e424b3
Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-152734
PROSPECTUS
Nabors Industries, Inc
Nabors Industries Ltd.
Exchange
Offer for
6.15% Senior Notes due 2018
Fully and unconditionally Guaranteed by Nabors Industries
Ltd.
This is an offer to exchange any 6.15% Senior Notes due
2018 that you now hold for newly issued 6.15% Senior Notes
due 2018. This offer will expire at 5:00 p.m. New York
City time on October 9, 2008, unless we extend the offer.
You must tender your old notes by this deadline in order to
receive the new notes. We do not currently intend to extend the
expiration date.
The exchange of outstanding old notes for new notes in the
exchange offer will not constitute a taxable event for
U.S. federal income tax purposes. The terms of the new
notes to be issued in the exchange offer are substantially
identical to the old notes, except that the new notes will be
freely tradable and will not benefit from the registration and
related rights pursuant to which we are conducting this exchange
offer including an increase in the interest rate related to
defaults in our agreement to carry out this exchange offer. All
untendered old notes will continue to be subject to the
restrictions on transfer set forth in the old notes and in the
applicable indenture.
There is no existing public market for your old notes, and there
is currently no public market for the new notes to be issued to
you in the exchange offer.
Each broker-dealer that receives new notes for its own account
pursuant to the exchange offer must acknowledge that it will
deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such new
notes. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented
from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection
with resales of new notes received in exchange for old notes
where such old notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities.
We have agreed to make this prospectus available for a period of
180 days from the expiration date of this exchange offer to
any broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale.
See Plan of Distribution.
See Risk Factors beginning on page 11 for a
description of the business and financial risks associated with
the new notes.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved of these
securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or
complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
The date of this prospectus is September 10, 2008.
You should rely only on the information contained in this
prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with
additional or different information. If anyone provides you with
different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on
it. We are offering to exchange the notes only in jurisdictions
where these offers and exchanges are permitted. The information
contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of
this prospectus.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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Prospectus Summary
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1
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Forward-Looking Statements
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10
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Risk Factors
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11
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Use of Proceeds
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14
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Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
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14
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Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Data
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15
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The Exchange Offer
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17
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Description of the New Notes
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25
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Book-Entry System
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36
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Taxation
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39
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Certain ERISA Considerations
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41
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Plan of Distribution
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Incorporation by Reference
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42
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Legal Matters
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43
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Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
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Reference in this prospectus to we, us,
and our refer to Nabors Industries, Inc. and
references to Nabors refer to Nabors Industries Ltd.
The old notes consisting of the 6.15% Senior
Notes due 2018 which were issued February 20, 2008 and
July 22, 2008 and the new notes consisting of
the 6.15% Senior Notes due 2018 offered pursuant to this
prospectus are sometimes collectively referred to in this
prospectus as the notes.
Rather than repeat certain information in this prospectus that
we and Nabors have already included in reports filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, we are incorporating this
information by reference, which means that we can disclose
important business, financial and other information to you by
referring to those publicly filed documents that contain the
information. The information incorporated by reference is not
included in or delivered with this prospectus.
We will provide without charge to each person to whom this
prospectus is delivered, including each beneficial owner of old
notes, upon request of such person, a copy of any or all
documents that are incorporated into this prospectus by
reference, other than exhibits to such documents, unless such
exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into the
documents that this prospectus incorporates. You should direct
such requests to: Nabors Corporate Services, Inc., 515 West
Greens Road, Suite 1200, Houston, Texas 77067, Attention:
Investor Relations, phone number
(281) 874-0035.
IN ORDER TO OBTAIN TIMELY DELIVERY, YOU MUST REQUEST THIS
INFORMATION NO LATER THAN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE YOU MUST
MAKE YOUR INVESTMENT DECISION. ACCORDINGLY, YOU MUST REQUEST
THIS INFORMATION NO LATER THAN 5:00 P.M. NEW YORK CITY
TIME ON OCTOBER 2, 2008
PROSPECTUS
SUMMARY
This summary highlights the information contained
elsewhere in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
Because this is only a summary, it does not contain all of the
information that may be important to you. You should read the
following summary together with the more detailed information
and consolidated financial statements and the notes to those
statements included elsewhere in or incorporated by reference in
this prospectus.
Nabors
Industries, Inc.
We are a Delaware holding company and an indirect, wholly-owned
subsidiary of Nabors. Prior to the corporate reorganization that
was completed on June 24, 2002, we were a publicly-traded
corporation. We were incorporated in Delaware on May 3,
1978. Our principal executive offices are located at
515 West Greens Road, Suite 1200, Houston, Texas 77067
and our telephone number at that address is
(281) 874-0035.
Nabors
Industries Ltd.
Nabors became the publicly traded parent company of the Nabors
group of companies, effective June 24, 2002, pursuant to a
corporate reorganization. Nabors common shares are traded
on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NBR.
We are the largest land drilling contractor in the world, with
approximately 548 actively marketed land drilling rigs. We
conduct oil, gas and geothermal land drilling operations in the
U.S. Lower 48 states, Alaska, Canada, South America,
Mexico, the Caribbean, the Middle East, the Far East, Russia and
Africa. We are also one of the largest land well-servicing and
workover contractors in the United States and Canada. We
actively market approximately 577 land workover and
well-servicing rigs in the United States, primarily in the
southwestern and western United States, and actively
markets approximately 172 land workover and well-servicing
rigs in Canada. Nabors is a leading provider of offshore
platform workover and drilling rigs, and actively markets
approximately 36 platform rigs, 13
jack-up
units and 4 barge rigs in the United States and multiple
international markets. These rigs provide well-servicing,
workover and drilling services. We have a 51% ownership interest
in a joint venture in Saudi Arabia, which actively owns and
markets approximately 9 rigs in addition to the rigs we lease to
the joint venture.
