of using dashboard technology, enabling the customer to monitor live progress as well as operational data.
We conduct numerous large-scale, multi-company reservoir management projects, applying proprietary and state-of-the-art techniques from the earliest phases of a field development program until the last economic barrel of oil is recovered. We initiate and deliver a group of international and U.S. based consortium studies to evaluate both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. These projects are of increasing importance to oil companies as the incremental barrel is often the lowest cost and most profitable barrel in the reservoir. Producing incremental barrels increases our clients' cash flows which we believe will result in additional capital expenditures by our clients, and ultimately further opportunities for us.
These industry consortium projects provide critical reservoir information to a broad spectrum of clients in a cost effective manner. These studies focus on regions of client interest across the globe, and include both conventional and unconventional reservoir targets. Studies often run for several years and new studies are initiated in response of current or upcoming client activity in a region. Core Lab retains rights of ownership to complete joint industry projects studies, which can be resold at a later date. Many of them examine unconventional reservoirs, particularly in the US and Canada. For example, our Permian Basin study evaluates the petrophysical, geochemical, completion and production characteristics of this very active play in
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West Texas. Our clients use this information, not only to improve their drilling and production activities, but also to evaluate potential acquisition and divestiture opportunities.
Production Enhancement
Core Lab's Production Enhancement group provides products and diagnostic services to help optimize well completions, reservoir operations and field development strategies, in order to increase recoverable reserves in the most efficient way. These product offerings include perforating technologies to establish communication between the wellbore and the reservoir. Diagnostic services are used to assess well completions and field floods. Two commonly used production enhancement methods are (i) hydraulic fracturing of the reservoir rock to improve flow and (ii) flooding a reservoir with water, carbon dioxide, nitrogen or hydrocarbon gases to drive more oil and gas to the producing wellbores. Many oilfields today are hydraulically fractured and/or flooded to maximize oil and gas recovery. Although Core Lab is not a hydraulic fracturing company, Core does provide services that are used by operators to develop and optimize hydraulic fracturing and field flood projects and to evaluate the success of those projects. These services, products and expertise play a key role in the success of both methodologies.
The hydraulic fracturing of a producing formation is achieved by pumping a fluid slurry containing a proppant material into the reservoir zone at extremely high pressures. This fractures the rock and the proppant material "props" or holds the fracture open after the pressure pumping is complete, so that reservoir fluids can flow through a highly conductive fracture into the production wellbore. Data on rock type and strength generated in the Reservoir Description segment are critical for determining the proper design of the hydraulic fracturing treatment. In addition, further testing indicates whether the fluid slurry is compatible with the reservoir rock so that damage does not occur that would otherwise restrict production. Core also provides testing of various propping agents and software to help select the best propping agent based on net present value calculations of client investments. The proprietary and patented ZERO WASH® tracer technology is used to confirm optimum cluster efficiency, stage spacing, stimulated reservoir volume and increased ultimate recovery.
SPECTRACHEM®, a chemical frac water tracing service, is another proprietary and patented technology developed for optimizing hydraulic fracture performance. SPECTRACHEM® is used to aid operators in determining the efficiency of the fracturing fluids used. SPECTRACHEM® tracers enable operators to evaluate the quantity of fracturing fluid and reservoir fluid that returns to the wellbore after a hydraulic fracturing event. This technology also enables clients to evaluate load recovery, gas breakthrough, fluid leak-off and breaker efficiency, all of which are important factors for optimizing oil and/or natural gas production after the formation is hydraulically fractured.
The SPECTRACHEM® service is used for determining the effectiveness and efficiency of the hydraulic fracture stimulation of long, multi-stage horizontal wells in oil- and gas-shale plays in unconventional reservoirs. SPECTRACHEM® data sets are used to determine if and how effectively each frac stage is flowing. Frac stages with ineffective flows may warrant further stimulation or remedial actions, while guiding improvements in future frac designs and flowback procedures.
Core Lab's engineers have developed and implemented new applications for the proprietary SPECTRACHEM ® service to determine whether horizontal wells are unobstructed and flowing through the entire length of a horizontal well. Leveraged by operators in the Permian, Eagle Ford, Wolfcamp, Bakken and Haynesville plays, this technology can identify wellbore obstructions, often caused by inter-well communication, wellbore fill, or dissolvable plug remnants. By applying this technology, clients can identify and remediate well obstructions that can negatively impact well performance, reserve calculations and reserve-based lending.
Another unique completion monitoring system, COMPLETION PROFILER, helps to determine flow rates from reservoir zones after they have been hydraulically fractured. This provides clients with a baseline of early production information that can be compared to subsequent data later in the life of the well to see how hydrocarbon production from different reservoir layers or different quality rock varies over time.
The FLOWPROFILERTM service, a proprietary hydrocarbon-based tracer technology, which is a further development of the patented SPECTRACHEM® technology quantifies the hydrocarbon production from discrete segments in multi-stage horizontal well completions in unconventional tight-oil or gas plays. This service incorporates both liquid and solid controlled-release, oil-soluble tracers for oil reservoirs which are different from gas tracers used for gas reservoirs. FLOWPROFILERTM technology and the analytical methodology for identifying the hydrocarbon-soluble tracers are the protected intellectual property of Core Lab.
The FLOWPROFILERTM technology employs unique hydrocarbon-soluble tracers and water-soluble tracers introduced into specific, physically isolated stages via the stimulation proppant stream. The hydrocarbon-soluble tracers partition into the crude oil and gas associated with each stage, while the water-soluble tracers remain in the stimulation fluid. When the well is flowed,
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oil, gas and water samples are collected and analyzed in the laboratory to identify and quantify oil or gas flows from each stage as well as the cleanup of the stimulation fluid. Stages not at optimum flow rates can be identified, precipitating remedial efforts to increase flow and recovery rates, and providing valuable insights for future wells. This service is used to monitor offset well interference by sampling offset well oil, gas and water production. The amount of tracer detected in offset wells is used to help clients optimize both horizontal and vertical well spacing and the optimum amount of fracturing fluids for each stage.
