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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020

For the transition period from to

Commission File Number 001-32657

NABORS INDUSTRIES LTD.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(441) 292-1510

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:

Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered

Common shares, $.05 par value per share NBR New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934: None.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. YES☒ NO ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. YES ☐NO☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. YES☒ NO ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports). YES☒ NO ☐

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See definition of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). YES ☐ NO ☒

The aggregate market value of the 6,880,196 common shares held by non-affiliates of the registrant outstanding as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, June 30, 2020, based on the closing price of our common shares as of such date of $37.02 per share as reported on the New York Stock Exchange, was $254,704,856. Common shares held by each officer and director and by each person who owns 5% or more of the outstanding common shares have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed affiliates. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other purposes.

The number of common shares outstanding as of February 19, 2021 was 7,359,588, excluding 1,090,003 common shares held by our subsidiaries, or 8,449,591 in the aggregate.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Specified portions of the definitive Proxy

Statement to be distributed in connection with our 2021 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (Part III).

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NABORS INDUSTRIES LTD.

Form 10-K Annual Report

For the Year Ended December 31, 2020

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PART I

Item 1. Business 4

Item 1A. Risk Factors 10

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 27

Item 2. Properties 27

Item 3. Legal Proceedings 28

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 28

PART II

Item 6. Selected Financial Data 31

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 46

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 48

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures 96

Item 9B. Other Information 97

PART III

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 98

Item 11. Executive Compensation 98

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services 98

PART IV

Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules 99

Item 16. Form 10-K Summary 99

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Our internet address is www.nabors.com. We make available free of charge through our website our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Reference in this document to our website address does not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on the website into this annual report on Form 10-K. The SEC maintains an internet site (www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. In addition, documents relating to our corporate governance (such as committee charters, governance guidelines and other internal policies) can be found on our website.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

We discuss expectations regarding our future markets, demand for our products and services, and our performance in our annual, quarterly and current reports, press releases, and other written and oral statements. Statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are ‘‘forward-looking statements’’ within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the ‘‘Exchange Act’’). These ‘‘forward-looking statements’’ are based on an analysis of currently available competitive, financial and economic data and our operating plans. They are inherently uncertain and investors should recognize that events and actual results could turn out to be significantly different from our expectations. By way of illustration, when used in this document, words such as ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘expect,’’ ‘‘plan,’’ ‘‘intend,’’ ‘‘estimate,’’ ‘‘project,’’ ‘‘will,’’ ‘‘should,’’ ‘‘could,’’ ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘predict’’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Factors to consider when evaluating these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

● fluctuations in the demand for our services;

● our ability to renew customer contracts in order to maintain competitiveness;

● the possibility of the loss of one or a number of our large customers;

● our ability to retain skilled employees;

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● general economic conditions, including the capital and credit markets.

Our business depends, to a large degree, on the level of spending by oil and gas companies for exploration, development and production activities. Therefore, a sustained increase or decrease in the price of oil or natural gas, that has a material impact on exploration, development and production activities, could also materially affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

The above description of risks and uncertainties is by no means all-inclusive, but highlights certain factors that we believe are important for your consideration. For a more detailed description of risk factors, please refer to Part I, Item 1A.—Risk Factors.

PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

Nabors Industries, Ltd. (NYSE: NBR) was formed as a Bermuda exempted company on December 11, 2001. Unless the context requires otherwise, references in this annual report to “we,” “us,” “our,” “the Company,” or “Nabors” mean Nabors Industries Ltd., together with our subsidiaries where the context requires. References in this annual report to “Nabors Delaware” mean Nabors Industries, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Nabors.

Overview

Tracing its origins back to 1952, Nabors has grown from a small land drilling business in Canada to one of the world’s largest drilling contractors. Today, Nabors owns and operates one of the world’s largest land-based drilling rig fleets and is a provider of offshore rigs in the United States and several international markets. Nabors also provides directional drilling services, tubular running services, performance tools, and innovative technologies for its own rig fleet and those operated by third parties. In today’s performance-driven environment, we believe we are well positioned to seamlessly integrate downhole hardware, surface equipment and software solutions into our AC rig designs. Leveraging our advanced drilling automation capabilities, Nabors’ highly skilled workforce continues to set new standards for operational excellence and transform our industry.

Our business is comprised of our global land-based and offshore drilling rig operations and other rig related services and technologies. These services include tubular running services, wellbore placement solutions, directional drilling, measurement-while-drilling (“MWD”), logging-while-drilling (“LWD”) systems and services, equipment manufacturing, rig instrumentation and optimization software.

Our business consists of five reportable segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions and Rig Technologies.

With operations in approximately 20 countries, we are a global provider of drilling and drilling-related services for land-based and offshore oil and natural gas wells, with a fleet of rigs and drilling-related equipment which, as of December 31, 2020 included:

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The following table presents our average rigs working (a measure of activity and utilization over the year) for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018:

Year Ended December 31,

Average Rigs Working:

Average rigs working represents a measure of the number of equivalent rigs operating during a given period. For example, one rig operating 182.5 days during a 365-day period represents 0.5 average rigs working.

Additional information regarding the geographic markets in which we operate and our business segments can be found in Note 19—Segment Information in Part II, Item 8.—Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

U.S. Drilling

Operating one of the largest land-based drilling rig fleets in the U.S., Nabors continues to drive innovation and integration in the industry. Nabors offers a full suite of options including performance tools and innovations developed by our team of internal engineers who are wholly focused on advanced technologies. We maintain activities in the lower 48 states and Alaska as well as offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Our U.S. fleet consists of 188 AC rigs and 14 SCR rigs land rigs, which were actively marketed as of December 31, 2020.

Since our first AC land rig was built in 2002, we have continued to develop industry-leading breakthroughs. As the industry shifted to multi-well pad drilling, we anticipated the appetite for greater efficiencies and adaptability through batch drilling. As a result, we developed our suite of PACE® drilling rigs. In 2013, we introduced our PACE®-X800 rig equipped with an advanced walking system with multidirectional capabilities that enable the rig to move efficiently over existing wells on a pad. Because the ancillary equipment accompanies the rig, it moves easily between adjacent rows of wells. In 2016, we introduced our PACE®-M800 and PACE®-M1000 rigs which complement our existing PACE®-X800 rigs. The PACE®-M800 rig is designed for lower-density multi-well pads whereas the PACE®-M1000 is designed for higher density pads. Both are designed to move rapidly between pads. Featuring the same advanced walking capabilities as the PACE®-X800 rig, the PACE®-M800 rig can quickly move efficiently on pads and over short distances, with minimal rig-up and rig-down components.

In addition to land drilling operations throughout the lower 48 states and Alaska, we also actively marketed 12 platform rigs in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico as of December 31, 2020.

In recent years we have deployed a full suite of technology supporting Nabors and third party rigs. By seizing the opportunity to move forward, faster, Nabors has employed automation to increase safety, instill efficient processes and build agility for our customers. See Drilling Solutions below for more information.

Canada Drilling

The focus of the Canadian drilling market is almost exclusively on horizontal wells. To align with this market, our Canadian rig fleet is concentrated on larger, more agile rigs. As of December 31, 2020 our rig fleet consisted of 35 land-based drilling rigs in Canada.

International Drilling

We conduct activities in major oil and gas markets, most notably including Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and Kazakhstan. Many of our rigs are designed to address the challenges of working in specific operating environments, such as desert climates, mountainous regions, and tropical zones.

As of December 31, 2020, our international fleet consisted of 116 land-based drilling rigs located in approximately 14 countries. At the same time, we actively marketed 15 platforms rigs in the international offshore

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drilling markets. In prior years, we increased the utilization of the PACE®-X800 rigs in international markets through deployments in Latin America.