We also offer a wide range of ancillary well-site services,
including engineering, transportation, construction,
maintenance, well logging, directional drilling, rig
instrumentation, data collection and other support services in
selected domestic and international markets. We provide
logistics services for onshore drilling in Canada using
helicopters and fixed-winged aircraft. We manufacture and lease
or sell top drives for a broad range of drilling applications,
directional drilling systems, rig instrumentation and data
collection equipment, pipeline handling equipment and rig
reporting software. We also invest in oil and gas exploration,
development and production activities and have 49% ownership
interests in joint ventures in the U.S., Canada and
International areas.
The majority of our business is conducted through our various
Contract Drilling operating segments, which include our
drilling, workover and well-servicing operations, on land and
offshore. Our oil and gas exploration, development and
production operations are included in a category labeled Oil and
Gas for segment reporting purposes. Our operating segments
engaged in drilling technology and top drive manufacturing,
directional drilling, rig instrumentation and software, and
construction and logistics operations are aggregated in a
category labeled Other Operating Segments for segment reporting
purposes.
Nabors was formed as a Bermuda exempt company on
December 11, 2001. Through predecessors and acquired
entities, Nabors has been continuously operating in the drilling
sector since the early 1900s. Nabors principal executive
offices are located at Mintflower Place, 8 Par-La-Ville
Road, Hamilton, HM08, Bermuda and its telephone number at that
address is
(441) 292-1510.
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Recent
Developments
On May 14, 2008 and following shareholder notification on
March 19, 2008, the United States District Court for the
Southern District of Texas granted final approval of the
proposed settlement of Karstedt v. Isenberg, et al.,
a consolidated shareholder derivative action that alleged
various claims for relief in connection with the Nabors
granting of certain historical stock options. Under the terms of
the settlement, Nabors and the individual defendants have
implemented or will implement certain corporate governance
reforms and adopt certain modifications to Nabors equity
award policy and Compensation Committee charter with no
financial accounting impact. Nabors and its insurers have agreed
to pay up to $2.85 million to plaintiffs counsel for
their attorneys fees and the reimbursement of their
expenses and costs.
In May 2008, we called for redemption all of our
$700 million aggregate principal amount of zero coupon
senior exchangeable notes due 2023 (the 2023 Notes
Redemption) and paid cash of $171.8 million and
$528.2 million to holders in June 2008 and July 2008,
respectively. The total amount paid to effect the redemption and
related exchange was $700 million in cash and an issue of
approximately 5.25 million common shares of Nabors with a
fair value of approximately $249.8 million, such amount
being equal to the principal amount of these notes plus
applicable premium. We were required to pay holders cash up to
the principal amount of the redeemed 2023 notes and we exercised
our option to pay the applicable premium in common shares of
Nabors.
During the three months ended June 30, 2008, Nabors
repurchased approximately 3.5 million of its common shares
in the open market for approximately $145.9 million.
On July 7, 2008, we redeemed the full $82.8 million
aggregate principal amount at maturity of our zero coupon
convertible senior debentures due 2021 (the 2021
Debentures Redemption). The total redemption price of
these debentures was $60.6 million, consisting of the
original issue price of these debentures plus accrued original
issue discount.
In May 2008 the FASB issued Staff Position (FSP) APB
No. 14-1,
Accounting for Convertible Debt Instruments That May Be
Settled in Cash upon Conversion (Including Partial Cash
Settlement). The FSP clarifies that convertible debt
instruments that may be settled in cash upon conversion
(including partial cash settlement) are not addressed by
paragraph 12 of APB Opinion No. 14, Accounting
for Convertible Debt and Debt Issued with Stock Purchase
Warrants. The FSP requires that convertible debt
instruments be accounted for with a liability component based on
the fair value of a similar nonconvertible debt instrument and
an equity component based on the excess of the initial proceeds
from the convertible debt instrument over the liability
component. Such excess represents a debt discount which is then
amortized as additional non-cash interest expense over the
convertible debt instruments expected life. The FSP will
be effective for Nabors financial statements issued for
fiscal years and interim periods beginning after
December 15, 2008, and will be applied retrospectively to
all convertible debt instruments within its scope that are
outstanding for any period presented in such financial
statements. We intend to adopt the FSP on January 1, 2009
on a retrospective basis and apply it to our applicable
convertible debt instruments. Although we are currently
evaluating the impact that this FSP will have on our
consolidated financial statements, we believe that the
retrospective application of the FSP will have a significant
effect in reducing reported net income and diluted earnings per
share for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2008. In
addition, we believe net income and diluted earnings per share
is expected to be materially reduced in future years in which
our $2.75 billion senior exchangeable notes due May 2011
are included in our consolidated financial statements. After
adopting this FSP, we currently estimate that we will record
additional non-cash interest expense, net of capitalized
interest, which will reduce our pre-tax income by approximately
$100-110 million and reduce net income by approximately
$60-70 million for the year ended December 31, 2009.