There has been a broadening acceptance of FLOWPROFILERTMEDS, a proprietary technology, which is an engineered delivery system ("EDS"). The break-through EDS technology delivers time-released diagnostics for evaluating the crude-oil flow from each stage of a hydraulically fractured completion. This technology comprises proprietary 40/70 or 100 mesh particles, chemically engineered to bond specifically with proprietary oil tracers. This allows for precise placement of tracers in the propped fracture, thus providing accurate identification of oil production by stage. Crude-oil production by stage is determined using this Core Lab-developed technology that enables the diagnostic tracer to be absorbed and chemically bonded to durable, proppant-size particles that are injected with the frac sand. The tracer will release from the engineered particles once they contact the reservoir's crude oil, enabling Core Lab to assess which stages are contributing to crude-oil production.
Core Lab also conducts dynamic flow tests of the reservoir fluids through reservoir rock, at actual reservoir pressure and temperature, to realistically simulate the flooding of a producing zone. Patented technologies, such as Saturation Monitoring by the Attenuation of X-rays ("SMAXTM"), help in designing the enhanced recovery projects. After a field flood is initiated, Core Lab is often involved in monitoring the progress of the flood to ensure that the maximum amount of incremental production is achieved using the SPECTRAFLOODTM technology, which was developed to optimize sweep efficiency during field floods.
Core Lab's patented PACKSCAN® technology is used to evaluate gravel pack effectiveness in unconsolidated reservoirs. PACKSCAN® measures density changes in the gravel pack annulus to verify the competency of the gravel pack without requiring any additional rig time.
In addition to Core Lab's many patented reservoir diagnostic technologies, Production Enhancement has established itself as a global leader in the manufacturing and distribution of high-performance perforating products. Core Lab's unique understanding of complex reservoirs supports our ability to supply perforating systems engineered to maximize well productivity by reducing, eliminating and overcoming formation damage caused during the drilling and completion of oil and gas wells. This "systems" approach to the perforation of an oil or gas well has resulted in numerous patented products.
SuperHEROTM (High Efficiency Reservoir Optimization) and HERO-HRTM (Hard Rock) are examples of the patented perforating systems. The SuperHEROTM charge evolved from the HEROTM charge technology and use a proprietary and patented design of powdered metal liners and explosives technology resulting in a deeper and cleaner perforating tunnel into the oil and gas reservoir. This allows greater flow of hydrocarbons to the wellbore and helps to maximize hydrocarbon recovery from the reservoir. The more recent charge development of the HERO-HRTM charges, resulted in Core Lab also having the deepest penetrating perforating charges on the market as certified by API testing.
HEROTMPerFRAC leverages the HEROTM technology. In addition to the benefits of HEROTM technology, HEROTMPerFRAC charges are designed specifically for optimizing fracture stimulation well completions by providing low standard deviation which minimizes tortuosity effects. This results in less required surface horsepower and less time which both translate into lower costs needed to complete the fracturing operation. In addition to optimizing stimulation operations with faster, lower cost programs, well production is also enhanced by not only the better well stimulations but the improved near debris free perforation tunnels as the well fluids come back into the casing from the rock. Core Lab's manufacturing operations in the United States and Canada continue to meet the global demand for our perforating systems through facility expansion in addition to gains in efficiency and productivity.
Consistent with the HEROTMPerFRAC uniform hole size option, the ReFRAC product line was also introduced and has experienced increasing client acceptance. The ReFRAC technology is utilized in mechanically isolated re-stimulation programs where the internal string is used to isolate older, depleted stages in previously under-stimulated wells. The ReFRAC technology creates a uniform hole size through two strings of casing. This re-completion method is gaining popularity because it allows operators to perforate, pump and stimulate new rock between the original stages of the well, increasing hydrocarbon recovery without the expense of drilling and completing a new well. Operators using Core Lab’s ReFRAC technology have reported they can now complete twice as many stages per day compared to conventional perforating systems, reducing their operating costs and improving cash flow.
The HEROTM line of perforating charges, HEROTMPerFRAC, SuperHEROTM, HERO-HRTM and ReFRAC charges can eliminate the ineffective perforations that would otherwise limit daily oil and natural gas production and hinder the optimal fracture stimulation programs needed for prolific production from the Permian Basin, Bakken, Eagle Ford, Marcellus, Niobrara and similar oil- and gas-shale formations.
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Core Lab’s proprietary downhole energetic solutions and instrumentation are designed to systemize, simplify, automate, and de-risk the deployment of perforating systems, which are utilized by international oil and gas operators for well completions. The Ballistics Delivery System (“BDSTM”) provides a unique range of perforating tools and equipment, which have been developed to provide a number of advantages over existing technology. The BDSTM tools facilitate perforation accuracy while addressing wellbore assurance concerns and optimizing safety, thus alleviating some of the challenges encountered when perforating. It also assists with issues incurred with high underbalanced perforating, running heavy/long assemblies, oriented perforating, depth control, reduction in fishing risk, and acquiring wellbore pressure data as guns fire. Core Lab’s BDS TM and the GoFire Addressable Switch are key differentiators of Core Lab’s preassembled GoGunTM Adaptive Perforating System. The GoGunTM Adaptive Perforating System provides an open architecture design. This allows for optimal utilization of perforating energetics and, importantly, the onsite flexibility of altering completion designs for greater wellsite efficiency and improved Stimulated Reservoir Volume.
