Description Of The Business And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

We are one of the leading providers of offshore contract drilling services to the international oil and gas industry. We own and operate an offshore drilling rig fleet of 56 rigs spanning most of the strategic markets around the globe. We also have three rigs under construction. Inclusive of our rigs under construction, our fleet includes 12 drillships, 9 dynamically positioned semisubmersible rigs, three moored semisubmersible rigs and 35 jackup rigs. We operate the world's largest fleet amongst competitive rigs, including one of the newest ultra-deepwater fleets in the industry and a leading premium jackup fleet.

Our customers include many of the leading national and international oil companies, in addition to many independent operators. We are among the most geographically diverse offshore drilling companies, with current operations spanning 14 countries on six continents. The markets in which we operate include the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, the Mediterranean, the North Sea, the Middle East, West Africa, Australia and Southeast Asia.

We provide drilling services on a day rate contract basis. Under day rate contracts, we provide an integrated service that includes the provision of a drilling rig and rig crews for which we receive a daily rate that may vary between the full rate and zero rate throughout the duration of the contractual term, depending on the operations of the rig. We also may receive lump-sum fees or similar compensation for the mobilization, demobilization and capital upgrades of our rigs. Our customers bear substantially all of the costs of constructing the well and supporting drilling operations, as well as the economic risk relative to the success of the well.

Merger

On October 6, 2017 (the "Merger Date"), we completed a merger transaction (the "Atwood Merger") with Atwood Oceanics, Inc. ("Atwood") and Echo Merger Sub, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ensco plc. Pursuant to the merger agreement, Echo Merger Sub, LLC, merged with and into Atwood, with Atwood as the surviving entity and an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Ensco plc. Total consideration delivered in the Atwood Merger consisted of 132.2 million of our Class A ordinary shares and $11.1 million of cash in settlement of certain share-based payment awards. The total aggregate value of consideration transferred was $781.8 million. Additionally, upon closing of the Atwood Merger, we utilized cash acquired of $445.4 million and cash on hand to extinguish Atwood's revolving credit facility, outstanding senior notes and accrued interest totaling $1.3 billion. The estimated fair values assigned to assets acquired net of liabilities assumed exceeded the consideration transferred, resulting in a bargain purchase gain of $140.2 million that was recognized during the fourth quarter of 2017. During 2018, we recognized measurement period adjustments as we completed our fair value assessments resulting in additional bargain purchase gain of $1.8 million.

Basis Of Presentation-U.K. Companies Act 2006 Section 435 Statement

Basis of Presentation—U.K. Companies Act 2006 Section 435 Statement

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, which the Board of Directors consider to be the most meaningful presentation of our results of operations and financial position. The accompanying consolidated financial statements do not constitute U.K. statutory accounts for the year ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 as required to be prepared under the U.K. Companies Act 2006. The U.K. statutory accounts are prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102, the financial reporting standard applicable in the U.K. and Republic of Ireland (“FRS 102”). The auditor has reported on the U.K. statutory accounts for the year ended December 31, 2017; their report was (i) unqualified, (ii) did not include a reference to any matters to which the auditor drew attention by way of emphasis without qualifying their report and (iii) did not contain a statement under section 498 (2) or (3) of the U.K. Companies Act 2006. The U.K. statutory accounts for the year ended December 31, 2018 have yet to be finalized and will be delivered to the U.K. registrar of companies during 2019.

Principles Of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Ensco plc, those of our wholly-owned subsidiaries and entities in which we hold a controlling financial interest. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Certain previously reported amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

Pervasiveness Of Estimates

Pervasiveness of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires us to make certain estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the related revenues and expenses and disclosures of gain and loss contingencies as of the date of the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Foreign Currency Remeasurement And Translation