Drilling Solutions

Through Nabors Drilling Solutions, we offer specialized drilling technologies, such as patented steering systems and rig instrumentation software systems that enhance drilling performance and wellbore placement.

Nabors specializes in wellbore placement solutions and is a leading provider of directional drilling and MWD systems and services. Our tools are ideal for applications where high reliability, precise wellbore placement and drilling efficiency are crucial. Some of the Nabors Drilling Solutions products and services are listed below.

Nabors’ offers a full range of tubular running services to match operators’ requirements and preferences. Tubular running services (TRS) primarily include casing running, tubing running and torque monitoring. Managed pressure drilling (MPD) primarily includes drives, manifolds, tanks, pumps and gas handling equipment. Our propriety software empowers the driller to deliver these services with consistency and repeatability. Both TRS and MPD integrate with the rig eliminating the need for third party services hence improving efficiencies and reducing cost.

Rig Technologies

Our Rig Technologies segment is primarily comprised of Canrig, which manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks and other drilling related equipment such as robotic systems and downhole tools which are installed on both onshore and offshore drilling rigs. Rig Technologies also provides aftermarket sales and services for the installed base of its equipment.

Our Business Strategy

Our business strategy is to build shareholder value and enhance our competitive position by:

● achieving financial returns in excess of our cost of capital.

During the past several years we have transformed our fleet in the Lower 48 into what we believe is the most capable, modern fleet in the market. Our customer base recognizes the quality of our assets, the competency of our

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crews, our industry leading operational performance and the value added by our performance software and our services integration.

We believe our drilling technology portfolio positions us well to address the changing market dynamic both in the United States and internationally. Our technological development efforts drive toward a seamless integration of the rig’s operations with downhole sensing. Additionally, we have added complementary services to our traditional rig offering, in many cases replacing third-party providers of these complementary services as a single service provider.

Drilling Contracts

Our drilling contracts are typically daywork contracts. A daywork contract generally provides for a basic rate per day when drilling (the dayrate for providing a rig and crew) and for lower rates when the rig is moving between drilling locations, or when drilling operations are interrupted or restricted by equipment breakdowns, adverse weather conditions or other conditions beyond our control. In addition, daywork contracts may provide for a lump-sum fee for the mobilization and demobilization of the rig, which in most cases approximates our anticipated costs. A daywork contract differs from a footage contract (in which the drilling contractor is paid on the basis of a rate per foot drilled) and a turnkey contract (in which the drilling contractor is paid for drilling a well to a specified depth for a fixed price). We also offer performance enhancing drilling services, performance software and equipment such as managed pressure services, directional drilling, rotary steering systems and measurement while drilling. These additional products and services are additive to our rig charges.

Our contracts for land-based and offshore drilling have durations that are single-well, multi-well or term. Term contracts generally have durations ranging from six months to five years. Under term contracts, our rigs are committed to one customer. Offshore workover projects are often contracted on a single-well basis. We generally receive drilling contracts through competitive bidding, although we occasionally enter into contracts by direct negotiation. Most of our single-well contracts are subject to termination by the customer on short notice, while multi-well contracts and term contracts may provide us with early termination compensation in certain circumstances. Such payments may not fully compensate us for the loss of a contract, and in certain circumstances the customer may not be obligated, able or willing to make an early termination payment to us. Contract terms and rates differ depending on a variety of factors, including competitive conditions, the geographical area, the geological formation to be drilled, the equipment and services to be supplied, the on-site drilling conditions and the anticipated duration of the work to be performed.

Our Customers

Our customers include major international, national and independent oil and gas companies. One customer, Saudi Aramco, accounted for approximately 29%, 22% and 24% of our consolidated operating revenues during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively, which operating revenues are primarily included in the results of our International Drilling reportable segment. Our contracts with Saudi Aramco are on a per rig basis. These contracts are primarily operated through SANAD, our joint venture with Saudi Aramco. See Part I, Item 1A.—Risk Factors—The loss of one or a number of our large customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Human Capital

As of December 31, 2020, we employed approximately 10,000 employees worldwide, approximately 7,000 of which are employed internationally. We believe we have generally good relations with all our employees worldwide.

Diversity and Inclusion

We endeavor to create an environment rich in diversity that welcomes those of all backgrounds, ethnicities and experiences. All told, our employee base represents 72 nationalities.

Traditionally the oil and gas industry has been male dominated. By implementing strategic recruiting efforts, employee development streams and retention practices, we have been able to achieve diversity that we believe outpaces not just the industry, but the business world in general. Based on our most recent employee engagement survey performed in 2020, we learned that:

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● 87% of women in our workforce feel supported by their manager;

● 73% of women of color have strong allies on their team; and

● 48% of new external hires were women.

By recognizing disparate voices, we foster a more cohesive, high performing and productive company.

Training and Talent Management

We are dedicated to the development and training of our worldwide employee base. Training begins at onboarding, where employees receive job-specific instruction with a focus on safety, corporate ethics and maintaining a safe and inclusive workplace. Ongoing training includes a focus on career development and advancement. A key focus is the career development offered to women and employees of color.

Educational Assistance

In 2009, our former Chairman and CEO, Eugene M. Isenberg, established the Isenberg Education Fund Scholarship Program, the purpose of which is to provide educational assistance to talented, high-achieving individuals who demonstrate strong academic performance and dedicated community service, and who need financial aid. Aid is available to employees and their family members, including spouses, children and grandchildren. To date, the program has provided over $3.8 million in educational assistance to employees and their families.

Employee Recognition

Annual Innovation Awards are given to recognize exceptional innovation, ingenuity and intellectual capital insight of our employees. Recipients have included employees in many different departments, including engineering, information technologies, controls and automation and business development. In addition, we hold quarterly Service Award events to recognize employment milestones met by employees.

Health, Welfare and Retirement

We provide employees health and welfare benefits standard for the industry and their location of employment. U.S. employees and their families receive medical, dental and vision insurance, life insurance and long-term disability plans, and health and dependent care flexible spending accounts. All U.S. full-time employees also receive a 401(k) plan with a Company match.

Seasonality

Our operations are subject to seasonal factors. Specifically, our drilling operations in Canada and Alaska generally experience reduced levels of activity and financial results during the second quarter of each year, due to the annual spring thaw. In addition, our U.S. offshore market can be impacted during summer months by tropical weather systems in the Gulf of Mexico. Global climate change could lengthen these periods of reduced activity, but we cannot currently estimate to what degree. Our overall financial results reflect the seasonal variations experienced in these operations, but seasonality does not materially impact the remaining portions of our business.

Industry/Competitive Conditions

To a large degree, our businesses depend on the level of capital spending by oil and gas companies for exploration, development and production activities. The level of exploration, development and production activities is to a large extent tied to the prices of oil and natural gas, which can fluctuate significantly and are highly volatile. Relatedly, customers may have difficulty accessing capital markets due to poor historical returns for their investments and due to certain instutional investors choosing not to invest in fossil fuel industries. A decrease or prolonged decline in the price of oil or natural gas or in the exploration, development and production activities of our customers could result in a corresponding decline in the demand for our services and/or a reduction in dayrates and utilization, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. See Part I, Item 1A.—Risk Factors— Fluctuations in oil and natural gas prices could adversely affect drilling activity and our revenues, cash flows and profitability, and—Our drilling contracts may in certain instances be renegotiated, suspended or terminated without

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an early termination payment and Item 7.— Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

The markets in which we provide our services are highly competitive. We believe that competitive pricing is a significant factor in determining which service provider is awarded a job in these markets and customers are increasingly sensitive to pricing during periods of market instability. Historically, the number of available rigs and drilling-related equipment has exceeded demand in many of the markets in which we operate, resulting in strong price competition. This is due in part to the fact that most rigs and drilling-related equipment can be moved from one region to another in response to changes in the levels of exploration, development and production activities and market conditions, which may result in an oversupply of rigs and drilling-related equipment in certain areas.