2
The
Exchange Offer
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Notes Offered for Exchange |
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We are offering up to $975,000,000 in aggregate principal amount
of our new 6.15% Senior Notes due 2018 in exchange for an
equal aggregate principal amount of our old 6.15% Senior
Notes due 2018 on a one-for-one basis and in satisfaction of our
obligations under two registration rights agreements. |
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The new notes have substantially the same terms as the old notes
you hold, except that the new notes have been registered under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, referred to as the
Securities Act, and therefore will be freely
tradable and will not benefit from the registration and related
rights pursuant to which we are conducting this exchange offer
including an increase in the interest rate related to defaults
in our agreement to carry out this exchange offer. |
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The Exchange Offer |
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We are offering to exchange $1,000 principal amount at maturity
of new notes for each $1,000 principal amount at maturity of
your old notes. In order to be exchanged, your old notes must be
properly tendered and accepted. All old notes that are validly
tendered and not withdrawn will be exchanged. |
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Required Representations |
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By tendering your old notes to us, you represent that: |
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(i) any new notes received by
you will be acquired in the ordinary course of your business; |
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(ii) you have no arrangement
or understanding with anyone to participate in the distribution
of the old notes or the new notes within the meaning of the
Securities Act; |
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(iii) you are not an
affiliate, within the meaning in Rule 501(b) of
Regulation D of the Securities Act, of us or Nabors; |
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(iv) you are not engaged in,
and do not intend to engage in, the distribution of the new
notes; and |
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(v) if you are a
broker-dealer, you will receive new notes for your own account
in exchange for old notes that were acquired as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities and that
you will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of
such new notes. |
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See The Exchange Offer Representations We Need
From You Before You May Participate in the Exchange Offer
and Plan of Distribution. |
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Those Excluded from the Exchange Offer
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You may not participate in the exchange offer if you are: |
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a holder of old notes in any jurisdiction in which
the exchange offer is not, or your acceptance will not be, legal
under the applicable securities or blue sky laws of that
jurisdiction; or
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a holder of old notes who is an affiliate, within
the meaning in Rule 501(b) of Regulation D of the
Securities Act, of us or Nabors.
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Consequences of Failure to Exchange Your Old Notes
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After the exchange offer is complete, you will no longer be
entitled to exchange your old notes for registered notes. If you
do not exchange your old notes for new notes in the exchange
offer, your old notes will continue to have the restrictions on
transfer contained in the old notes and in the Indenture dated
as of February 20, 2008 among us, Nabors |
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and Wells Fargo Bank as trustee, referred to as the
Indenture. In general, your old notes may not be
offered or sold unless registered under the Securities Act,
unless there is an exemption from, or unless in a transaction
not governed by the Securities Act and applicable state
securities laws. We have no current plans to register your old
notes under the Securities Act. Under some circumstances,
however, holders of the old notes, including holders who are not
permitted to participate in the exchange offer or who may not
freely sell new notes received in the exchange offer, may
require us to file, and to cause to become effective, a shelf
registration statement covering resales of the old notes by
these holders. |
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Expiration Date |
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The exchange offer expires at 5:00 p.m., New York City
time, on October 9, 2008, the expiration date, unless we
extend the offer. We do not currently intend to extend the
expiration date. |
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Conditions to the Exchange Offer |
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The exchange offer has customary conditions that may be waived
by us. There is no minimum amount of old notes that must be
tendered to complete the exchange offer. |
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Procedures for Tendering Your Old Notes
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If you wish to tender your old notes for exchange in the
exchange offer, you or the custodial entity through which you
hold your notes must send to Wells Fargo Bank, National
Association, referred to as Wells Fargo Bank, the
exchange agent, on or before the expiration date of the exchange
offer: |
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a properly completed and executed letter of
transmittal, which has been provided to you with this
prospectus, together with your old notes and any other
documentation requested by the letter of transmittal; and
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for holders who hold their positions through The
Depository Trust Company, referred to as DTC;
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an agents message from DTC stating that the
tendering participant agrees to be bound by the letter of
transmittal and the terms of the exchange offer;
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your old notes by timely confirmation of book-entry
transfer through DTC; and
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all other documents required by the letter of
transmittal.
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Holders who hold their positions through Euroclear and
Clearstream, Luxembourg must adhere to the procedures described
in The Exchange Offer Procedures for Tendering
Your Old Notes. |
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Special Procedures for Beneficial Owners
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If you beneficially own old notes registered in the name of a
broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee
and you wish to tender your old notes in the exchange offer, you
should contact the registered holder promptly and instruct it to
tender on your behalf. |
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Guaranteed Delivery Procedures for Tendering Old Notes
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If you wish to tender your old notes and the old notes are not
immediately available, or time will not permit your old notes or
other required documents to reach Wells Fargo Bank, before the
expiration date, or the procedure for book-entry transfer cannot
be completed on |
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a timely basis, you may tender your old notes according to the
guaranteed delivery procedures set forth under The
Exchange Offer Guaranteed Delivery Procedures. |
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Withdrawal Rights |
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You may withdraw the tender of your old notes at any time prior
to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date. |
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U.S. Tax Considerations |
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The exchange of old notes for new notes will not constitute a
taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Rather, the
notes you receive in the exchange offer will be treated as a
continuation of your investment in the old notes. For additional
information regarding U.S. federal income tax considerations,
you should read the discussion under Taxation. |
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Use of Proceeds |
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We will not receive any proceeds from the issuance of the notes
in the exchange offer. We will pay all expenses incidental to
the exchange offer. |
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Registration Rights Agreements |
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When we issued the old notes on February 20, 2008 and
July 22, 2008 we entered into a registration rights
agreement with the initial purchasers of the old notes on each
date. Under the terms of the registration rights agreements, we
agreed to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
referred to as the SEC, and use our reasonable best
efforts to cause to become effective by August 20, 2008 for
the old notes issued February 20, 2008 and
September 10, 2008 for the old notes issued July 22,
2008, a registration statement relating to an offer to exchange
the old notes for the new notes. |
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If we do not complete the exchange offer by October 20,
2008, the interest rate borne by the old notes will be increased
0.25% per annum until the exchange offer is completed, or until
the old notes are freely transferable under Rule 144 of the
Securities Act. In addition, if the exchange offer registration
statement ceases to be effective or usable in connection with
resales of the new notes during periods specified in the
registration rights agreements, the interest rate borne by the
old notes and the new notes will be increased 0.25% per annum
until the registration defects are cured. |
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Resales |
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Based on interpretations by the staff of the SEC, as set forth
in no-action letters issued to third parties, we believe that
the new notes issued in the exchange offer may be offered for
resale, resold or otherwise transferred by you without
compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 as long as: |
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any new notes you receive in the exchange offer will
be acquired by you in the ordinary course of you business;
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you have no arrangement or understanding with any
person to participate in the distribution, as defined in the
Securities Act, of the old notes or the new notes;
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you are not an affiliate, as defined in
Rule 501(b) of Regulation D of the Securities Act, of
us or Nabors.