Foreign Currency Remeasurement and Translation

Our functional currency is the U.S. dollar. As is customary in the oil and gas industry, a majority of our revenues and expenses are denominated in U.S. dollars; however, a portion of the revenues earned and expenses incurred by certain of our subsidiaries are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. These transactions are remeasured in U.S. dollars based on a combination of both current and historical exchange rates. Most transaction gains and losses, including certain gains and losses on our derivative instruments, are included in other, net, in our consolidated statement of operations. Certain gains and losses from the translation of foreign currency balances of our non-U.S. dollar functional currency subsidiaries are included in accumulated other comprehensive income on our consolidated balance sheet. Net foreign currency exchange losses, inclusive of offsetting fair value derivatives, were $17.2 million, $5.1 million and $6.0 million, and were included in other, net, in our consolidated statements of operations for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Cash Equivalents And Short-Term Investments

Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments

Highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase are considered cash equivalents. Highly liquid investments with maturities of greater than three months but less than one year at the date of purchase are classified as short-term investments.

Short-term investments consisted of time deposits with initial maturities in excess of three months but less than one year and totaled $329.0 million and $440.0 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Cash flows from purchases and maturities of short-term investments were classified as investing activities in our consolidated statements of cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016. To mitigate our credit risk, our investments in time deposits are diversified across multiple, high-quality financial institutions.

Property And Equipment

Property and Equipment

All costs incurred in connection with the acquisition, construction, major enhancement and improvement of assets are capitalized, including allocations of interest incurred during periods that our drilling rigs are under construction or undergoing major enhancements and improvements. Costs incurred to place an asset into service are capitalized, including costs related to the initial mobilization of a newbuild drilling rig. Repair and maintenance costs are charged to contract drilling expense in the period in which they are incurred. Upon the sale or retirement of assets, the related cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the balance sheet, and the resulting gain or loss is included in contract drilling expense, unless reclassified to discontinued operations.

Our property and equipment is depreciated on a straight-line basis, after allowing for salvage values, over the estimated useful lives of our assets. Drilling rigs and related equipment are depreciated over estimated useful lives ranging from four to 35 years. Buildings and improvements are depreciated over estimated useful lives ranging from seven to 30 years. Other equipment, including computer and communications hardware and software costs, is depreciated over estimated useful lives ranging from three to six years.

We evaluate the carrying value of our property and equipment for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of such assets may not be recoverable. For property and equipment used in our operations, recoverability generally is determined by comparing the carrying value of an asset to the expected undiscounted future cash flows of the asset. If the carrying value of an asset is not recoverable, the amount of impairment loss is measured as the difference between the carrying value of the asset and its estimated fair value. Property and equipment held-for-sale is recorded at the lower of net book value or fair value less cost to sell.

We recorded pre-tax, non-cash impairment losses related to long-lived assets of $40.3 million and $182.9 million during 2018 and 2017, respectively. See "Note 5 - Property and Equipment" for additional information on our impairment charges.

If the global economy deteriorates and/or our expectations relative to future offshore drilling industry conditions decline, it is reasonably possible that additional impairment charges may occur with respect to specific individual rigs, groups of rigs, such as a specific type of drilling rig, or rigs in a certain geographic location

Operating Revenues And Expenses

Operating Revenues and Expenses

See "Note 2 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers" for information on our accounting policies for revenue recognition and certain operating costs that are deferred and amortized over future periods, which reflects our revenue recognition policies subsequent to our adoption of ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, effective January 1, 2018. Prior to our adoption of ASC Topic 606, we recognized revenue in accordance with prior guidance under ASC Topic 605. With the exception of a change in our policy to recognize demobilization revenue over the related contract term, if certain conditions are met, our revenue recognition policies are substantively unchanged as a result of our adoption of ASC Topic 606.

Derivative Instruments

We use derivatives to reduce our exposure to various market risks, primarily foreign currency exchange rate risk. See "Note 7 - Derivative Instruments" for additional information on how and why we use derivatives.

All derivatives are recorded on our consolidated balance sheet at fair value. Derivatives subject to legally enforceable master netting agreements are not offset on our consolidated balance sheet. Accounting for the gains and losses resulting from changes in the fair value of derivatives depends on the use of the derivative and whether it qualifies for hedge accounting. Derivatives qualify for hedge accounting when they are formally designated as hedges and are effective in reducing the risk exposure that they are designated to hedge.