Core Lab's next generation, HEROTMPerFRAC energetic technology, is available in combination with the new, patent pending Oriented GoGun. This new offering provides our clients with a technological solution for achieving: 1) extreme limited entry perforating capability, 2) precisely aligned perforations, and 3) minimized connections and completion string length. Casing erosion around perforations can occur when stimulating unconventional reservoirs. Larger perforating holes preferentially increase in size and take more frac fluid, robbing stimulation from smaller perforating holes, which results in inconsistent breakdown of the formation. The consistent-sized holes generated by the latest HEROTMPerFRAC charges reduce this problem. Core Lab partnered with major U.S. operators to design custom, consistent-hole-size charges that can be aligned in a specific orientation in order to achieve uniform breakdown across each stage. By eliminating the need for reusable orientation subassemblies, the Oriented GoGunTM minimizes the number of connections and saves time at the wellsite by not having to recapture and redress the orienting subs.
Core Lab’s Production Enhancement segment commissioned a cutting-edge, Reservoir Optimized Completions Lab (“ROC LabTM”) in Godley, Texas. The ROC LabTM is designed to determine the best energetic solutions for a specific rock type, to maximize productivity of an operator’s reservoir. The ROC LabTM features an industry-leading, Ultra High Pressure/High Temperature perforation test vessel. The test vessel is paired with a proprietary flow system that uses highly specialized, internally developed and manufactured pumps and flow controllers. Combined, these technologies create a proprietary flow loop capable of dynamically displacing oil, brine and gas through rock samples that have been perforated with preselected energetics. Core Lab leverages its multi-decade expertise in conducting multi-phase fluid flow tests through porous medium to optimize this technological investment.
Core Lab’s proprietary Plug and Abandonment Perforating System (“PACTM”) is utilized to optimize a slot recovery process through a lean casing recovery program. PACTM allows for reduced rig time and efficient recovery of the interior casing, while eliminating risks and creating opportunities for production from untapped reservoir sections.
Core Lab's Production Enhancement team has experienced technical services personnel to support clients through our global network of offices for the everyday use of our perforating systems and the rapid introduction of new products. Our personnel are capable of providing client training and on-site services in the completion of oil and gas wells. The patented X-SPAN® and GTX-SPAN® casing patches are supported by our technical services personnel. Market applications in Canada's steam-assisted gravity drainage environment have resulted in an upgrade in temperature ratings to as much as 600°F. These systems are capable of performing in high temperature as well as high pressure oil and gas environments and are used to seal non-productive reservoir zones from the producing wellbore.
Marketing and Sales
We market and sell our services and products through a combination of sales representatives, technical seminars, trade shows and print advertising. Direct sales and marketing are carried out by our sales force, technical experts and operating managers, as well as by sales representatives and distributors in various markets where we do not have offices. Our Business Development group manages a Large Account Management Program to better serve our largest and most active clients by meeting with key personnel within their organizations to ensure the quality of our services and products are meeting their expectations and addressing any issues or needs in a timely manner.
Research and Development
The market for our services and products is characterized by changing technology and frequent product introduction. As a result, our success is dependent upon our ability to develop or acquire new services and products on a cost-effective basis and to introduce them into the marketplace in a timely manner. Many of our acquisitions have allowed us to obtain the benefits of the acquired company's research and development projects without incurring significant costs if we had attempted to develop the services and products ourselves. We incur costs as part of internal research and development, and these costs are charged to
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expense as incurred and reflected in the operational results of the associated business segment. We intend to continue committing financial resources and effort to the development and acquisition of new services and products. Over the years, we have made a number of technological advances, including the development of key technologies utilized in our operations. Substantially all of our new technologies are the result of requests and guidance from our clients, particularly major oil companies.
Patents and Trademarks
We believe our patents, trademarks, technology, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights are an important factor in maintaining our technological advantage, although no single one of these is considered essential to our success. Typically, we will seek to protect our intellectual property in all jurisdictions where we believe the cost of such protection is warranted. While we have patented some of our key technologies, we do not patent all of our proprietary technology even where regarded as patentable. We protect our intellectual property, including through the use of appropriate confidentiality agreements, legal enforcement proceedings and by other means.
International Operations
We operate facilities in more than 50 countries. Our non-U.S. operations accounted for 68%, 67% and 57% of our revenue from operations during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. We attribute service revenue to the country in which the service was performed rather than where the reservoir or project is located, while we attribute product sales revenue to the country where the product was shipped as we feel this gives a clearer view of our operations. We do, however, have significant levels of service revenue performed and recorded in the U.S. that are sourced from projects on non-U.S. oilfields.
The following graphs and table summarize our reported revenue by geographic region for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019:
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United States
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Europe/Africa/ Middle East
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Asia Pacific
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Canada
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Former Soviet Union
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Latin/ South America
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Consolidated
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2021
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$
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148,183
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$
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199,798
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$
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39,308
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$
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26,167
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$
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33,804
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$
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22,992
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$
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470,252
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2020
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$
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158,937
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$
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208,862
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$
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44,440
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$
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16,616
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$
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31,498
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$
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26,914
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$
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487,267
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2019
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$
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289,173
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$
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223,988
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$
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59,554
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$
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25,240
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$
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36,078
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$
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34,177
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$
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668,210
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While we are subject to fluctuations and changes in currency exchange rates relating to our international operations, we attempt to limit our exposure to foreign currency fluctuations by limiting the amount in which our foreign contracts are denominated in a currency other than the U.S. dollar. However, the ultimate decision as to the proportion of the foreign currency component within a contract usually resides with our clients. Consequently, we are not always able to eliminate our foreign currency exposure. We have not historically engaged in and are not currently engaged in any significant currency hedging or trading transactions designed to compensate for adverse currency fluctuations.