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If you are an affiliate of ours, are engaged in or intend to
engage in or have any arrangement or understanding with any
person to participate in the distribution of the new notes: |
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you cannot rely on the applicable interpretations of
the staff of the SEC; and
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you must comply with the registration requirements
of the Securities Act in connection with any resale transaction.
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Each broker or dealer that receives new notes for its own
account in exchange for old notes that were acquired as a result
of market-making or other trading activities may be a statutory
underwriter and must acknowledge that it will comply with the
registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act in connection with any offer, resale, or other
transfer of the new notes issued in the exchange offer,
including information with respect to any selling holder
required by the Securities Act in connection with any resale of
the new notes and must confirm that it has not entered into any
arrangement or understanding with us or Nabors or any of our
affiliates to distribute the new notes. |
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Furthermore, any broker-dealer that acquired any of its old
notes directly from us: |
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may not rely on the applicable interpretation of the
staff of the SECs position contained in Exxon Capital
Holdings Corporation (pub. avail. May 13, 1988), Morgan
Stanley and Co., Inc. (pub. avail. June 5, 1991), as
interpreted in the Commissions letter to
Shearman & Sterling dated July 2, 1993 and
similar no-action letters; and
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must also be named as a selling noteholder in
connection with the registration and prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act relating to any resale
transaction.
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See Plan of Distribution and The Exchange
Offer Purpose and Effect of Exchange Offer
Registration Rights. |
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Broker-Dealers |
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Each broker-dealer that receives new notes for its own account
in exchange for old notes, where such old notes were acquired by
such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or
other trading activities, must acknowledge that it will comply
with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of
the Securities Act in connection with any offer, resale or other
transfer of such new notes, including information with respect
to any selling holder required by the Securities Act in
connection with the resale of the new notes and must confirm
that it has not entered into any arrangement or understanding
with us or Nabors or any of our affiliates to distribute the new
notes. We have agreed that for a period of 180 days after
the Expiration Date (as defined in this prospectus), we will
make this prospectus available to any broker-dealer for use in
connection with any such resale. See Plan of
Distribution. |
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Exchange Agent |
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Wells Fargo Bank is serving as the exchange agent. Its address,
telephone number and facsimile number are: |
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Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Corporate Trust Operations
608
2nd
Avenue South
Northstar East Building 12th Floor
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Telephone:
(800) 334-5128
Fax:
(612) 667-6282
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Please review the information under the heading The
Exchange Offer for more detailed information concerning
the exchange offer.
7
The New
Notes
The summary below describes the principal terms of the new notes
to be issued in exchange for the old notes. Certain of the terms
and conditions described below are subject to important
limitations and exceptions. The Description of the New
Notes section of the prospectus contains a more detailed
description of the terms and conditions of the New Notes.
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Issuer |
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Nabors Industries, Inc. |
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Guarantor |
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Nabors Industries Ltd. |
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Securities Offered |
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$975,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.15% Senior
Notes due 2018. |
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The terms of the new notes will be identical in all material
respects to the terms of the old notes, except that the new
notes have been registered and therefore will not contain
transfer restrictions and will not contain the provisions for an
increase in the interest rate related to defaults in the
agreement to carry out this exchange offer. |
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Maturity |
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February 15, 2018. |
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Interest Rate |
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6.15% per annum. |
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Interest Payment Dates |
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February 15 and August 15, of each year, commencing
August 15, 2008. |
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Guarantee |
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Nabors will fully and unconditionally guarantee the due and
punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, interest
on the new notes and any other obligations of ours under the new
notes when and as they become due and payable, whether at
maturity, upon redemption, by acceleration or otherwise if we
are unable to satisfy these obligations. The guarantee provides
that, in the event of a default on the new notes, the holders of
the new notes may institute legal proceedings directly against
Nabors to enforce the guarantee without first proceeding against
us. See Description of the New Notes
Guarantee. |
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Ranking |
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The new notes will: |
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be unsecured;
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be effectively junior in right of payment to any of
our future secured debt;
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rank equally in right of payment with any of our
existing and future unsubordinated debt; and
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be senior in right of payment to any of our existing
and future senior subordinated or subordinated debt.
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Nabors guarantee of our obligations under the new notes
will be a direct, unsecured and unsubordinated obligation of the
guarantor and will have the same ranking with respect to
indebtedness of Nabors as the new notes will have with respect
to our indebtedness. See Description of the New
Notes Guarantee. |
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Optional Redemption |
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We may, at our option, redeem some or all of the new notes, in
whole or in part, at any time, at make-whole prices
described in this prospectus, plus accrued and unpaid interest
to the redemption date. See Description of the New
Notes Optional Redemption. |
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Change of Control Offer |
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If a change of control triggering event as described herein
occurs, each holder of the new notes may require us to purchase
all or a portion of such holders new notes at a price
equal to 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid
interest, if any, to the date of purchase. See Description
of the Notes Change of Control Offer. |
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Use of Proceeds |
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We will not receive any cash proceeds from the exchange offer.