Changes in the fair value of derivatives that are designated as hedges of the variability in expected future cash flows associated with existing recognized assets or liabilities or forecasted transactions ("cash flow hedges") are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI"). Amounts recorded in AOCI associated with cash flow hedges are subsequently reclassified into contract drilling, depreciation or interest expense as earnings are affected by the underlying hedged forecasted transactions.

Gains and losses on a cash flow hedge, or a portion of a cash flow hedge, that no longer qualifies as effective due to an unanticipated change in the forecasted transaction are recognized currently in earnings and included in other, net, in our consolidated statement of operations based on the change in the fair value of the derivative. When a forecasted transaction becomes probable of not occurring, gains and losses on the derivative previously recorded in AOCI are reclassified currently into earnings and included in other, net, in our consolidated statement of operations.

We occasionally enter into derivatives that hedge the fair value of recognized assets or liabilities, but do not designate such derivatives as hedges or the derivatives otherwise do not qualify for hedge accounting. In these situations, a natural hedging relationship generally exists where changes in the fair value of the derivatives offset changes in the fair value of the underlying hedged items. Changes in the fair value of these derivatives are recognized currently in earnings in other, net, in our consolidated statement of operations.

Derivatives with asset fair values are reported in other current assets or other assets, net, on our consolidated balance sheet depending on maturity date. Derivatives with liability fair values are reported in accrued liabilities and other, or other liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet depending on maturity date.

Income Taxes

We conduct operations and earn income in numerous countries. Current income taxes are recognized for the amount of taxes payable or refundable based on the laws and income tax rates in the taxing jurisdictions in which operations are conducted and income is earned.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the anticipated future tax effects of temporary differences between the financial statement basis and the tax basis of our assets and liabilities using the enacted tax rates in effect at year-end. A valuation allowance for deferred tax assets is recorded when it is more-likely-than-not that the benefit from the deferred tax asset will not be realized. We do not offset deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities attributable to different tax paying jurisdictions.

We operate in certain jurisdictions where tax laws relating to the offshore drilling industry are not well developed and change frequently. Furthermore, we may enter into transactions with affiliates or employ other tax planning strategies that generally are subject to complex tax regulations. As a result of the foregoing, the tax liabilities and assets we recognize in our financial statements may differ from the tax positions taken, or expected to be taken, in our tax returns. Our tax positions are evaluated for recognition using a more-likely-than-not threshold, and those tax positions requiring recognition are measured as the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon effective settlement with a taxing authority that has full knowledge of all relevant information. Interest and penalties relating to income taxes are included in current income tax expense in our consolidated statement of operations.

Our drilling rigs frequently move from one taxing jurisdiction to another based on where they are contracted to perform drilling services. The movement of drilling rigs among taxing jurisdictions may involve a transfer of drilling rig ownership among our subsidiaries through an intercompany rig sale. The pre-tax profit resulting from an intercompany rig sale is eliminated from our consolidated financial statements, and the carrying value of a rig sold in an intercompany transaction remains at historical net depreciated cost prior to the transaction. Our consolidated financial statements do not reflect the asset disposition transaction of the selling subsidiary or the asset acquisition transaction of the acquiring subsidiary. Prior to our adoption of Accounting Standards Update 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory (“Update 2016-16”) on January 1, 2017, income taxes resulting from an intercompany rig sale, as well as the tax effect of any reversing temporary differences resulting from the sale, were deferred and amortized on a straight-line basis over the remaining useful life of the rig. Subsequent to our adoption of Update 2016-16, the income tax effects resulting from intercompany rig sales are recognized in earnings in the period in which the sale occurs.

In some instances, we may determine that certain temporary differences will not result in a taxable or deductible amount in future years, as it is more-likely-than-not we will commence operations and depart from a given taxing jurisdiction without such temporary differences being recovered or settled. Under these circumstances, no future tax consequences are expected and no deferred taxes are recognized in connection with such operations. We evaluate these determinations on a periodic basis and, in the event our expectations relative to future tax consequences change, the applicable deferred taxes are recognized or derecognized.

