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Debt
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Debt DEBT
First Lien Notes

On the April 30, 2021, the Company issued $550.0 million aggregated principal amount of Senior Secured First Lien Notes due 2028 (the "First Lien Notes"). The First Lien Notes were scheduled to mature on April 30, 2028 and accrued interest, at our option, at a rate of: (1) 8.25% per annum, payable in cash; (2) 10.25% per annum, with 50% of such interest to be payable in cash and 50% of such interest to be paid in kind; or (3) 12% per annum, with the entirety of such interest to be paid in kind. Interest was due semi-annually in arrears on May 1 and November 1 of each year and was computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
The Company incurred $5.2 million in issuance costs in 2021 associated with the First Lien Notes. In August 2022, the Company completed a consent solicitation pursuant to which the Company amended the indenture that governed the First Lien Notes to (1) implement a consolidated net income builder basket for restricted payments, increase the general basket for restricted payments from $100.0 million to $175.0 million and make other incremental changes to the Company’s restricted payments capacity and (2) increase the general basket for investments from the greater of $100.0 million and 4.0% of total assets to the greater of $175.0 million and 6.5% of total assets. The Company incurred $3.9 million of costs in connection with the consent solicitation, comprised of a consent fee paid to consenting holders and professional fees. These costs along with the issuance costs incurred in 2021 were amortized into interest expense over the term of the First Lien Notes using the effective interest method.

On April 3, 2023, the Company issued a notice of conditional redemption to the holders of the First Lien Notes at a redemption price equal to 104.0% of the aggregate $550.0 million principal amount of the First Lien Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the redemption date (the “Redemption Price”). On April 19, 2023, in connection with the issuance of our Second Lien Notes, as discussed below, the Company discharged its obligations under the indenture governing the First Lien Notes and deposited the Redemption Price with Wilmington Savings Fund Society, as trustee under such indenture. The First Lien Notes were redeemed on May 3, 2023 for an aggregate redemption price of $571.8 million (excluding accrued and unpaid interest) with a portion of the net proceeds from the issuance of the Initial Second Lien Notes, as discussed below. We accounted for the redemption as an extinguishment of debt and recognized a corresponding loss of $29.2 million, which is included in our Consolidated Statements of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Second Lien Notes

On April 19, 2023, the Company and Valaris Finance Company LLC (“Valaris Finance”), a wholly-owned subsidiary, issued and sold $700.0 million aggregate principal amount of Second Lien Notes (the "Initial Second Lien Notes") in a private placement conducted pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Initial Second Lien Notes were issued at par for net proceeds of $681.4 million, after deducting the initial purchasers’ discount and offering expenses. A portion of the proceeds were used to fund the redemption of all of the outstanding First Lien Notes as discussed above.

On August 21, 2023, the Company and Valaris Finance issued $400.0 million aggregate principal amount of Second Lien Notes (the "Additional Notes") in a private placement conducted pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Additional Notes were issued at 100.75% of par, plus accrued interest from April 19, 2023. The net proceeds were approximately $396.9 million after deducting the initial purchasers’ discount and estimated offering expenses, and excluding accrued interest received of $11.4 million.

The Initial Second Lien Notes and the Additional Notes (together, the "Second Lien Notes") were issued under the Indenture, and mature on April 30, 2030. The Second Lien Notes bear an interest rate of 8.375% per annum with an effective interest rate of 8.76%. Interest is payable semi-annually in arrears on April 30 and October 30 of each year, beginning on October 30, 2023. The Second Lien Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed, jointly and severally, on a senior secured basis by the Guarantors and by each of the Company’s future restricted subsidiaries (other than Valaris Finance) that guarantees any debt of the Issuers or any guarantor under certain future debt in an aggregate principal amount in excess of a certain amount. The Second Lien Notes and the related guarantees are secured on a second-priority basis by the Collateral (as defined below).
On or after April 30, 2026, the Issuers may, at their option, redeem all or any portion of the Second Lien Notes, at once or over time, at the redemption prices set forth below, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the redemption date. The following prices are for Second Lien Notes redeemed during the 12-month period commencing on April 30 of the years set forth below, and are expressed as percentages of principal amount:

Redemption YearPrice
2026104.188%
2027102.094%
2028 and thereafter100.000%

At any time prior to April 30, 2026, the Issuers may, on any one or more occasions, redeem up to 40.0% of the aggregate principal amount of the Second Lien Notes issued under the Indenture (including any additional Second Lien Notes issued in the future) with an amount equal to or less than the net cash proceeds of certain equity offerings, at a redemption price equal to 108.375% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to but not including, the redemption date. In addition, at any time prior to April 30, 2026, the Issuers may redeem up to 10.0% of the aggregate principal amount of the Second Lien Notes during any twelve-month period at a redemption price equal to 103.0% of the aggregate principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the redemption date.