See Use of Proceeds. |
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Covenants |
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We will issue the new notes under the Indenture. The Indenture
limits the ability of Nabors and its subsidiaries to incur liens
and to enter into sale and lease-back transactions. In addition,
the Indenture limits both our and Nabors ability to enter
into mergers, consolidations, amalgamations or transfers of
substantially all of our or its assets as an entirety unless the
successor company assumes our or Nabors obligations under
the Indenture. These covenants are subject to a number of
important qualifications and limitations. See Description
of the Notes Covenants. |
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No Prior Market |
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There is currently no established trading market for the new
notes. The new notes generally will be freely transferable but
will also be new securities for which there will not initially
be a market. Accordingly, there can be no assurance as to the
development or liquidity of any market for the new notes.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC, the
initial purchasers of the old notes, have advised us that they
currently intend to make a market in the new notes. However,
neither is obligated to do so, and any market-making with
respect to the new notes may be discontinued without notice. We
do not intend to apply for a listing of the new notes on any
securities exchange or an automated dealer quotation system. |
9
FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
This prospectus and the documents incorporated in this
prospectus by reference contain forward-looking statements.
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
prospectus or any incorporated 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. You are cautioned that actual results could differ
materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements.
Any forward-looking statements, including statements regarding
the intent, belief or current expectations of us or our
management, are not guarantees of future performance and involve
risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us and the industry
in which we and Nabors operate, including, among other things:
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fluctuations in worldwide prices of and demand for natural gas
and oil;
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fluctuations in levels of natural gas and oil exploration and
development activities;
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fluctuations in the demand for our services;
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the existence of competitors, technological changes and
developments in the oilfield services industry;
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the existence of operating risks inherent in the oilfield
services industry;
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the existence of regulatory and legislative uncertainties;
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the possibility of changes in tax laws;
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the possibility of political instability, war or acts of
terrorism in any of the countries in which we do
business; and
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general economic conditions.
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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 natural gas or oil, which could have 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 is designed to highlight what we believe are
important factors to consider. For a more detailed description
of risk factors, please see the section entitled Risk
Factors below and similar discussions in Nabors SEC
filings.
All forward-looking statements in this prospectus are based on
information available to us on the date of this prospectus. We
do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements
that we may make in this prospectus or other documents, reports,
filings or press releases, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
10
RISK
FACTORS
You should carefully consider the risks described below, as
well as other information contained in or incorporated by
reference into this prospectus, including the risks described
under Item 1A Risk Factors in our Annual Report
on
Form 10-K
for year ended December 31, 2007, before tendering your old
notes in the exchange offer. The risks described below and
incorporated by reference are not the only ones that we may
face. Additional risks that are not currently known to us or
that we currently consider immaterial may also impair our
business, financial condition or results of operations.
Risks
Related to the Offering
Nabors
significant level of consolidated debt could adversely affect
its consolidated financial condition and prevent it and us from
fulfilling our respective obligations under the
Indenture.
As of June 30, 2008, after giving effect to the
$975 million 6.15% senior notes due 2018, the 2023 Notes
Redemption and the 2021 Debentures Redemption Nabors
outstanding consolidated total indebtedness would have been
approximately $4.2 billion, resulting in a gross funded
debt to capital ratio of 0.44:1 and a net funded debt to capital
ratio of 0.35:1. The gross funded debt to capital ratio is
calculated by dividing funded debt by funded debt plus deferred
tax liabilities net of deferred tax assets plus capital. Funded
debt is defined as the sum of (1) short-term borrowings,
(2) current portion of long-term debt and
(3) long-term debt. Capital is defined as
shareholders equity. The net funded debt to capital ratio
is calculated by dividing net funded debt by net funded debt
plus deferred tax liabilities net of deferred tax assets plus
capital. Net funded debt is defined as the sum of
(1) short-term borrowings, (2) current portion of
long-term debt and (3) long-term debt reduced by the sum of
cash and cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments,
and other receivables. Capital is defined as shareholders
equity. The gross funded debt to capital ratio and the net
funded debt to capital ratio are not measures of operating
performance or liquidity defined by accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America and may not
be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other
companies. Both of these ratios are methods for calculating the
amount of leverage a company has in relation to its capital.
Nabors level of consolidated indebtedness could adversely
affect its consolidated financial condition and prevent it and
us from fulfilling our respective obligations under the
Indenture.
Nabors and its subsidiaries may still be able to incur
substantially more debt. The terms of the Indenture governing
the new notes and the agreements governing Nabors other
indebtedness permit additional borrowings and any such
borrowings may be effectively senior in right of payment to the
new notes and the related guarantee. Nabors incurrence of
additional debt could further exacerbate the risks described in
this prospectus.
If you
do not elect to exchange your old notes for new notes, you will
hold securities that are not registered and that contain
restrictions on transfer.
The old notes that are not tendered and exchanged will remain
restricted securities. If the exchange offer is completed, we
will not be required to register any remaining old notes, except
in the very limited circumstances described in the registration
rights agreements for the old notes. That means that if you wish
to offer, sell, pledge or otherwise transfer your old notes at
some future time, they may be offered, sold, pledged or
transferred only if an exemption from registration under the
Securities Act is available or, outside of the United States, to
non-U.S. persons
in accordance with the requirements of Regulation S under
the Securities Act. Any remaining old notes will continue to
bear a legend restricting transfer in the absence of
registration or an exemption from registration.