We do not provide deferred taxes on the undistributed earnings of certain subsidiaries because our policy and intention is to reinvest such earnings indefinitely. Should we make a distribution from these subsidiaries in the form of dividends or otherwise, we may be subject to additional income taxes.

The U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“U.S. tax reform”) was enacted on December 22, 2017 and introduced significant changes to U.S. income tax law, including a reduction in the statutory income tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018, a one-time transition tax on deemed repatriation of deferred foreign income, a base erosion anti-abuse tax that effectively imposes a minimum tax on certain payments to non-U.S. affiliates, new and revised rules relating to the current taxation of certain income of foreign subsidiaries and revised rules associated with limitations on the deduction of interest. See "Note 10 - Income Taxes" for additional information.

Share-Based Compensation

We sponsor share-based compensation plans that provide equity compensation to our key employees, officers and non-employee directors. Our Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “2018 LTIP”) allows our Board of Directors to authorize share grants to be settled in cash or shares. Compensation expense for share awards to be settled in shares is measured at fair value on the date of grant and recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period (usually the vesting period). Compensation expense for share awards to be settled in cash is remeasured each quarter with a cumulative adjustment to compensation cost during the period based on changes in our share price. Any adjustments to the compensation cost recognized in our consolidated statement of operations for awards that are forfeited are recognized in the period in which the forfeitures occur. See "Note 9 - Benefit Plans" for additional information on our share-based compensation.

Fair Value Measurements

We measure certain of our assets and liabilities based on a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy assigns the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities ("Level 1") and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs ("Level 3"). Level 2 measurements represent inputs that are observable for similar assets or liabilities, either directly or indirectly, other than quoted prices included within Level 1. See "Note 4 - Fair Value Measurements" for additional information on the fair value measurement of certain of our assets and liabilities.

Noncontrolling Interests

Third parties hold a noncontrolling ownership interest in certain of our non-U.S. subsidiaries. Noncontrolling interests are classified as equity on our consolidated balance sheet and net income attributable to noncontrolling interests is presented separately in our consolidated statement of operations. For each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2018, all income attributable to noncontrolling interest was from continuing operations.

Earnings Per Share

We compute basic and diluted earnings per share ("EPS") in accordance with the two-class method. Net income (loss) attributable to Ensco used in our computations of basic and diluted EPS is adjusted to exclude net income allocated to non-vested shares granted to our employees and non-employee directors. Weighted-average shares outstanding used in our computation of diluted EPS is calculated using the treasury stock method and includes the effect of all potentially dilutive performance awards and excludes non-vested shares. In each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2018, our potentially dilutive instruments were not included in the computation of diluted EPS as the effect of including these shares in the calculation would have been anti-dilutive.

The following table is a reconciliation of income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Ensco shares used in our basic and diluted EPS computations for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2018 (in millions):



	2018			2017			2016
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Ensco	$	(631.6	)	$	(304.7	)	$	882.1
Income from continuing operations allocated to non-vested share awards	(.5		)	(.4		)	(16.6		)
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Ensco shares	$	(632.1	)	$	(305.1	)	$	865.5

Anti-dilutive share awards totaling 1.5 million, 2.0 million and 500,000 for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively, were excluded from the computation of diluted EPS.

During 2016, we issued our 3.00% exchangeable senior notes due 2024 (the "2024 Convertible Notes"). See "Note 6 - Debt" for additional information on this issuance. We have the option to settle the notes in cash, shares or a combination thereof for the aggregate amount due upon conversion. Our intent is to settle the principal amount of the 2024 Convertible Notes in cash upon conversion. If the conversion value exceeds the principal amount (i.e., our share price exceeds the exchange price on the date of conversion), we expect to deliver shares equal to the remainder of our conversion obligation in excess of the principal amount.

During each respective reporting period that our average share price exceeds the exchange price, an assumed number of shares required to settle the conversion obligation in excess of the principal amount will be included in our denominator for the computation of diluted EPS using the treasury stock method. Our average share price did not exceed the exchange price during the years ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017.