At any time prior to April 30, 2026, the Issuers may redeem some or all of the Second Lien Notes at a price equal to 100.0% of the principal amount of the Second Lien Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the redemption date, plus a “make-whole” premium.

Upon the occurrence of certain Change of Control Triggering Event (as defined in the Indenture), the Issuers may be required to make an offer to repurchase all of the Second Lien Notes then outstanding at a price equal to 101.0% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the repurchase date.

The Indenture contains covenants that, among other things, restrict the Company’s ability and the ability of certain of its subsidiaries to: (i) incur additional debt and issue certain preferred stock; (ii) incur or create liens; (iii) make certain distributions, investments and other restricted payments; (iv) sell or otherwise dispose of certain assets; (v) engage in certain transactions with affiliates; and (vi) merge, consolidate, amalgamate or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets. These covenants are subject to important exceptions and qualifications. In addition, many of these covenants will be suspended with respect to the Second Lien Notes during any time that the Second Lien Notes have investment grade ratings from at least two rating agencies and no default with respect to the Second Lien Notes has occurred and is continuing. As of December 31, 2024, we were in compliance in all material respects with our covenants under the Indenture.

Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility

On April 3, 2023, the Company entered into a senior secured revolving credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”). The Credit Agreement, which is scheduled to mature on April 3, 2028, provides for commitments permitting borrowings of up to $375.0 million (which may be increased, subject to the agreement of lenders to provide such additional commitments and the satisfaction of certain conditions, by an additional $200.0 million pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement) and includes a $150.0 million sublimit for the issuance of letters of credit. Valaris Finance and certain other subsidiaries of the Company (together with Valaris Finance, the “Guarantors”) guarantee the Company’s obligations under the Credit Agreement, and the lenders have a first priority lien on the assets securing the Credit Agreement. The commitments under the Credit Agreement became available to be borrowed on April 19, 2023 (the "Availability Date").
The Credit Agreement and the related guarantees are secured on a first-priority basis, subject to permitted liens, by (a) first preferred ship mortgages over each vessel owned by us and the Guarantors as of the Availability Date, with certain exceptions (the “Collateral Vessels”); (b) first priority assignments of certain insurances and requisition compensation in respect of the Collateral Vessels; (c) first priority pledges of all equity interests in our subsidiaries that own Collateral Vessels and certain subsidiaries that hold equity interests in entities that own vessels (the “Collateral Rig Owners”); (d) first priority assignments of earnings of the Collateral Vessels from the Collateral Rig Owners; (e) any vessels and other assets of ours and the Guarantors that are pledged, at our option, to secure the Credit Agreement; and (f) all proceeds thereof (the "Collateral").

Amounts borrowed under the Credit Agreement are subject to an interest rate per annum equal to, at our option, either (a) a base rate determined as the greatest of (i) a prime rate, (ii) the federal funds rate plus 0.5% and (iii) Term SOFR (as defined in the Credit Agreement) for a one month interest period plus 1.1% (such base rate to be subject to a 1% floor) or (b) Term SOFR plus 0.10% (subject to a 0% floor), plus, in each case of clauses (a) and (b) above, an applicable margin ranging from 1.50% to 3.00% and 2.50% to 4.00%, respectively, based on the credit ratings that are one notch higher than the corporate family ratings provided by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&P”) and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) with respect to Valaris Limited.

Additionally, we are required to pay a quarterly commitment fee to the lenders under the Credit Agreement with respect to the average daily unutilized commitments thereunder at a rate ranging from 0.375% to 0.75% depending on the credit ratings that are one notch higher than the corporate family ratings provided by S&P and Moody’s with respect to Valaris Limited. With respect to each letter of credit issued pursuant to the Credit Agreement, we are required to pay a letter of credit fee equal to the applicable margin in effect for Term SOFR loans and a fronting fee in an amount to be mutually agreed between us and the issuer of such letter of credit. We are also required to pay customary agency fees in respect of the Credit Agreement.

The Credit Agreement contains various covenants that limit, among other things, our and our restricted subsidiaries’ ability to: incur indebtedness; grant liens; dispose of certain assets; make certain acquisitions and investments; redeem or prepay other debt or make other restricted payments such as distributions to shareholders; enter into transactions with affiliates; enter into sale-leaseback transactions; and enter into a merger, amalgamation, consolidation or sale of assets. Further, the Credit Agreement contains financial covenants that require us to maintain (i) a minimum book value of equity to total assets ratio, (ii) a minimum interest coverage ratio and (iii) a minimum amount of liquidity.

As of December 31, 2024, we were in compliance in all material respects with our covenants under the Credit Agreement. We had no amounts outstanding under the Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2024.

Interest Expense

Interest expense totaled $84.8 million, $68.9 million and $45.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 which was net of capitalized interest of $15.9 million, $5.6 million and $1.2 million, respectively, for capital projects.
Amortization of debt premium and issuance costs was $6.6 million, $5.0 million and $1.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and is included within interest expense, net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.