Although many rigs can be moved from one region to another in response to changes in levels of activity, competition has increased based on the supply of existing and new rigs across all our markets. Most available contracts for our services are currently awarded on a bid basis, which further increases competition based on price.

In addition to price, other competitive factors in the markets we serve are the overall quality of service and safety record, the technical specification and condition of equipment, the availability of skilled personnel and the ability to offer ancillary services. Our drilling business is subject to certain additional competitive factors. For example, we believe our ability to deliver rigs with new technology and features and, in certain international markets, our experience operating in certain environments and strong customer relationships have been significant factors in the selection of Nabors for the provision of drilling services. We expect that the market for our drilling services will continue to be highly competitive. See Part I, Item 1A.—Risk Factors—We operate in a highly competitive industry with excess drilling capacity, which may adversely affect our results of operations.

The global market for drilling and related products and services is competitive. Certain competitors are present in more than one of the markets in which we operate, although no one competitor operates in all such markets. Our strategy combines advanced drilling rig designs – complete with integrated downhole tools, surface equipment, and software – with operational performance, industry-leading safety, and an innovative technology roadmap.

Significant competitors in our U.S. Drilling segment include: Helmerich & Payne Inc., Patterson-UTI Energy Inc., Precision Drilling Corp., and Ensign Energy Services Inc. In the U.S. Lower 48 land drilling market, we also compete with numerous smaller or regional drilling contractors. In our International segment, significant competitors with operations in multiple countries include KCA Deutag Drilling Limited, Saipem S.p.A, as well as many contractors with regional or local rig operations.

Our Rig Technologies segment competes primarily with National Oilwell Varco Inc., Bentec GmbH, and several smaller rig equipment suppliers. Our Drilling Solutions segment competes with services provided by Baker Hughes Co., Halliburton Co., Schlumberger Ltd., Frank’s International NV, Weatherford International plc., as well as several of our drilling competitors and smaller, specialized service providers.

Acquisitions and Divestitures

We have grown from a land drilling business centered in the U.S. Lower 48, Canada and Alaska to an international business with operations on land and offshore in most of the major oil and gas markets in the world. This growth was fueled in part by strategic acquisitions. While we continuously consider and review strategic opportunities, including acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, alliances and other strategic transactions, there can be no assurance that such opportunities will continue to be available, that the pricing will be economical or that we will be successful in completing and realizing the expected benefits of such transactions in the future.

We may sell a subsidiary or group of assets outside of our core markets or business if it is strategically or economically advantageous for us to do so.

In October 2018, we purchased PetroMar Technologies, a developer and operator of LWD downhole tools focusing on high-value formation data to facilitate completion optimization particularly in unconventional reservoirs. The tools complement our existing wellbore placement capabilities and are included in our Drilling Solutions operating segment. Under the terms of the transaction, we paid an initial purchase price of $25.0 million. We may also be required to make future payments that are contingent upon the future financial performance of this operation.

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Environmental Compliance

Sustainability is an essential part of the corporate culture at Nabors and an integral part of our strategic plans. We know that our success is directly linked to implementing and executing a broad range of sustainable practices. Through technological innovation, environmental impact planning, corporate safety initiatives and community relations activities, Nabors understands that how we conduct business is of equal importance to our results. Corporate responsibility guides every aspect of our daily activities and is the key to our continued success.

We do not anticipate that compliance with currently applicable environmental rules and regulations and controls will significantly change our competitive position, capital spending or earnings during 2021. We believe we are in material compliance with applicable environmental rules and regulations and that the cost of such compliance is not material to our business or financial condition. For a more detailed description of the environmental rules and regulations applicable to our operations, see Part I, Item 1A.—Risk Factors—Changes to or noncompliance with laws and regulations or exposure to environmental liabilities could adversely affect our results of operations.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

In addition to the other information set forth elsewhere in this annual report, the following factors should be carefully considered when evaluating Nabors. The risks described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations.

Risk Factors Summary

The following is a summary of the principal risks included in this annual report that we believe could adversely affect our business, operations, and financial results.

Business and Operational Risks

● We must renew customer contracts to remain competitive.

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Financial Risks

● Our ability to access capital markets could be limited.

Technology Risks

Legal and Regulatory Risks

Share Capital and Corporate Structure Risks

● Our common share price has been and may continue to be volatile.

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General Risks

● Our business is subject to cybersecurity risks.

● We may be subject to changes in tax laws and have additional tax liabilities.

For a more complete discussion of the risks facing our business, see below.

Business and Operational Risks

Fluctuations in oil and natural gas prices could adversely affect drilling activity and our revenues, cash flows and profitability.

Our operations, demand for our services, and the rates we are able to charge for such services depend on the level of spending by oil and gas companies for exploration, development and production activities. Both short-term and long-term trends in oil and natural gas prices affect these activity levels. Oil and natural gas prices, as well as the level of drilling, exploration and production activity, have been highly volatile for several years and are expected to continue to be volatile for the foreseeable future. In addition to the COVID-19 outbreak contributing to a significant decline in oil prices, declines in oil prices are primarily caused by, among other things, an excess of supply of crude oil in relation to demand. Worldwide military, political, public health, and economic events, including initiatives by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (“OPEC”) and OPEC+, uncertainty in capital and commodities markets and the ability of oil and natural gas producers to access capital, and the extent to which they are willing or able to deploy capital, affect both the supply of and demand for oil and natural gas. In addition, weather conditions, governmental regulation (both in the United States and elsewhere), levels of consumer demand for oil and natural gas, general and global economic conditions, oil and gas production levels by non-OPEC countries, decisions by oil and gas producers to continue producing oil and gas despite excess supply, the availability and demand for drilling equipment and pipeline capacity, availability and pricing of alternative energy sources, and other factors beyond our control may also affect the supply of and demand for oil and natural gas, and thereby affect the price of oil and natural gas.

Lower oil and natural gas prices also could adversely impact our cash forecast models used to determine whether the carrying values of our long-lived assets exceed our future cash flows, which could result in future impairment to our long-lived assets. Lower oil and natural gas prices also could affect our ability to retain skilled rig personnel and affect our ability to access capital to finance and grow our business. There can be no assurances as to the future level of demand for our services or future conditions in the oil and natural gas and oilfield services industries.

Our customers and thereby our business and profitability could be adversely affected by low oil prices and/or turmoil in the global economy.

Changes in general economic and political conditions may negatively impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. As a result of the volatility of oil and natural gas prices, we are unable to fully predict the level of exploration, drilling and production activities of our customers and whether our customers and/or vendors will be able to sustain their operations and fulfill their commitments and obligations. If oil prices remain at the current relatively low levels or decrease and/or global economic conditions deteriorate, there could be a material adverse impact on the liquidity and operations of our customers, vendors and other worldwide business partners, which in turn could have a material impact on our results of operations and liquidity. Furthermore, these conditions may result in certain of our customers experiencing an inability to pay vendors, including us. In addition, we may experience

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difficulties forecasting future capital expenditures by our customers, which in turn could lead to either over capacity or, in the event of further recovery in oil prices and the worldwide economy, under capacity, either of which could adversely affect our operations. There can be no assurance that the global economic environment will not deteriorate again in the future due to one or more factors.

We operate in a highly competitive industry with excess drilling capacity, which may adversely affect our results of operations.

The oilfield services industry is very competitive with a significant amount of excess capacity, especially in low oil price environments. Contract drilling companies compete primarily on a regional basis, and competition may vary significantly from region to region at any particular time. Most rigs and drilling-related equipment can be moved from one region to another in response to changes in levels of activity and market conditions, which may result in an oversupply of such rigs and drilling-related equipment in certain areas, and accordingly, increased price competition. In addition, an important factor in determining job awards is our ability to maintain a strong safety record. If we are unable to remain competitive based on these and/or other competitive factors, we may be unable to increase or even maintain our market share, utilization rates and/or day rates for our services, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We must renew customer contracts to remain competitive.