New Accounting Pronouncements

Recently adopted accounting standards

In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") issued Update 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract ("Update 2018-15"), which aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software (and hosting arrangements that included an internal-use software license). This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. We elected to early-adopt Update 2018-15 effective October 1, 2018. As a result of adopting Update 2018-15, we began deferring and amortizing certain costs incurred to implement cloud computing arrangements that would have been recognized as incurred under previous guidance. We do not expect our adoption of Update 2018-15 to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations in future periods.

In February 2018, the FASB issued Update 2018-02, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects From Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income ("Update 2018-02"), which allows for a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from U.S. tax reform. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. We adopted Update 2018-02 effective January 1, 2018. As a result, we reclassified a total of $800,000 in tax effects from AOCI to opening retained earnings.

In October 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory (“Update 2016-16”), which requires entities to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transaction occurs as opposed to deferring tax consequences and amortizing them into future periods. We adopted Update 2016-16 on a modified retrospective basis effective January 1, 2017. As a result of modified retrospective application, we reduced prepaid taxes on intercompany transfers of property and related deferred tax liabilities resulting in the recognition of a cumulative-effect reduction in retained earnings of $14.1 million on our consolidated balance sheet as of January 1, 2017.

During 2014, the FASB issued Update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) ("Update 2014-09"), which requires entities to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. Update 2014-09 is effective for annual and interim periods for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. We adopted Update 2014-09 effective January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective approach. Only customer contracts that were not completed as of the effective adoption date were evaluated under the transition guidance to determine if a cumulative catch-up adjustment to retained earnings was warranted. Revenues recognized in prior years for customer contracts that expired prior to the effective adoption date continue to be reported under the previous revenue recognition guidance. Our adoption of Update 2014-09 did not result in a cumulative effect on retained earnings and no adjustments were made to prior periods. While Update 2014-09 requires additional disclosure regarding revenues recognized from customer contracts, our adoption did not have a material impact on the recognition of current or prior period revenues as compared to previous guidance nor do we expect a material impact to our pattern of revenue recognition in future periods. See "Note 2 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers" for additional information.

Recently issued accounting standards

In August 2017, the FASB issued Update 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities ("Update 2017-12"), which will make more hedging strategies eligible for hedge accounting. It also amends presentation and disclosure requirements and changes how companies assess effectiveness. This update is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the effect that Update 2017-12 will have on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. However, we do not expect our adoption of Update 2017-12 to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations.

During 2016, the FASB issued Update 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) ("Update 2016-02"), which requires an entity to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and to disclose key qualitative and quantitative information about the entity's leasing arrangements. This update is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. During our evaluation of Update 2016-02, we concluded that our drilling contracts contain a lease component. In July 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842), Targeted Improvements, which (1) provides for a new transition method whereby entities may elect to adopt the Update using a prospective with cumulative catch-up approach and (2) provides lessors with a practical expedient, by class of underlying asset, to not separate lease and non-lease components and account for the combined component under Topic 606 when the non-lease component is the predominant element of the combined component. The lessor practical expedient is limited to circumstances in which the lease, if accounted for separately, would be classified as an operating lease under Topic 842. While we are still finalizing our analysis, we believe the non-lease component of our contracts is the predominant element and that the lease component, if accounted for separately, would be classified as an operating lease. Accordingly, we expect that substantially all of our contracts will qualify for the practical expedient provided for in Update 2018-11. Therefore, we expect to elect the practical expedient prescribed in Update 2018-11 and account for the combined component as a single component under Topic 606. We do not expect our adoption to have a material impact on the recognition of current or prior period revenues as compared to previous guidance nor do we expect a material impact to our pattern of revenue recognition in future periods. With respect to leases whereby we are the lessee, we expect to recognize upon adoption on January 1, 2019 lease liabilities ranging from approximately $75 million to $80 million and offsetting "right of use" assets ranging from approximately $65 million to $70 million. Our adoption of Update 2016-02 is not expected to have a material impact on our ability to comply with current debt covenants.

With the exception of the updated standards discussed above, there have been no accounting pronouncements issued and not yet effective that have significance, or potential significance, to our consolidated financial statements.