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Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health Regulations
We are subject to stringent governmental laws and regulations, both in the United States and other countries, pertaining to protection of the environment and occupational safety and health. Compliance with environmental legal requirements in the United States at the federal, state or local levels may require acquiring permits to conduct regulated activities, incurring capital expenditures to limit or prevent emissions, discharges and any unauthorized releases, and complying with stringent practices to handle, recycle and dispose of certain wastes. Additionally, our operations in the United Sates are subject to stringent occupational safety and health laws and regulations, which are intended to protect worker health and safety. Foreign countries in which we conduct operations may also have analogous controls that regulate our environmental and worker safety-related activities, which controls may impose additional, or more stringent requirements. Consistent with our quality assurance and control principles, we have established proactive environmental and worker safety policies in the United States and foreign countries, which meet or exceed applicable environmental and worker safety legal requirements. These policies are associated with the management, handling, recycling or disposal of chemicals and gases and other materials and wastes resulting from our operations. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties, the imposition of remedial or corrective obligations, the occurrence of delays or cancellations in the permitting, performance or expansion of projects and the issuance of injunctive relief in affected areas. Historically, our environmental and worker safety compliance costs have not had a material adverse effect on our results of operations; however, there can be no assurance that such costs will not be material in the future or that such future compliance will not have a material adverse effect on our business or results of operations.
Additionally, our analytical and manufacturing processes involve the handling and use of numerous chemicals and gases as well as the generation of wastes. Spills or other unauthorized releases of these chemicals, gases, and wastes at our facilities, whether by us or prior owners or operators, or at offsite locations where we transport them for recycling or disposal, could subject us to environmental liability, either from the applicable government agency or private landowners or other third parties. Such liabilities could be strict, joint and several, as is applicable in the United States under such laws as the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act and the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. This could also include costs of cleaning up chemicals and wastes released into the environment and for damages to persons, properties or natural resources. As a result of such actions, we could be required to remove previously disposed wastes (including wastes disposed of or released by prior owners or operators), remediate environmental contamination (including contaminated groundwater), and undertake measures to prevent future contamination. We may not be able to recover some or any of these remedial or corrective costs from insurance.
New, modified or stricter enforcement of environmental laws and regulations could be adopted or implemented that significantly increase our compliance costs, pollution mitigation costs, or the cost of any remediation of environmental contamination that may become necessary, and these costs could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operation, or cash flows. Our clients in the oil and gas industry are also subject to most, if not all, of the same laws and regulations relating to environmental protection and occupational safety and health in the United States and in foreign countries where we operate. In particular, we, our third-party vendors that supply us with goods and services in support of our business, and especially those clients are subject to an increased governmental and public focus on risks associated with the threat of climate change arising from the emission of greenhouse gases ("GHG"). Access to capital is another risk that may be impacted by climate change policies as shareholders, bondholders and institutional lenders currently invested in fossil-fuel energy companies or supporting entities such as ours but concerned about the potential effects of climate change may elect in the future to shift some or all of their investments into non-fossil fuel energy related sectors. Consequently, to the extent one or more of these climate-related events are incurred by us, our third party vendors, or our clients, any of us could incur increased costs, we could incur disruptions to our operations as a result of our vendor's inability to supply us with goods and services, and our clients in particular could elect to delay, restrict or cancel drilling, exploration or production programs, which could reduce demand for our products and services, any of which developments could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.
Our and our clients’ compliance with such existing, or any new or amended legal requirements that are placed into effect and applicable in areas where we or our clients conduct operations, could result in our or our clients’ incurring significant additional expense and operating restrictions. Our costs may not be fully recoverable from our clients and, thus, could reduce net income. To the extent any such existing or future legal requirements result in increased costs or restrictions or cancellation in the operation of our clients, to whom we provide our services, such developments could reduce demand for our products and services and have an indirect material adverse effect on our business.
Competition
The businesses in which we engage are competitive. Some of our competitors are divisions or subsidiaries of companies that are larger and have greater financial and other resources than we have. While no one company competes with us in all of our
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product and service lines, we face competition in these lines, primarily from independent regional companies and internal divisions of major integrated oil and gas companies. We compete in different product and service lines to various degrees on the basis of price, technical performance, availability, quality and technical support. Our ability to compete successfully depends on elements both within and outside of our control, including successful and timely development of new services and products, performance and quality, client service, pricing, industry trends and general economic trends.
Reliance on the Oil and Gas Industry
Our business and operations are substantially dependent upon the condition of the global oil and gas industry. Future downturns in the oil and gas industry, or in the oilfield services business as well as the adoption and implementation of legislation, executive orders, and other regulatory initiatives that seek to combat climate change by restricting fossil fuel activities, limiting GHG emissions, certain methods of extraction of oil and gas, or the locations in which such activities may be conducted, may have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. This risk factor is perhaps amplified given recent pronouncements and actions taken by the executive and/or legislative branches of the U.S. government in an uncertain and shifting political environment.
The oil and gas industry is highly cyclical and has been subject to significant economic downturns at various times as a result of numerous factors affecting the supply of and demand for oil and natural gas, including the level of capital expenditures of the oil and gas industry, the level of drilling activity, the level of production activity, market prices of oil and gas, economic conditions existing in the world, interest rates and the cost of capital, environmental regulations, tax policies, political requirements of national governments, coordination by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries ("OPEC"), cost of producing oil and natural gas, and technological advances.
The success of our business has been underpinned by developing industry leading technologies used in evaluating and improving reservoir performance, increasing oil and gas recovery from new and existing fields, as well as evaluating potential CCS sites in the subsurface both onshore and offshore. Many of these technologies have been developed to meet the needs of our clients, which continue to evolve with demands in both traditional energy sources and with energy transition. As energy transition continues to evolve, our business may become more dependent on the continued innovation and adoption of our industry leading technologies.