Our ability to renew existing customer contracts, or obtain new contracts, and the terms of any such contracts depends on market conditions and our customers’ future drilling plans, which are subject to change. Due to the highly competitive nature of the industry, which can be exacerbated during periods of depressed market conditions, we may not be able to renew or replace expiring contracts or, if we are able to, we may not be able to secure or improve existing dayrates or other material terms, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The nature of our operations presents inherent risks of loss, including weather-related risks, that could adversely affect our results of operations.

Our operations are subject to many hazards inherent in the drilling industry, including environmental pollution, blowouts, cratering, explosions, fires, loss of well control, loss of or damage to the wellbore or underground reservoir, damaged or lost drilling equipment and damage or loss from inclement weather or natural disasters. Any of these hazards could result in personal injury or death, damage to or destruction of equipment and facilities, suspension of operations, environmental and natural resources damage and damage to the property of others. Our offshore operations involve the additional hazards of marine operations including pollution of coastal waters, damage to wildlife and natural habitats, capsizing, grounding, collision, damage from hurricanes and heavy weather or sea conditions, such as sea level rise, coastal storm surge, inland flooding, and unsound ocean bottom conditions.

Accidents may occur, we may be unable to obtain desired contractual indemnities, and our insurance may prove inadequate in certain cases. The occurrence of an event for which we are not sufficiently insured or indemnified against, or the failure or inability of a customer or insurer to meet its indemnification or insurance obligations, could result in substantial losses that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and liquidity. In addition, insurance may not be available to cover any or all these risks. Our insurance also may not cover losses associated with pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Even if available, insurance may be inadequate or insurance premiums or other costs may increase significantly in the future, making insurance prohibitively expensive. We expect to continue facing upward pressure in our insurance renewals, our premiums and deductibles may be higher, and some insurance coverage may either be unavailable or more expensive than it has been in the past. Moreover, our insurance coverage generally provides that we assume a portion of the risk in the form of a deductible or self-insured retention. We may choose to increase the levels of deductibles (and thus assume a greater degree of risk) from time to time in order to minimize our overall costs, which could exacerbate the impact of our losses on our financial condition and liquidity.

Our drilling contracts may in certain instances be renegotiated, suspended or terminated without an early termination payment.

Most of our multi-well and term drilling contracts require that an early termination payment be made to us if a contract is terminated by the customer prior to its expiration. However, such payments may not fully compensate us for

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the loss of a contract, and in certain circumstances such as, but not limited to, non-performance caused by significant operational or equipment issues (such as destruction of a drilling rig that is not replaced within a specified period of time), sustained periods of downtime due to a force majeure event, or other events beyond our control or some other breach of our contractual obligations, our customers may not be obligated to make an early termination payment to us at all. In addition, some contracts may be suspended, rather than terminated early, for an extended period of time, in some cases without adequate compensation. The early termination or suspension of a contract may result in a rig being idle for an extended period of time, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

During periods of depressed market conditions, we may be subject to an increased risk of our customers (including government-controlled entities) seeking to renegotiate, repudiate or terminate their contracts and/or to otherwise exert commercial influence to our disadvantage. The downturn in the oil price environment resulted in downward pricing pressure and decreased demand for our drilling services with existing customers, resulting in renegotiations of pricing and other terms in our drilling contracts with certain customers and early termination of contracts by others. Our customers’ ability to perform their obligations under the contracts, including their ability to pay us or fulfill their indemnity obligations, may also be impacted by an economic or industry downturn or other adverse conditions in the oil and gas industry. If we were to sustain a loss and our customers were unable to honor their indemnification and/or payment obligations, it could adversely affect our liquidity. If our customers cancel some of our contracts, and we are unable to secure new contracts on a timely basis and/or on substantially similar terms, or if contracts are suspended for an extended period of time with or without adequate compensation or renegotiated with pricing or other terms less favorable to us, it could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

The loss of one or a number of our large customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In 2020, 2019 and 2018, we received approximately 49%, 41% and 41%, respectively, of our consolidated operating revenues from our three largest contract drilling customers (including their affiliates), with our largest customer and partner in our SANAD joint venture, Saudi Aramco, representing 29%, 22% and 24% of our consolidated operating revenues, respectively, for these periods. The loss of one or more of our larger customers would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. In addition, if a significant customer experiences liquidity constraints or other financial difficulties it may be unable to make required payments or seek to renegotiate contracts, which could adversely affect our liquidity and profitability. Financial difficulties experienced by customers could also adversely affect our utilization rates in the affected market and may cause our counterparties to seek modifications to our contracts with them. Furthermore, potential consolidation among oil and natural gas exploration and production companies may reduce the number of available customers.

The profitability of our operations could be adversely affected by war, civil disturbance, terrorist activity or other political or economic instability, fluctuation in currency exchange rates and local import and export controls.

We derive a significant portion of our business from global markets, including major operations in the Middle East, South America, the Far East, North Africa and Russia. These operations are subject to various risks, including war, civil disturbances, labor strikes, nationalization, terrorist activity and governmental actions that may limit or disrupt markets, restrict the movement of funds or result in limits or restrictions in our ability to operate or compete, the deprivation of contractual rights or the taking of property without fair compensation, particularly in respect of contracts with foreign national oil companies. In some countries, our operations may be subject to the additional risk of fluctuating currency values and exchange controls. We also are subject to various laws and regulations that govern the operation and taxation of our business and the import and export of our equipment from country to country, the imposition, application and interpretation of which can prove to be uncertain.

For example, we previously operated in Venezuela, and were exposed to risks related to political instability there. On January 28, 2019, the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (“PdVSA”) as a Specially Designated National under Executive Order 13850 (the “Order”). The Order prohibited, among other things, business dealings with PdVSA or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest. We were forced to cease operations in Venezuela, and during the second quarter of 2020 we wrote off all remaining value on our rig and drilling related equipment in the country.

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The future occurrence of one or more international events arising from the types of risks described above could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We rely on third-party suppliers, manufacturers and service providers to secure equipment, components and parts used in rig operations, conversions, upgrades and construction.

Our reliance on third-party suppliers, manufacturers and service providers to provide equipment and services exposes us to volatility in the quality, price and availability of such items. Certain components, parts and equipment that we use in our operations may be available only from a small number of suppliers, manufacturers or service providers. The failure of one or more third-party suppliers, manufacturers or service providers to provide equipment, components, parts or services, whether due to capacity constraints, production or delivery disruptions, price increases, quality control issues, recalls or other decreased availability of parts and equipment, is beyond our control and could materially disrupt our operations or result in the delay, renegotiation or cancellation of drilling contracts, thereby causing a loss of contract drilling backlog and/or revenue to us, as well as an increase in operating costs.

Additionally, our suppliers, manufacturers, and service providers could be negatively impacted by changes in industry conditions or global economic conditions. If certain of our suppliers, manufacturers or service providers were to curtail or discontinue their business as a result of such conditions, it could result in a reduction or interruption in supplies or equipment available to us and/or a significant increase in the price of such supplies and equipment, which could adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our contracts with national oil companies may expose us to greater risks than we normally assume in contracts with non-governmental customers.

We currently own and operate rigs and rig-related equipment under contracts with foreign national oil companies. In the future, we may expand our international solutions operations and enter into additional, significant contracts with national oil companies. The terms of these contracts may contain non-negotiable provisions and may expose us to greater commercial, political, operational and other risks than we assume in other contracts. Foreign contracts may expose us to materially greater environmental liability and other claims for damages (including consequential damages) and personal injury related to our operations, or the risk that the contract may be terminated by our customer without cause on short-term notice, contractually or by governmental action, or under certain conditions that may not provide us with an early termination payment. We can provide no assurance that increased risk exposure will not have an adverse impact on our future operations or that we will not increase the number of rigs contracted, or the amount of technology deployed, to national oil companies with commensurate additional contractual risks. Risks that accompany contracts with national oil companies could ultimately have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Control of oil and natural gas reserves by state-owned oil companies may impact the demand for our services and products and create additional risks in our operations.

