Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported contract drilling revenues of $1.03 billion for Q3 2025, with an average daily revenue of approximately $462,000, slightly above guidance due to the performance of the Deepwater Skiros [18] - Operating and maintenance expenses were $584 million, below guidance primarily due to deferred maintenance costs and a favorable legal dispute outcome [19] - Total liquidity at the end of Q3 was approximately $1.8 billion, including $833 million in unrestricted cash and $510 million from an undrawn revolving credit facility [19][20] - The company expects to end 2025 with total liquidity slightly above $1.4 billion, reflecting cash usage for debt reduction [23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company plans to retire nine rigs by mid-2026, including four drillships and one semi-submersible, to align with evolving costs and customer needs [6][7] - The fleet now consists of 24 contracted ultra-deepwater drillships and high-specification harsh environment semi-submersibles, with three additional seventh-generation drillships currently cold stacked [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Industry projections suggest an increase in upstream investment in offshore drilling, particularly in the deepwater segment, driven by the need to address supply imbalances [10] - The company anticipates a 10% growth in contracted floaters over the next 18 months, with stable activity in the U.S. Gulf and upcoming tenders in Brazil and Africa [11][12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on optimizing asset value and maintaining a disciplined approach to deploying its high-specification fleet, while also reducing debt and interest expenses [6][17] - Recent capital market transactions have allowed the company to reduce gross debt by approximately $1.2 billion and annualized interest expense by about $87 million [25][26] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in increasing deepwater utilization, projecting over 90% utilization by the end of 2026, with a potential increase in exploration activity from customers [30][31] - The company noted that customers are prioritizing free cash flow for debt reduction and are taking a measured approach to capital commitments, resulting in deferred near-term demand for drilling services [9] Other Important Information - The company achieved a revenue efficiency of 100% in September and 97.5% for the entire third quarter, reflecting strong operational performance [15] - The company is engaged with Petrobras to explore cost reduction opportunities, which could stimulate more work in Brazil [51][52] Q&A Session Summary Question: Confidence level on deepwater utilization increase - Management remains confident that utilization will exceed 90% by the end of 2026, with expectations for increased exploration activity from oil companies [30][31] Question: Discussions with Petrobras on cost reduction - The company confirmed ongoing discussions with Petrobras focused on reducing costs without materially affecting activity levels [51][52] Question: Future equity raise potential - Management indicated that they anticipate meeting obligations from cash flow and are focused on reducing debt rather than pursuing an equity raise [56][58] Question: Exploratory drilling timelines - Management noted that there is a growing conversation among customers about increasing exploration activity, with expectations for commitments to rigs in 2027 and 2028 [61][62]