To the extent that old notes are tendered and accepted in
connection with the exchange offer, any trading market for
remaining old notes could be adversely affected.
You
must comply with the exchange offer procedures in order to
receive freely tradable, new notes.
Delivery of new notes in exchange for old notes tendered and
accepted for exchange pursuant to the exchange offer will be
made only after timely receipt by the exchange agent of the
following:
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certificates for old notes or a book-entry confirmation of a
book-entry transfer of old notes into the exchange agents
account at DTC, New York, New York as a depository, including an
agents message (as defined below) if the tendering holder
does not deliver a letter of transmittal;
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11
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a completed and signed letter of transmittal (or facsimile
thereof), with any required signature guarantees, or, in the
case of a book-entry transfer, an agents message in lieu
of the letter of transmittal; and
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any other documents required by the letter of transmittal.
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Therefore, holders of old notes who would like to tender old
notes in exchange for new notes should be sure to allow enough
time for the old notes to be delivered on time. We are not
required to notify you of defects or irregularities in tenders
of old notes for exchange. Old notes that are not tendered or
that are tendered but we do not accept for exchange will,
following consummation of the exchange offer, continue to be
subject to the existing transfer restrictions under the
Securities Act and, upon consummation of the exchange offer,
certain registration and other rights under the registration
rights agreements will terminate. See The Exchange
Offer Procedures for Tendering Old Notes and
The Exchange Offer Consequences of Exchanging
or Failing to Exchange Old Notes.
As used in this prospectus, the term agents
message means a message, transmitted by DTC to and
received by the exchange agent and forming a part of a
book-entry confirmation, which states that DTC has received an
express acknowledgment from the tendering participant stating
that such participant has received and agrees to be bound by the
letter of transmittal and that we may enforce such letter of
transmittal against such participant.
Some
holders who exchange their old notes may be deemed to be
underwriters and these holders will be required to comply with
the registration and prospectus delivery requirements in
connection with any resale transaction.
If you exchange your old notes in the exchange offer for the
purpose of participating in a distribution of the new notes, you
may be deemed to have received restricted securities and, if so,
will be required to comply with the registration and prospectus
delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with
any resale transaction.
Although
the new notes are designated as Senior, your right
to receive payment on the new notes and the guarantee is
unsecured and will be effectively subordinated to any existing
and future secured debt of ours, in the case of the new notes,
and Nabors, in the case of the guarantee, to the extent of the
value of the collateral therefor, and the new notes and the
guarantee will be effectively subordinated to future
indebtedness and other liabilities of our and Nabors
subsidiaries, respectively.
The new notes are general senior unsecured obligations and
therefore will be effectively subordinated in right of payment
to our future secured indebtedness, and Nabors guarantee
is effectively subordinated in right of payment to the claims of
future secured creditors of Nabors, in each case, to the extent
of the collateral therefor. If we default on the new notes, or
become bankrupt, liquidate or reorganize, any secured creditors
could use their collateral to satisfy their secured indebtedness
before you would receive any payment on the new notes. If the
value of such collateral is not sufficient to pay any secured
indebtedness in full, our secured creditors would share the
value of our other assets, if any, with you and the holders of
other claims against us which rank equally with the new notes.
The guarantee of the new notes will have a similar ranking with
respect to secured indebtedness of Nabors as the new notes do
with respect to our secured indebtedness.
In addition, we and Nabors derive substantially all our income
from, and hold substantially all our assets through, our
respective subsidiaries, which will not guarantee the new notes.
As a result, we and Nabors will depend on distributions from our
subsidiaries in order to meet our payment obligations under any
debt securities, including the new notes and the guarantee and
our and Nabors other obligations. Accordingly, our and
Nabors rights to receive any assets of any subsidiary, and
therefore the right of our and Nabors creditors to
participate in those assets, will be effectively subordinated to
the claims of that subsidiarys creditors, including trade
creditors.
The
Nabors guarantee of the new notes could be voided or
subordinated by federal bankruptcy law or comparable foreign and
state law provisions.
Our obligations under the new notes are guaranteed by Nabors.
Under the federal bankruptcy law and comparable provisions of
foreign and state fraudulent transfer laws, the Nabors guarantee
could be voided, or claims in respect of such guarantee could be
subordinated to all other debts of Nabors if, among other
things, Nabors, at the
12
time it incurred the indebtedness evidenced by its guarantee,
received less than reasonably equivalent value or fair
consideration for the incurrence of such guarantee; and
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was insolvent or rendered insolvent by reason of such incurrence;
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was engaged in a business or transaction for which its remaining
assets constituted unreasonably small capital; or
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intended to incur, or believed that it would incur, debts beyond
its ability to pay such debts as they mature.
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In addition, any payment by Nabors pursuant to its guarantee
could be voided and required to be returned to Nabors or to a
fund for the benefit of the creditors of Nabors.
The measure of insolvency for purposes of these fraudulent
transfer laws will vary depending upon the law applied in any
proceeding to determine whether a fraudulent transfer has
occurred. Generally, however, a guarantor would be considered
insolvent if:
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the sum of its debts, including contingent liabilities, was
greater than the fair saleable value of all of its assets;
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the present fair saleable value of its assets was less than the
amount that would be required to pay its probable liability on
its existing debts, including contingent liabilities, as they
become absolute and mature; or
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it could not pay its debts as they become due.
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We cannot be sure as to the standards that a court would use to
determine whether or not Nabors was solvent at the relevant
time, or, regardless of the standard that the court uses, that
the issuance of the guarantee of the new notes would not be
voided or the guarantee of the new notes would not be
subordinated to Nabors other debt.