Much of the world’s oil and natural gas reserves are controlled by state-owned oil companies. State-owned oil companies may require their contractors to meet local content requirements or other local standards, such as conducting our operations through joint ventures with local partners that could be difficult or undesirable for us to meet. The failure to meet the local content requirements and other local standards may adversely impact our operations in those countries. In addition, our ability to work with state-owned oil companies is subject to our ability to negotiate and agree upon acceptable contract terms.

Our operating expense includes fixed costs that may not decline in proportion to decreases in rig utilization and dayrates.

Our operating expense includes all direct and indirect costs associated with the operation, maintenance and support of our drilling and related equipment, which are not affected by changes in dayrates and some of which are not affected by utilization. During periods of reduced revenue and/or activity, certain of our fixed costs (such as depreciation) may not decline and often we may incur additional costs. During times of reduced utilization, reductions in costs may not be immediate as we may not be able to fully reduce the cost of our support operations in a particular geographic region due to the need to support the remaining drilling rigs in that region. Accordingly, a decline in revenue

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due to lower dayrates and/or utilization may not be offset by a corresponding decrease in drilling services and solutions expense, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Actions of and disputes with our joint venture partners could have a material adverse effect on the business and results of operations of our joint ventures and, in turn, our business and consolidated results of operations.

We conduct some operations through joint venturesl. As with any joint venture arrangement, differences in views among the joint venture participants may result in delayed decisions, the joint venture operating in a manner that is contrary to our preference or in failures to agree on major issues. We also cannot control the actions of our joint venture partners, including any nonperformance, default, or bankruptcy of our joint venture partners. These factors could have a material adverse effect on the business and results of operations of our joint ventures and, in turn, our business and consolidated results of operations.

Failure to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions, divestitures, investments, joint ventures and other strategic transactions may adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial position.

We undertake from time to time acquisitions, divestitures, investments, joint ventures, alliances and other strategic transactions that we expect to further our business objectives. For example, in October 2016, we announced an agreement to form a new joint venture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which commenced operations in December, 2017. The long-term success of the Saudi joint venture depends, to a large degree, on the satisfactory performance of our joint venture partner’s obligations, including contributions of capital, drilling units and related equipment, and our ability to maintain an effective, working relationship with our joint venture partner.

We also completed the acquisition of Tesco in December 2017. We have been unable to obtain regulatory approvals to recognize our acquisition of the Tesco subsidiary in Russia.

The anticipated benefits of the Saudi joint venture, the Tesco acquisition, and other strategic transactions may not be fully realized, or may be realized more slowly than expected, and may result in operational and financial consequences, including, but not limited to, the loss of key customers, suppliers or employees, or the disposition of certain assets or operations, which may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Decisions by internet service, cloud host service and related providers to restrict or ban our ability to use their platforms could adversely affect our ability to promote and conduct our business and inform investors.

We utilize the internet to provide services and to promote our business and services to current and potential customers and to provide information and updates to our investors. Internet service providers, cloud hosting services, social media companies and website providers that currently allow us to utilize their platforms to communicate with customers and the public may decide that our business or the industry in which we operate negatively impacts their business or may make business decisions or changes to their policies that negatively impact us. Such actions could include placing restrictions on our use of their platforms or banning us from utilizing their services altogether. Our inability to use these platforms may have a negative impact on the way we are perceived in the industry or in the media and may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Financial Risks

We may record additional losses or impairment charges related to sold or idle drilling rigs and other assets.

In 2020, 2019 and 2018, we recognized impairment charges of $390.0 million, $290.5 million and $124.9 million, respectively, related to tangible assets and equipment. Prolonged periods of low utilization or low dayrates, the cold stacking of idle assets, the sale of assets below their then carrying value or the decline in market value of our assets may cause us to experience further losses. If future cash flow estimates, based upon information available to management at the time, including oil and gas prices and expected utilization levels, indicate that the carrying value of any of our rigs may not be recoverable or if we sell assets for less than their then carrying value, we may recognize additional impairment charges on our fleet.

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Our financial and operating flexibility could be affected by our long-term debt and other financial commitments.

The 2018 Revolving Credit Facility is partially secured with a first lien security interest on drilling rigs in the U.S. and Canada in an amount not less than $545.8 million. Under the facility, we are required to maintain “minimum liquidity” of no less than $160.0 million at all times, and an asset to debt coverage ratio of at least 4.25:1 as of the end of each calendar quarter. Minimum liquidity is defined to mean, generally, a consolidated cash balance consisting of (a) the aggregate amount of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents maintained in a deposit account U.S. or Canadian branch of a commercial bank, plus (b) the lesser of $75 million or an amount equal to 75% of the aggregate amount of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents held in deposit account of a commercial bank outside of the U.S. or Canada, plus (c) available commitments under the 2018 Revolving Credit Facility. The asset-to-debt coverage ratio is calculated by dividing (x) drilling-related fixed assets wholly owned by certain of Nabors’ subsidiaries that are guaranteeing the 2018 Revolving Credit Facility (the ‘‘2018 Revolver Guarantors’’) or wholly owned subsidiaries of the 2018 Revolver Guarantors by (y) the commitments under the 2018 Revolving Credit Facility and certain other indebtedness up to $100 million. The asset to debt coverage ratio applies only during the period which Nabors Delaware fails to maintain an investment grade rating from at least two rating agencies, which was the case as of the date of this report. The minimum liquidity requirement and the asset-to-debt coverage ratio are not measures of operating performance or liquidity defined by U.S. GAAP and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies.

As of December 31, 2020, our consolidated total outstanding indebtedness was $3.0 billion. We also have various financial commitments, such as leases, contracts and purchase commitments. Our ability to service our debt and other financial obligations depends in large part upon the level of cash flows generated by our operating subsidiaries’ operations, our ability to monetize and/or divest non-core assets, availability under our unsecured revolving credit facilities and our ability to access the capital markets and/or other sources of financing. If we cannot repay or refinance our debt as it becomes due, we may be forced to sell assets or reduce funding in the future for working capital, capital expenditures and general corporate purposes, any of which could negatively impact our stock price or financial condition.

Our ability to access capital markets could be limited.

From time to time, we may need to access capital markets to obtain long-term and short-term financing. However, our ability to access capital markets could be limited or adversely affected by, among other things, oil and gas prices, our existing capital structure, our credit ratings, interest rates and the health or market perceptions of the drilling and overall oil and gas industry and the global economy. In addition, many of the factors that affect our ability to access capital markets, including the liquidity of the overall capital markets, the state of the economy and oil and gas industry and the impact of COVID-19, among others, are outside of our control. There have also been efforts in recent years aimed at the investment community, including investment advisors, sovereign wealth funds, public pension funds, universities and other groups, promoting the divestment of fossil fuel equities as well as to pressure lenders and other financial services companies to limit or curtail activities with companies engaged in the extraction of fossil fuel reserves, which, if successful, could limit our ability to access capital markets. No assurance can be given that we will be able to access capital markets on terms acceptable to us when required to do so, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Technology Risks

New technologies may cause our drilling methods and equipment to become less competitive and it may become necessary to incur higher levels of operating and capital expenditures in order to keep pace with the disruptive trends in the drilling industry. Growth through the building of new drilling rigs and improvement of existing rigs is not assured.