Human Capital
We are primarily a service provider in the oilfield services industry, so our workforce includes employees who are highly skilled professionals, including engineers and geologists, and other technical personnel, in addition to our administrative employees. As of December 31, 2021, we had approximately 3,700 employees. We do not have any material collective bargaining agreements and consider relations with our employees to be good.
Core Lab values its employees and is committed to providing resources that engage employees, enhance their work experience, and develop them for the future. Our Core Values are the framework that unite us on the path toward achieving our goals and propelling Core Lab forward. These values represent and establish the foundation by which we treat each other, conduct our business and simply define “how we do things around here”. By embedding our Core Values into our operating strategies, we ensure that our company culture and mission also drive our Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") sustainability efforts. We engage our employees on our progress and core values that define us as a company. We keep our employees informed of major business developments through CoreConnect, a communication initiative to drive connection and engagement between employees and executive leadership cascaded via extended leadership teams, periodic emails, quarterly newsletters, quarterly reports, and annual events.
To assist in this pledge, Core Lab has created its talent management strategy based on the employee life cycle. To ensure we have a diverse employee population reflective of our communities and client base, we’ve implemented recruiting practices that support and encourage the hiring and retention of diverse talent. Our total rewards approach is aligned to our business strategy and country-specific market influences. We offer competitive compensation and benefit programs in each country where we operate. Our approach not only encompasses competitive compensation and benefits, but also personal and professional growth opportunities within a global performance culture.
We develop our employees through performance management processes, competency-based development plans and training both in leadership and functional areas while also offering educational assistance programs. In 2021, we expanded our talent assessment process to identify emerging technical and leadership talent across the Company. Our annual performance management cycle is an ongoing process that enables managers and employees to collaborate throughout the year to set performance goals and development objectives that align to business objectives. This process is designed to help employees
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understand where they add value to the organization, provide focus on and discussion around career aspirations, and reward employees for high performance.
We aspire to attract a diverse group of employees and create an inclusive work culture where differences are valued. We recognize the unique perspectives and thoughts that all people bring to our environment stimulates innovation and generates out-of-the-box solutions that benefit our employees, clients and industry. We promote a culture-centric focus on the health and safety of our employees and the environment with a pro-active approach towards identifying and managing risks through recognition, evaluation, and education. We empower our employees by fostering a sense of responsibility for managing their own work environment through open communication, and a management-supported “zero accident” culture.
Web Site Access to Our Periodic SEC Reports
Our primary internet address is http://www.corelab.com. We file or furnish Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). These reports are available free of charge through our web site as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed or furnished electronically with the SEC. We may from time to time provide important disclosures to investors by posting them in the investor relations section of our web site, as allowed by SEC rules.
The SEC maintains an internet website at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding our company that we file electronically with the SEC.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Our forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable but that may not prove to be accurate. All of our forward-looking information is, therefore, subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expected. All known, material risks and uncertainties are discussed below.
Risk factors associated with the industry in which we operate
Events beyond Core Lab’s control, including a global or domestic health crisis, have resulted and may continue to result in unexpected adverse operating and financial results.
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reduced demand for our services, and has had, and is likely to continue to have, a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in a significant and swift reduction in international and U.S. economic activity. The reduced demand for oil caused by this unprecedented global health and economic crisis, coupled with an oversupply of oil, led to a decrease of oil prices. Government reaction to the pandemic and restrictions and limitations applied by governments, continued widespread growth in infections, travel restrictions, quarantines, or site closures as a result of the virus could, among other things, impact the ability of Core Lab’s employees and contractors to perform their duties, cause increased technology and security risk due to extended and company-wide telecommuting, lead to disruptions in Core Lab’s logistics and negatively affect customer relationships as a result. All of these factors may impact the timing of the recognition of revenue and results of operations for a particular quarter.
The extent to which our operating and financial results will continue to be affected by COVID-19 will depend on various factors and consequences beyond our control, which will depend on numerous evolving factors and future developments that it is not able to predict, including, but not limited to, the following:
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the length of time that the pandemic continues;
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its effect on the demand for oil and natural gas;
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the response of the overall economy and the financial markets;
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the effect of governmental actions taken in response to the pandemic; and
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the speed and effectiveness of responses to combat the virus, including vaccine development and distribution.
Any of those outcomes could have a material adverse effect on Core Lab’s business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and could perhaps amplify risk factors described in this Form 10-K.
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Any cost reduction initiatives that Core Lab undertakes may not deliver the results it expects, and these actions may adversely affect its business.
In response to the financial risks presented by COVID-19, Core Lab implemented a variety of cost-cutting measures which began in March 2020, continued in 2021, and may need to implement additional cost-cutting measures that may adversely affect its business. These cost-cutting measures have included reductions in the quarterly dividend, base salaries of senior executives and annual capital expenditures, employee furloughs, workforce reductions, among other reductions of corporate and operating costs.
In addition, these initiatives could result in disruptions to Core Lab’s operations. Any cost-cutting measures could also negatively impact Core Lab’s business by delaying the introduction of new products or technologies, interrupting service of additional products, or impacting employee retention. There can be no assurance that additional costs will not offset any such reductions of its operations. If Core Lab’s operating costs are higher than expected, or if it does not maintain adequate control of its costs and expenses, Core Lab’s results of operations will suffer. If Core Lab is unable to mitigate these or other potential risks related to its cost cutting initiatives, it may disrupt Core Lab’s business or could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition and results of operations.
Downturns in the oil and gas industry, or in the oilfield services business, may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.