If the guarantee were legally challenged, such guarantee could
also be subject to the claim that, since the guarantee was
incurred for our benefit, and only indirectly for the benefit of
Nabors, the obligations of Nabors were incurred for less than
fair consideration.
A court could thus void the obligations under the guarantee or
subordinate the guarantee to Nabors other debt or take
other action detrimental to holders of the new notes.
We may
not have sufficient funds to purchase the new notes upon a
Change of Control Triggering Event as required by the Indenture
governing the new notes. The Change of Control Offer covenant
provides limited protection.
Holders of the new notes may require us to purchase their new
notes upon a Change of Control Triggering Event as
defined under Description of the New
Notes Change of Control Offer. A Change of
Control (as defined under Description of the New
Notes Change of Control Offer) may also result
in holders of certain of our other outstanding notes or future
indebtedness having the right to require us to purchase notes or
repay indebtedness issued under one or more indentures or other
agreements, including under the indenture governing our
outstanding 0.94% convertible senior exchangeable notes due 2011
as well as the Indenture as it relates to the old notes. We
cannot assure you that we would have sufficient financial
resources, or would be able to arrange financing, to pay the
purchase price of the new notes and any other notes and repay
indebtedness that may be tendered by the holders thereof in such
a circumstance.
Furthermore, the terms of our then existing indebtedness or
other agreements may contain financial covenants, events of
default or other provisions that could be violated if a Change
of Control were to occur or if we were required to purchase the
new notes and other notes and repay indebtedness containing a
similar repurchase or repayment requirement.
The Change of Control Offer covenant is a result of negotiations
between us and the initial purchasers of the old notes and is
limited to the transactions specified in Description of
the Notes Change of Control Offer. Nabors has
no present intention to engage in a transaction involving a
Change of Control Triggering Event, although it is possible that
Nabors could decide to do so in the future. Nabors could, in the
future, enter into certain transactions, including acquisitions,
refinancings or other recapitalizations, that would not
constitute a Change of
13
Control Triggering Event under the Indenture, but that could
increase the amount of indebtedness outstanding at such time or
otherwise affect the capital structure or the credit ratings of
Nabors or us.
Your
ability to transfer the notes may be limited by the absence of a
trading market for the new notes.
There is no established trading market for the new notes and we
have no plans to list the new notes on a securities exchange or
automated dealer. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS
Securities LLC, the initial purchasers of the old notes, have
advised us that they presently intend to make a market in the
new notes. However, neither is obligated to do so. Any
market-making activity, if initiated, may be discontinued at any
time, for any reason, without notice. The liquidity of any
market for the new notes will depend upon the number of holders
of the new notes, our results of operations and financial
condition, the market for similar securities, the interest of
securities dealers in making a market in the new notes and other
factors.
Therefore, no assurance can be given as to whether an active
trading market will develop for the new notes or, if a market
develops, whether it will continue.
USE OF
PROCEEDS
We will not receive any proceeds from the issuance of the new
notes in this exchange offer. Any old notes that are properly
tendered and exchanged pursuant to the exchange offer will be
retired and cancelled. We will pay all expenses in connection
with the exchange offer.
RATIO OF
EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed
charges, earnings consist of pretax income from continuing
operations less undistributed earnings from unconsolidated
affiliates (net of dividends) plus amortization of capitalized
interest and fixed charges (excluding capitalized interest).
Fixed charges consist of interest incurred (whether expensed or
capitalized), amortization of debt expense, and that portion of
rental expense on operating leases deemed to be the equivalent
of interest. The following table sets forth Nabors ratio
of earnings to fixed charges for each of the periods indicated.
Nabors
Industries Ltd. and Subsidiaries
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Year Ended December 31,
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Six Months Ended June 30,
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2003
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2004
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2005
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2006
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2007
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2007
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2008
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
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3.22
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x
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7.21
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x
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17.39
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x
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24.67
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x
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17.65
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x
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20.04
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x
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13.35
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x
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14
SELECTED
HISTORICAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
The following selected financial data should be read in
conjunction with Nabors consolidated financial statements
and related notes incorporated by reference into this
prospectus. The selected consolidated operating data for the six
months ended June 30, 2008 and the six months ended
June 30, 2007 and the selected consolidated balance sheet
data as of June 30, 2008 are derived from Nabors
unaudited consolidated financial statements included in
Nabors Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
filed with the SEC on August 1, 2008 and incorporated by
reference into this prospectus. The selected consolidated
operating data for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006
and 2007 and the selected consolidated balance sheet data as of
December 31, 2006 and 2007 are derived from Nabors
audited consolidated financial statements included in
Nabors Annual Report on
Form 10-K
filed with the SEC on February 28, 2008 and incorporated by
reference into this prospectus. The selected consolidated
operating data for the years ended December 31, 2003 and
2004 and the selected consolidated balance sheet data as of
December 31, 2003, 2004 and 2005 are derived from
Nabors audited consolidated financial statements not
incorporated by reference into this prospectus. In the opinion
of Nabors management, Nabors unaudited consolidated
financial statements have been prepared on a basis consistent
with Nabors audited consolidated financial statements and
reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring
adjustments) necessary to be consistent with Nabors
audited consolidated financial statements for a fair
presentation of its results of operations and financial
condition for the periods indicated.