The market for our services is characterized by continual technological developments that have resulted in, and will likely continue to result in, substantial improvements in the functionality and performance of rigs and equipment. Our customers increasingly demand the services of newer, higher specification drilling rigs and related equipment. Accordingly, we may have to allocate a higher proportion of our capital expenditures to maintain and improve existing rigs and other equipment, purchase and construct newer, higher specification drilling rigs and other equipment to meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of our customers, and develop new and improved technology and data analytics.

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Although we take measures to ensure that we develop and use advanced oil and natural gas drilling technology, changes in technology or improvements by competitors could make our equipment less competitive. There can be no assurance that we will:

● successfully deploy idle, stacked, new or upgraded drilling rigs;

● effectively manage the size or growth of our organization and drilling fleet;

● maintain crews necessary to operate existing or additional drilling rigs; or

In the event that we are successful in developing new technologies for use in our business, there is no guarantee of future demand for those technologies. Customers may be reluctant or unwilling to adopt our new technologies. We may also have difficulty negotiating satisfactory terms for our technology services or may be unable to secure prices sufficient to obtain expected returns on our investment in the research and development of new technologies.

Development of new technology is critical to maintaining our competitiveness. There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully develop technology that our customers demand. If we are not successful keeping pace with technological advances and trends (including trends in favor of emissions reducing technologies) or if we fail to deliver such technologies to our customers in a timely and cost-effective manner suitable to their needs, demand for our services could decline and we could lose market share. Furthermore, if our equipment or proprietary technologies become obsolete, the value of our intellectual property may be reduced, or one or more technologies that we may implement in the future may not work as we expect and our business, financial condition, results of operations and reputation could be adversely affected as a result. Additionally, new technologies, services or standards could render some of our services, drilling rigs or equipment obsolete, which could reduce our competitiveness and have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Limitations on our ability to obtain, maintain, protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, including our trade secrets, could cause a loss in revenue and any competitive advantage we hold.

There can be no assurance that the steps we take to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce our intellectual property rights will be adequate. Some of our products or services, and the processes we use to produce or provide them, have been granted patent protection, have patent applications pending, or are trade secrets. Our business may be adversely affected when our patents are unenforceable, the claims allowed under our patents are not sufficient to protect our technology, our patent applications are denied, or our trade secrets are not adequately protected. Patent protection on some types of technology, such as software or machine learning processes, may not be available in certain countries in which we operate. Our competitors may also be able to develop technology independently that is similar to ours without infringing on our patents or gaining access to our trade secrets, which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Technology disputes could negatively impact our operations or increase our costs.

Our services and products use proprietary technology and equipment, which can involve potential infringement of a third party’s rights, or a third party’s infringement of our rights, including patent rights. The majority of the intellectual property rights relating to our drilling rigs and related services are owned by us or certain of our supplying vendors. However, in the event that we or one of our customers or supplying vendors becomes involved in a dispute over infringement of intellectual property rights relating to equipment or technology owned or used by us, services performed

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by us or products provided by us, we may lose access to important equipment or technology or our ability to provide services or products, or we could be required to cease use of some equipment or technology or be forced to invest or develop replacement technologies to enhance our equipment, technology, services or products. We could also be required to pay license fees or royalties for the use of equipment or technology or provision of services or products. In addition, we may lose a competitive advantage in the event we are unsuccessful in enforcing our rights against third parties. Regardless of the merits, any such claims generally result in significant legal and other costs, including reputational harm, and may distract management from running our business. Technology disputes involving us or our customers or supplying vendors could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.

Improvements in or new discoveries of alternative energy technologies could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Since our business depends on the level of activity in the oil and natural gas industry, any improvement in or new discoveries of alternative energy technologies that increase the use of alternative forms of energy and reduce the demand for oil and natural gas could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Legal and Regulatory Risks

Changes to United States tax, tariff and import/export regulations may have a negative effect on global economic conditions, financial markets and our business.

There have been ongoing discussions and commentary regarding potential significant changes to the United States trade policies, treaties, tariffs and taxes, including trade policies and tariffs regarding China. In 2018, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (the “USTR”) enacted tariffs on imports into the U.S. from China. In September 2018, the USTR enacted another tariff on the import of other Chinese products with an additional combined import value of approximately $200 billion. The tariff became effective on September 24, 2018, with an initial rate of 10%, with the potential for significant increases if the U.S. and China do not reach a new trade deal in the near term. There is significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and other countries with respect to the trade policies, treaties, taxes, government regulations and tariffs that would be applicable. It is unclear what changes might be considered or implemented and what response to any such changes may be by the governments of other countries. Significant tariffs or other restrictions placed on Chinese imports and any related counter-measures that are taken by China could have an adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. Even in the absence of further tariffs, the related uncertainty and the market's fear of an escalating trade war might create forecasting difficulties for us and cause our customers and business partners to place fewer orders for our products and services, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity, financial condition, and/or results of operations. These developments, or the perception that any of them could occur, may have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions and the stability of global financial markets, and may significantly reduce global trade and, in particular, trade between these nations and the United States. Any of these factors could depress economic activity and restrict our access to suppliers or customers and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and affect our strategy around the world. Given the relatively fluid regulatory environment in China and the United States and relative uncertainty with respect to tariffs, international trade agreements and policies, a trade war, further governmental action related to tariffs or international trade policies, or additional tax or other regulatory changes in the future could directly and adversely impact our financial results and results of operations.

The Company’s ability to use its net operating loss carryforwards, and possibly other tax attributes, to offset future taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes may be significantly limited due to various circumstances, including future transactions involving the sale or issuance of Company equity securities, or if taxable income does not reach sufficient levels.

As of December 31, 2020, the Company reported consolidated federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards of approximately $670.3 million and certain other favorable federal income tax attributes. The Company’s ability to use its NOL carryforwards and certain other attributes may be limited if it experiences an “ownership change” as defined in Section 382 (“Section 382”) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). An ownership change generally occurs if there is a more than 50 percentage point increase in the aggregate equity ownership of the Company by one or more “5 percent shareholders” (as that term is defined for purposes of Sections 382

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and 383 of the Code) in any testing period, which is generally the three-year period preceding any potential ownership change, measured against their lowest percentage ownership at any time during such period.

There is no assurance that the Company will not experience an ownership change under Section 382 as a result of future actions that may significantly limit or possibly eliminate its ability to use its NOL carryforwards and potentially certain other tax attributes. Potential future transactions involving the sale, issuance, redemption or other disposition of common or preferred shares or other equity-based securities, the exercise of conversion or exchange options under the terms of any convertible or exchangeable debt, the repurchase of any such debt with Company shares, in each case, by a person owning, or treated as owning, 5% or more of the Company’s shares, or a combination of such transactions, may cause or increase the possibility that the Company will experience an ownership change under Section 382. Under Section 382, an ownership change would subject the Company to an annual limitation that applies to the amount of pre-ownership change NOLs (and possibly certain other tax attributes) that may be used to offset post-ownership change taxable income. If a Section 382 limitation applies, the limitation could cause the Company’s U.S. federal income taxes to be greater, or to be paid earlier, than they otherwise would be, and could cause all or a portion of the Company’s NOL carryforwards to expire unused. Similar rules and limitations may apply for state income tax purposes. The Company’s ability to use its NOL carryforwards will also depend on the amount of taxable income it generates in future periods. The Company’s NOL carryforwards may expire before it can generate sufficient taxable income to use them in full.

Changes to or noncompliance with laws and regulations or exposure to environmental liabilities could adversely affect our results of operations.

Drilling of oil and natural gas wells is subject to various laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where we operate, including comprehensive and frequently changing laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and the environment, including those regulating the transport, storage, use, treatment, disposal and remediation of, and exposure to, solid and hazardous wastes and materials. In addition, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act provides the federal government with broad discretion in regulating the leasing of offshore oil and gas production sites. Our costs to comply with these laws and regulations may be substantial. Violation of environmental laws or regulations could lead to the imposition of administrative, civil or criminal penalties, capital expenditures, delays in the permitting or performance of projects, and in some cases injunctive relief. Violations may also result in liabilities for personal injuries, property and natural resource damage and other costs and claims. We are not always successful in allocating all risks of these environmental liabilities to customers, and it is possible that customers who assume the risks will be financially unable to bear any resulting costs.