The oil and gas industry is highly cyclical and demand for the majority of our oilfield services and products is substantially dependent on the level of expenditures by the oil and gas industry for the exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas reserves, which are sensitive to oil and natural gas prices and generally dependent on the industry's view of future oil and gas prices. There are numerous factors affecting the supply of and demand for our services and products, which are summarized as:
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general and economic business conditions, including market prices of oil and gas and expectations about future prices;
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the adoption of legal requirements or taxation;
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changes in existing laws, regulations or other governmental actions;
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cost of producing and the ability to deliver oil and natural gas;
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the level of drilling and production activity;
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financial condition of our client base and their ability to fund capital expenditures;
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coordination by the OPEC;
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civil unrest or political uncertainty in oil producing or consuming countries;
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level of consumption of oil, gas and petrochemicals by consumers;
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availability of services and materials for our clients to grow their capital expenditures and to deliver product to market; and
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availability of materials and equipment from key suppliers.
The oil and gas industry has historically experienced periodic downturns, which have been characterized by diminished demand for our oilfield services and products and downward pressure on the prices we charge. A significant downturn in the oil and gas industry could result in a reduction in demand for oilfield services and could adversely affect our operating results.
Changes in macro-economic factors impacting the oil and gas industry may negatively affect our ability to accurately predict client demand, which could cause us to hold excess or obsolete inventory and experience a reduction in gross margins and financial results.
We cannot accurately predict which or what level of our services and products our clients will need in the future. Orders are placed with our suppliers based on forecasts of client demand and, in some instances, we may establish buffer inventories to accommodate anticipated demand. Our forecasts of client demand are based on multiple assumptions, each of which may introduce errors into the estimates. In addition, many of our suppliers require a longer lead time to provide products than our clients’ demand for delivery of our finished products. If we overestimate client demand, we may allocate resources to the purchase of materials or manufactured products that we may not be able to sell when we expect to, if at all. As a result, we could hold excess or obsolete inventory, which would reduce gross margin and adversely affect financial results. Conversely, if we underestimate client demand or if insufficient manufacturing capacity is available, we could miss revenue opportunities and
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potentially lose market share and damage our client relationships. In addition, any future significant cancellations or deferrals of service contracts or product orders could materially and adversely affect profit margins, increase product obsolescence and restrict our ability to fund our operations.
We are subject to the physical effects of climate change, which may adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Core Laboratories operates from locations around the globe and provides services in coastal regions and coastal cities and services related to marine shipping activities of our clients. These locations and activities are susceptible to the physical effects of climate change, such as increased frequency or severity of tropical storm systems, hurricanes, droughts, floods, extreme winter weather, or geologic/geophysical conditions that may result in:
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decreased or lost production capacity;
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loss of or reduced supply chain availability;
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temporary closure of locations due to electricity outages, damages or disruptions caused by extreme weather events;
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displacement of employees; and
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increase in premium for or reduced ability to obtain insurance for property, business interruption and liability.
Risk factors associated with our international presence
We depend on the results of our international operations, which expose us to risks inherent in doing business abroad.
We conduct our business in over 50 countries. Our operations, and those of our clients, are subject to the various laws, regulations and other legal requirements of those respective countries as well as various risks peculiar to each country, which may include, but are not limited to:
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global economic conditions;
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political actions and requirements of national governments including trade restrictions, embargoes, seizure, detention, nationalization and expropriation of assets;
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interpretation of tax statutes and requirements of taxing authorities worldwide, including the United States, routine examination by taxing authorities and assessment of additional taxes, penalties and/or interest;
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trade and economic sanctions, tariffs or other restrictions imposed by the European Union, the United States or other countries;
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fluctuations and changes in currency exchange rates (see section below);
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the impact of inflation;
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difficulty in repatriating foreign currency received in excess of the local currency requirements; and
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current conditions in oil producing countries such as Venezuela, Nigeria, Libya, Iran and Iraq considering their potential impact on the world markets.
Historically, economic downturns and political events have resulted in lower demand for our services and products in certain markets. The continuing instability in the Middle East and North Africa and the potential for activity from terrorist groups that the U.S. government has cautioned against have further heightened our exposure to international risks. The global economy is highly influenced by public confidence in the geopolitical environment and the situation in the Middle East and North Africa continues to be highly fluid; therefore, we expect to experience heightened international risks.
Our results of operations may be significantly affected by foreign currency exchange rate risk.
We are exposed to risks due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. By the nature of our business, we derive a substantial amount of our revenue from our international operations, subjecting us to risks relating to fluctuations in currency exchange rates.
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Our results of operations may be adversely affected because our efforts to comply with applicable anti-corruption laws such as the United States' Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the "FCPA") and the United Kingdom's Anti-Bribery Act (the "ABA") could restrict our ability to do business in foreign markets relative to our competitors who are not subject to these laws.
We operate in many parts of the world that have experienced governmental corruption to some degree and, in certain circumstances, strict compliance with anti-bribery laws may conflict with local customs and practices. We may be subject to competitive disadvantages to the extent that our competitors are able to secure business, licenses or other preferential treatment by making payments to government officials and others in positions of influence or though other methods that we are prohibited from using.
We are subject to the regulations imposed by the FCPA and the ABA, which generally prohibits us and our intermediaries from making improper payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or keeping business. In particular, we may be held liable for actions taken by our strategic or local partners even though our partners are not subject to these laws. Any such violations could result in substantial civil and/or criminal penalties and might adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition. In addition, our ability to continue to work in these parts of the world discussed above could be adversely affected if we were found to have violated certain laws, including the FCPA and the ABA.
Because we are a Netherlands company, it may be difficult for you to take legal action against our supervisory directors or us and it may not be possible to obtain or enforce judgments against us.