In addition, U.S. federal laws and the laws of other jurisdictions regulate the prevention of oil spills and the release of hazardous substances, and may impose liability for removal costs and natural resource, real or personal property and certain economic damages arising from any spills. Some of these laws may impose strict and/or joint and several liability for clean-up costs and damages without regard to the conduct of the parties. As an owner and operator of onshore and offshore rigs and other equipment, we may be deemed to be a responsible party under federal law. In addition, we are subject to various laws governing the containment and disposal of hazardous substances, oilfield waste and other waste materials and the use of underground storage tanks.

The expansion of the scope of laws or regulations protecting the environment has accelerated in recent years, particularly outside the United States, and we expect this trend to continue. For example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) has promulgated final rules requiring the reporting of greenhouse gas emissions applicable to certain offshore oil and natural gas production and onshore oil and natural gas production, processing, transmission, storage and distribution facilities. In June 2016, the EPA published final standards to reduce methane emissions for certain new, modified, or reconstructed facilities in the oil and gas industry and established NSPS Subpart OOOOa that set new standards and required certain new, modified or reconstructed facilities in the oil and natural gas sector to reduce methane gas and VOC emissions (the “2016 New Source Rule”). In August 2020, the EPA finalized a rule that rolled back the 2016 New Source Rule, which was subsequently stayed temporarily by the D.C. Circuit Court. The Biden administration has indicated that it would likely repeal the August 2020 rule on methane emissions and evaluate a new regulatory approach going forward. Accordingly, the future status of methane emissions standards is unclear.

Changes in environmental laws and regulations may also negatively impact the operations of oil and natural gas exploration and production companies, which in turn could have an adverse effect on us. For example, drilling fluids, produced water and most of the other wastes associated with the exploration, development and production of oil or gas,

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if properly handled, are currently exempt from regulation as hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”) and instead, are regulated under RCRA’s less stringent non-hazardous waste provisions. However, in response to a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in May 2016 alleging that the EPA failed to timely assess its RCRA Subtitle D criteria regulations for oil and gas wastes, the EPA and several environmental groups entered into an agreement that was finalized in a Consent Decree issued by the District Court on December 28, 2016. Based on its review required by the Consent Decree, in April 2019, the EPA made a final determination that revision of the RCRA regulations was unnecessary. Any future reclassification of oil and gas wastes as RCRA hazardous waste could result in more stringent and costly handling, disposal and clean-up requirements and could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations and financial position.

The EPA has issued rules requiring monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and natural gas sector, including onshore and offshore production activities. In November 2016, the BLM issued a rule requiring reductions in methane emissions from venting, flaring, and leaking activities on public lands (the “Waste Prevention Rule”). Although the BLM issued a rule in September 2018 that rescinded critical portions of the Waste Prevention Rule, the 2018 rule was vacated by order of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in July 2020. Subsequently, in October 2020, the Waste Prevention Rule was largely vacated by the U.S. District Court for the State of Wyoming. In addition, several states may seek to regulate methane emissions by state law. The Biden administration has indicated that it intends to craft a new rule for regulating methane waste management. Since any such rule will likely be challenged, there is a considerable amount of uncertainty in this area of environmental regulation. Future or more stringent federal or state regulation could dramatically increase operating costs for oil and natural gas companies, curtail production and demand for oil and natural gas in areas of the world where our customers operate, and reduce the market for our services by making wells and/or oilfields uneconomical to operate, which may in turn adversely affect results of operations.

The physical effects of climate change and the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change could have a negative impact on our business.

The physical and regulatory effects of climate change could have a negative impact on our operations, our customers’ operations and the overall demand for our customers' products and services. Scientific studies have suggested that emissions of certain gases, commonly referred to as “greenhouse gases” (“GHGs”) and including carbon dioxide and methane, may be contributing to warming of the earth’s atmosphere and other climatic changes. In response to such studies, the issue of climate change and the effect of GHG emissions, in particular emissions from fossil fuels, is attracting increasing attention worldwide.

We are aware of the increasing focus of local, state, regional, national and international regulatory bodies on GHG emissions and climate change issues. There has been a wide-ranging policy debate, both in the United States and internationally, regarding the impact of GHG emissions and possible means for their regulation. Some of the proposals would require industries to meet stringent standards that would require substantial reductions in GHG emissions. Those reductions could be costly and difficult to implement. Legislation to regulate GHG emissions has periodically been introduced in the U.S. Congress and such legislation may be proposed or adopted in the future.

The U.S. Congress has considered, but not adopted, legislation designed to reduce emission of greenhouse gases, and some states in which we operate have passed legislation or adopted initiatives, such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in the Northeastern United States, which establishes greenhouse gas inventories and/or cap-and-trade programs. In addition, the EPA has published findings that emissions of greenhouse gases present an endangerment to public health and the environment, which could lead to further regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.

In December 2015, the United States joined the international community at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (the “UNFCCC”) in Paris, France in creating an agreement (the “Paris Agreement”) that requires member countries to review and “represent a progression” in their intended nationally determined GHG contributions, which set GHG emission reduction goals every five years beginning in 2020. The agreement entered into full force in November 2016. Although the prior administration formally withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement effective November 4, 2020, the new Administration issued an executive order to rejoin the Paris climate agreement on January 20, 2021. It will take 30 days for the United States to officially rejoin.

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The aim of the Paris Agreement is to hold the increase in the average global temperature to well below 2oC (3.6oF) above pre-industrial levels with efforts to limit the rise to 1.5oC (2.7oF) to protect against the more severe consequences of climate forecasted by scientific studies. These consequences include increased coastal flooding, droughts and associated wildfires, heavy precipitation events, stresses on water supply and agriculture, increased poverty, and negative impacts on health. In connection with the decision to adopt the Paris Agreement, the UNFCCC invited the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (the “IPCC”) to prepare a special report focused on the impacts of an increase in the average global temperature of 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels and related GHG emission pathways. The 2018 IPCC Report concludes that the measures set forth in the Paris Agreement are insufficient and that more aggressive targets and measures will be needed. The 2018 IPCC Report indicates that GHGs must be reduced from 2010 levels by 45 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050 to prevent global warming of 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels.

It is not possible at this time to predict the timing and effect of climate change or whether additional GHG legislation, regulations or other measures will be adopted at the federal, state or local levels. However, more aggressive efforts by governments and non-governmental organizations to reduce GHG emissions appear likely and any such future laws and regulations could result in increased compliance costs, additional operating restrictions or affect the demand for our customers' products and, accordingly, our services. For example, the California governor issued an executive order on September 23, 2020 ordering actions to pursue GHG emissions reductions, including a direction to the California State Air Resources Board to develop and propose regulations to require increasing volumes of new zero-emission passenger vehicles and trucks sold in California over time, with a targeted ban of the sale of new gasoline vehicles by 2035. If we are unable to recover or pass through a significant level of our costs related to complying with climate change regulatory requirements imposed on us, it could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Further, to the extent financial markets view climate change and GHG emissions as a financial risk, this could negatively impact our cost of or access to capital. Climate change and GHG regulation could also negatively impact the drilling programs of our customers and, consequently, delay, limit or reduce the services we provide. An increased focus by the public on the reduction of GHG emissions as well as the results of the physical impacts of climate change could affect the demand for our customers’ products and have a negative effect on our business.

The cost of complying with any new law, regulation or treaty will depend on the details of the particular program. We will continue to monitor and assess any new policies, legislation or regulations in the areas where we operate to determine the impact of GHG emissions and climate change on our operations and take appropriate actions, where necessary. Any direct and indirect costs of meeting these requirements may adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. Because our business depends on the level of activity in the oil and natural gas industry, existing or future laws or regulations related to GHGs and climate change, including incentives to conserve energy or use alternative energy sources, could have a negative impact on our business if such laws or regulations reduce demand for oil and natural gas.

In addition to the regulatory efforts described above, there have also been efforts in recent years aimed at the investment community, including investment advisors, sovereign wealth funds, public pension funds, universities and other groups, promoting the divestment of fossil fuel equities as well as to pressure lenders and other financial services companies to limit or curtail activities with companies engaged in the extraction of fossil fuel reserves. If these efforts are successful, our ability and the ability of our customers to access capital markets may be limited and our stock price may be negatively impacted.

Members of the investment community have recently increased their focus on sustainability practices with regard to the oil and gas industry, including practices related to GHGs and climate change. An increasing percentage of the investment community considers sustainability factors in making investment decisions, and an increasing number of our customers consider sustainability factors in awarding work. These developments, and public perception relating to climate change, may curtail production and demand for hydrocarbons such as oil and natural gas by shifting demand towards and investment in relatively lower carbon energy sources such as wind, solar and other renewables. The renewable energy industry is developing enhanced technologies and becoming more competitive with fossil-fuel energy. If renewable energy becomes more competitive than fossil-fuel energy, particularly during periods of higher oil and natural gas prices, it could have a material effect on our results of operations. If we are unable to successfully continue our sustainability enhancement efforts, we may lose customers, our stock price may be negatively impacted, our reputation may be negatively affected, and it may be more difficult for us to effectively compete.

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Beyond financial and regulatory impacts, the projected severe effects of climate change have the potential to directly affect our facilities and operations and those of our customers.

Legal proceedings and governmental investigations could affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to legal proceedings and governmental investigations from time to time that include employment, tort, intellectual property and other claims, and purported class action and shareholder derivative actions. We are also subject to complaints and allegations from former, current or prospective employees from time to time, alleging violations of employment-related laws or other whistle blower-related matters. Lawsuits or claims could result in decisions against us that could have an adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. See ‘‘Item 3—Legal Proceedings’’ for a discussion of certain existing legal proceedings.

Share Capital and Corporate Structure Risks

Significant issuances of common shares could adversely affect the market price of our common shares.

As of February 19, 2021, we had 32,000,000 authorized common shares, of which 8,449,591 shares were outstanding and entitled to vote, including 1,090,003 million held by our subsidiaries. In addition, 387,640 common shares were reserved for issuance pursuant to stock option and employee benefit plans and 741,934 common shares were reserved for issuance upon conversion of outstanding mandatory convertible preferred shares. The sale, or availability for sale, of substantial amounts of our common shares in the public market, whether directly by us or resulting from the exercise of options (and, where applicable, sales pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act) or the exchange of Exchangeable Notes or the conversion of mandatory convertible preferred shares for common shares, would be dilutive to existing shareholders, could adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common shares and could impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of equity securities.

Our common share price has been and may continue to be volatile.

The trading price of our common shares has fluctuated in the past and is subject to significant fluctuations in response to the following factors, some of which are beyond our control:

● variations in quarterly operating results;

● deviations in our earnings from publicly disclosed forward-looking guidance;

● variability in our revenues;

● general conditions in and market perceptions of the oil and gas industry;

● uncertainty about current global economic conditions;

● fluctuations in stock market price and volume; and

● other general economic conditions.

The trading market for our common stock is influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts may publish about us, our business, our markets or our competitors. We do not have any control over these analysts and we cannot provide any assurance that analysts will cover us or provide favorable coverage. If any of the analysts who may cover us adversely change their recommendation regarding our stock, or provide more favorable relative recommendations about our competitors, our stock price could materially decline. If any analyst who may cover us were to cease coverage of our Company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to materially decline.

During 2020, our stock price on the NYSE ranged from a high of $166.50 per common share to a low of $10.50 per common share. In recent years, the stock market in general has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations

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that have affected the market price for many companies in industries similar to ours. Some of these fluctuations have been unrelated to the operating performance of the affected companies. These market fluctuations may decrease the market price of our common shares in the future.

Provisions in our organizational documents may be insufficient to thwart a coercive hostile takeover attempt; conversely, these provisions and those in our outstanding debt and Saudi joint venture documents may deter a change of control transaction and decrease the likelihood of a shareholder receiving a change of control premium.

Companies generally seek to prevent coercive takeovers by parties unwilling to pay fair value for the enterprise they acquire. Provisions in our organizational documents that are meant to help us avoid a coercive takeover include:

Certain actions taken by us could make it easier for another party to acquire control of the Company. For instance, in June 2012 we adopted an amendment to our bye-laws to declassify the Board and in 2017 we amended our policy regarding nomination and proxy access for director candidates recommended by shareholders. Conversely, the provisions designed to prevent hostile takeovers, or protect holders of our debt instruments and our joint venture partner, may deter transactions in which shareholders would receive a change of control premium. For example, certain change of control transactions could accelerate the principal amounts outstanding, and require premiums payments, under our debt instruments, or trigger a call option to purchase our interest in SANAD, our joint venture with Saudi Aramco.

As a holding company, we depend on our operating subsidiaries and investments to meet our financial obligations.

We are a holding company with no significant assets other than the stock of our subsidiaries. In order to meet our financial needs and obligations, we rely exclusively on repayments of interest and principal on intercompany loans that we have made to operating subsidiaries and income from dividends and other cash flow from such subsidiaries. There can be no assurance that such operating subsidiaries will generate sufficient net income to pay dividends or sufficient cash flow to make payments of interest and principal to Nabors in respect of intercompany loans. In addition, from time to time, such operating subsidiaries may enter into financing arrangements that contractually restrict or prohibit these types of upstream payments to Nabors. Nabors’ debt instruments do not contain covenants prohibiting any such contractual restrictions. There may also be adverse tax consequences associated with such operating subsidiaries paying dividends. Finally, the ability of our subsidiaries to make distributions to us, may be restricted by the laws of the applicable subsidiaries’ jurisdictions of organization and other laws and regulations. If subsidiaries are unable to distribute or otherwise make payments to us, we may not be able to pay interest or principal on obligations when due, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain the necessary funds from other sources.

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General Risks

Our business, results of operations and financial condition have been and may continue to be adversely impacted by global public health epidemics, including the strain of coronavirus known as COVID-19, and future adverse impacts could be material and difficult to predict.

The global spread of the strain of coronavirus known as COVID-19 and its variants, which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, has adversely impacted our operations and the operations of our customers. The outbreak triggered a sharp sell-off in energy commodities markets during the first quarter of 2020, as economic activity tumbled as a result of government impositions of mandatory closures, quarantines and other restrictions on, or advisories with respect to, travel, business operations and public gatherings or interactions. Certain jurisdictions recently have begun re-opening only to return to restrictions in the face of increases in new COVID-19 cases, while other jurisdictions are continuing to re-open or have nearly completed the re-opening process despite increases in COVID-19 cases. The pandemic may significantly worsen during the upcoming months, which may cause governmental authorities to reconsider restrictions on business, travel, and other activities.

The significant weakness in oil and natural gas prices resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in sharp reductions in the exploration and production capital and operating budgets of our customers. Demand for our services and associated product offerings, and the rates we are able to charge to customers, is closely tied to such exploration and production activities and the significant price weakness and associated volatility surrounding these events has had, and is likely to continue to have, an adverse impact on the demand for our services.

NBR US Equity

NBR · 10-K · period ended 2020-12-31

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

NBR US Equity☆

NBR · 10-K · period ended 2020-12-31

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

NBR US Equity