Although we are a Netherlands company, our assets are located in a variety of countries. In addition, not all members of our Board of Supervisory Directors (the “Supervisory Board”) are residents of the same countries as other supervisory directors. As a result, it may not be possible for you to effect service of process within certain countries upon our supervisory directors, or to enforce against our supervisory directors or use judgments of courts of certain countries predicated upon civil liabilities under a country's federal securities laws. Because there is no treaty between certain countries and the Netherlands providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments, some countries' judgments are not automatically enforceable in the Netherlands or in the United States, where the principal market for our shares is located. In addition, there is doubt as to whether a court in one country would impose civil liability on us or on the members of the Supervisory Board in an original action brought against us or our supervisory directors in a court of competent jurisdiction in another country and predicated solely upon the federal securities laws of that other country.
Risk factors associated with technology advancement
If we are not able to develop or acquire new products or our products become technologically obsolete, our results of operations may be adversely affected.
The market for our services and products is characterized by changing technology and product introduction. As a result, our success is dependent upon our ability to develop or acquire new services and products on a cost-effective basis and to introduce them into the marketplace in a timely manner. While we intend to continue committing substantial financial resources and effort to the development of new services and products, we may not be able to successfully differentiate our services and products from those of our competitors. Our clients may not consider our proposed services and products to be of value to them; or if the proposed services and products are of a competitive nature, our clients may not view them as superior to our competitors' services and products. In addition, we may not be able to adapt to evolving markets and technologies, develop new products, or achieve and maintain technological advantages.
If we are unable to continue developing competitive products in a timely manner in response to changes in technology, our businesses and operating results may be materially and adversely affected. In addition, continuing development of new products inherently carries the risk of inventory obsolescence with respect to our older products.
If we are unable to obtain patents, licenses and other intellectual property rights covering our services and products, our operating results may be adversely affected.
Our success depends, in part, on our ability to obtain patents, licenses and other intellectual property rights covering our services and products. To that end, we have obtained certain patents and intend to continue to seek patents on some of our inventions, services and products. While we have patented some of our key technologies, we do not patent all of our proprietary technology, even when regarded as patentable. The process of seeking patent protection can be long and expensive. There can be no assurance that patents will be issued from currently pending or future applications or that, if patents are issued, they will be of sufficient scope or strength to provide meaningful protection or any commercial advantage to us. In addition, effective
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copyright and trade secret protection may be unavailable or limited in certain countries. Litigation, which could demand significant financial and management resources, may be necessary to enforce our patents or other intellectual property rights. Also, there can be no assurance that we can obtain licenses or other rights to necessary intellectual property on acceptable terms.
Our operations are subject to the risk of cyber-attacks that could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations and consolidated financial condition.
Our information technology systems are subject to possible breaches and other threats that could cause us harm. Although we devote significant resources to protect our systems, there can be no assurance that our systems will prevent or limit the effects of cyber-attacks or will be sufficient to prevent or detect, or to avoid a material adverse impact on our systems when such attacks do occur. If our systems for protecting against cyber-attacks prove not to be sufficient, we could be adversely affected by loss or damage of intellectual property, proprietary information, client data, our reputation, interruption of business operations, or additional costs to prevent, respond to, or mitigate cyber-attacks. These risks could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
Risk factors associated with our supply chain, resources, liquidity and capital management
We are subject to the risk of supplier concentration.
Certain of our product lines depend on a limited number of third party suppliers and vendors available in the marketplace. As a result of this concentration in some of our supply chains, our business and operations could be negatively affected if our key suppliers were to experience significant disruptions affecting the price, quality, availability or timely delivery of their products. For example, we have a limited number of vendors for our manufactured product lines. The partial or complete loss of any one of our key suppliers, or a significant adverse change in the relationship with any of these suppliers, through consolidation or otherwise, would limit our ability to manufacture and sell certain of our products.
There are risks relating to our acquisition strategy. If we are unable to successfully integrate and manage businesses that we have acquired and any businesses acquired in the future, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.
One of our key business strategies is to acquire technologies, operations and assets that are complementary to our existing businesses. There are financial, operational and legal risks inherent in any acquisition strategy, including:
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increased financial leverage;
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ability to obtain additional financing;
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increased interest expense; and
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difficulties involved in combining disparate company cultures and facilities.
The success of any completed acquisition will depend on our ability to effectively integrate the acquired business into our existing operations. The process of integrating acquired businesses may involve unforeseen difficulties and may require a disproportionate amount of our managerial and financial resources. In addition, possible future acquisitions may be larger and for purchase prices significantly higher than those paid for earlier acquisitions. No assurance can be given that we will be able to continue to identify additional suitable acquisition opportunities, negotiate acceptable terms, obtain financing for acquisitions on acceptable terms or successfully acquire identified targets. Our failure to achieve consolidation savings, to incorporate the acquired businesses and assets into our existing operations successfully or to minimize any unforeseen operational difficulties could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operation.
We may be unable to attract and retain skilled and technically knowledgeable employees, which could adversely affect our business.
Our success depends upon attracting and retaining highly skilled professionals and other technical personnel. A number of our employees are highly skilled engineers, geologists and highly trained technicians, and our failure to continue to attract and retain such individuals could adversely affect our ability to compete in the oilfield services industry. In periods of high utilization, there may be a shortage of skilled and technical personnel available in the market, potentially compounding the difficulty of attracting and retaining these employees. As a result, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be materially adversely affected.
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We require a significant amount of cash to service our indebtedness, make capital expenditures, fund our working capital requirements and pay our dividend, and our ability to generate cash may depend on factors beyond our control.
Our ability to make payments on and to refinance our indebtedness, to fund planned capital expenditures, and pay our dividend depends, in part, on our ability to generate cash in the future. This ability is, to a certain extent, subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other factors that are beyond our control.
No assurance can be given that we will generate sufficient cash flows from operations or that future borrowings will be available to us in an amount sufficient to enable us to service and repay our indebtedness or to fund our other liquidity needs. If we are unable to satisfy our debt obligations, we may have to undertake alternative financing plans, such as refinancing or restructuring our indebtedness, selling assets, reducing or delaying capital investments or seeking to raise additional capital. We cannot assure that any refinancing or debt restructuring would be possible or, if possible, would be completed on favorable or acceptable terms, that any assets could be sold or that, if sold, the timing of the sales and the amount of proceeds realized from those sales would be favorable to us or that additional financing could be obtained on acceptable terms.
Disruptions in the capital and credit markets could adversely affect our ability to refinance our indebtedness, including our ability to borrow under our existing revolving credit facility ("Credit Facility"). Banks that are party to our existing Credit Facility may not be able to meet their funding commitments to us if they experience shortages of capital and liquidity or if they experience excessive volumes of borrowing requests from us and other borrowers within a short period of time.
Risk factors associated with the health, safety and the environment
We are subject to a variety of environmental and occupational safety and health laws and regulations, which may result in increased costs and significant liability to our business.
We are subject to a variety of stringent governmental laws and regulations, both in the United States and foreign countries relating to protection of the environment, and occupational health and safety. Certain of these laws and regulations may impose joint and several, strict liability for environmental liabilities, such as the remediation of historical contamination or recent spills, and failure to comply with such laws and regulations could result in the assessment of damages, fines and penalties, the imposition of remedial or corrective action obligations, the occurrence of delays or cancellations in permitting or development of projects, or the suspension or cessation of some or all of our operations. These stringent laws and regulations could require us to acquire permits or other authorizations to conduct regulated activities, install and maintain costly equipment and pollution control technologies, impose specific safety and health standards addressing work protection, or to incur costs or liabilities to mitigate or remediate pollution conditions caused by our operations or attributable to former owners or operators.
Additionally, our clients are also subject to most, if not all, of the same laws and regulations relating to environmental protection and occupational safety and health in the United States and in foreign countries where we operate. To the extent existing environmental laws and regulations or any new or more stringently enforced environmental legal requirements significantly increase our clients’ compliance costs, pollution mitigation costs or remedial costs, our clients could elect to delay, restrict or cancel drilling, exploration or production programs, which could reduce demand for our products and services and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows. For example, hydraulic fracturing continues to attract considerable public and governmental attention, both in the United States and in foreign countries, resulting in various controls applied to fracturing activities or locations where such activities may be performed.
Hydraulic fracturing is a process used by oil and gas exploration and production operators in the completion of certain oil and gas wells whereby water, sand or other proppants and chemical additives are injected under pressure into subsurface formations to stimulate gas and, to a lesser extent, oil production. Some countries outside the United States, such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and France, currently have imposed moratoria on hydraulic fracturing while other countries, such as Canada, allow fracturing activities but those activities are not as widely pursued as they are in the United States. In the United States, the fracturing process is typically regulated by state oil and gas commissions, but several federal agencies have asserted regulatory authority over certain aspects of the process.
Additionally, a growing number of states have adopted, and other states are considering adopting, legal requirements that could impose more stringent disclosure, permitting and/or well construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing operations, and local governments may also seek to adopt ordinances within their jurisdictions regulating the time, place and manner of hydraulic fracturing activities.
If new or more stringent U.S. or foreign federal, regional, state or local legal restrictions related to the hydraulic fracturing process are adopted in areas where our exploration and production clients operate, those clients could incur potentially
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significant added costs to comply with such requirements and experience delays, curtailment or cancellation in the pursuit of exploration, development or production activities, which could reduce demand for our products and services.
See "Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health Regulations", under Item 1 of this Form 10-K for further discussion on environmental and worker safety and health matters.
We are subject to compliance with governmental regulations associated with climate change, energy conservation measures, or initiatives that stimulate demand for alternative forms of energy that could result in increased costs, limit the areas in which our clients' oil and natural gas production may occur and reduced demand for our services, which may adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Climate change continues to attract considerable public, political and scientific attention in the United States and in foreign countries. In the European Union ("EU"), regulations associated with ESG and sustainability have been, and are being implemented and we anticipate that these regulatory requirements will continue to expand in the EU, the United States and globally. As a result, numerous regulatory initiatives have been made, and are likely to continue to be made, at the international, national, regional and state levels of government to monitor and limit existing emissions of GHGs or implement laws, policies or regulatory initiatives that may contribute to energy conservation measures, stimulate demand for alternative forms of energy or limit areas where fossil fuel production may occur, which may translate into reduced demand for our services.
Investor and societal expectations regarding voluntary ESG disclosures, and consumer demand for alternative forms of energy may result in increased costs, reduced demand for our services, reduced profits, increased risks of governmental investigations and private party litigation, and negative impacts on our stock price and access to capital markets. Our managerial ESG Steering Team is the primary group for overseeing and managing our ESG initiatives. Team members review the implementation and effectiveness of our ESG programs and policies and report on these matters to the Board of Directors. While we have sought voluntary aspirational goals for GHG emission reductions from base year 2018, we note that even with our governance oversight in place, we may not be able to adequately identify or manage ESG-related risks and opportunities, which may include failing to achieve ESG-related aspirational goals. We have published voluntary disclosures regarding ESG matters under an annual Sustainability Report and the Global Reporting Initiative, an international independent standards organization. However, we note that from time to time, statements in those voluntary disclosures may be based on hypothetical expectations and assumptions that may or may not be representative of current or actual risks or events or forecasts of expected risks or events, including the costs associated therewith. Such expectations and assumptions may be prone to error or subject to misinterpretation given the lack of an established single approach to identifying, measuring and reporting on many ESG matters.