Operating
Data(1)(2)
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Year Ended December 31,
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Six Months Ended June 30,
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2003
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2004
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2005
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2006
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2007
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2007
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2008
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(In thousands, except ratio data)
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Revenues and other income:
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Operating revenues
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$
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1,814,520
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$
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2,351,571
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$
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3,394,472
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$
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4,707,289
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$
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4,938,848
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$
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2,370,697
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$
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2,582,258
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Earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates
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10,058
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4,057
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5,671
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20,545
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17,724
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15,877
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(8,484
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)
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Investment income (loss)
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33,800
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50,044
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85,428
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102,007
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(15,891
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)
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19,437
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51,239
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Total revenues and other income
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1,858,378
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2,405,672
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3,485,571
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4,829,841
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4,940,681
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2,406,011
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2,625,013
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Costs and other deductions:
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Direct costs
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1,225,960
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1,542,364
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1,958,538
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2,511,392
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2,764,559
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1,321,401
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1,487,948
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General and administrative expenses
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164,136
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192,692
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247,129
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416,610
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436,282
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213,849
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228,235
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Depreciation and amortization
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219,841
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248,057
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285,054
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364,653
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467,730
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214,980
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283,501
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Depletion
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8,599
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45,460
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46,894
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38,580
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72,182
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15,785
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21,028
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Interest expense
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70,740
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48,507
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44,849
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46,586
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53,702
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26,785
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39,785
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Losses (gains) on sales of long-lived assets, impairment charges
and other expense (income), net
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1,362
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(5,036
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)
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45,952
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24,118
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|
10,895
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(25,749
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)
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11,255
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Total costs and other deductions
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1,690,638
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2,072,044
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2,628,416
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3,401,939
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3,805,350
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|
|
1,767,051
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|
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2,071,752
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Income from continuing operations before income taxes
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167,740
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|
333,628
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|
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857,155
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1,427,902
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|
|
1,135,331
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|
|
638,960
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|
|
|
553,261
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|
Income tax expense (benefit)
|
|
|
(19,968
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)
|
|
|
32,660
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|
|
|
219,000
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|
|
|
434,893
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|
|
239,664
|
|
|
|
161,208
|
|
|
|
128,394
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from continuing operations, net of tax
|
|
|
187,708
|
|
|
|
300,968
|
|
|
|
638,155
|
|
|
|
993,009
|
|
|
|
895,667
|
|
|
|
477,752
|
|
|
|
424,867
|
|
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax
|
|
|
4,520
|
|
|
|
1,489
|
|
|
|
10,540
|
|
|
|
27,727
|
|
|
|
35,024
|
|
|
|
12,759
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
|
192,228
|
|
|
|
302,457
|
|
|
|
648,695
|
|
|
|
1,020,736
|
|
|
|
930,691
|
|
|
|
490,511
|
|
|
|
424,867
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital expenditures and acquisitions of businesses(3)
|
|
$
|
353,138
|
|
|
$
|
544,429
|
|
|
$
|
1,003,269
|
|
|
$
|
1,997,971
|
|
|
$
|
1,979,831
|
|
|
$
|
1,121,532
|
|
|
$
|
735,803
|
|
Interest coverage ratio from continuing operations(4)
|
|
|
6.1:1
|
|
|
|
12.9:1
|
|
|
|
25.6:1
|
|
|
|
38.1:1
|
|
|
|
32.5:1
|
|
|
|
33.4:1
|
|
|
|
25.7:1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15
Balance
Sheet Data(1)(2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of
|
|
|
|
As of December 31,
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
|
(In thousands, except ratio data)
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents, and short-term and long-term
investments
|
|
$
|
1,579,090
|
|
|
$
|
1,411,047
|
|
|
$
|
1,646,327
|
|
|
$
|
1,653,285
|
|
|
$
|
1,126,585
|
|
|
$
|
1,476,413
|
|
Working capital
|
|
|
1,529,691
|
|
|
|
821,120
|
|
|
|
1,264,852
|
|
|
|
1,650,496
|
|
|
|
710,980
|
|
|
|
1,364,666
|
|
Property, plant and equipment, net
|
|
|
2,990,792
|
|
|
|
3,275,495
|
|
|
|
3,886,924
|
|
|
|
5,410,101
|
|
|
|
6,632,612
|
|
|
|
7,020,941
|
|
Total assets
|
|
|
5,602,692
|
|
|
|
5,862,609
|
|
|
|
7,230,407
|
|
|
|
9,142,303
|
|
|
|
10,103,382
|
|
|
|
10,904,644
|
|
Long-term debt
|
|
|
1,985,553
|
|
|
|
1,201,686
|
|
|
|
1,251,751
|
|
|
|
4,004,074
|
|
|
|
3,306,433
|
|
|
|
3,822,285
|
|
Shareholders equity
|
|
$
|
2,490,275
|
|
|
$
|
2,929,393
|
|
|
$
|
3,758,140
|
|
|
$
|
3,536,653
|
|
|
$
|
4,514,121
|
|
|
$
|
4,933,659
|
|
Funded debt to capital ratio:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross(5)
|
|
|
0.45:1
|
|
|
|
0.38:1
|
|
|
|
0.32:1
|
|
|
|
0.50:1
|
|
|
|
0.44:1
|
|
|
|
0.45:1
|
|
Net(6)
|
|
|
0.20:1
|
|
|
|
0.15:1
|
|
|
|
0.08:1
|
|
|
|
0.37:1
|
|
|
|
0.36:1
|
|
|
|
0.35:1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
All information presented excludes the Sea Mar business sold in
August 2007 which has been classified as discontinued operations. |
|
(2) |
|
Our acquisitions results of operations and financial
position have been included beginning on the respective dates of
acquisition and include Airborne Energy Solutions assets
(January 2006), Sunset Well Service Inc. (August 2005),
Alexander Drilling Inc. assets (June 2005), Phillips Trucking,
Inc. assets (June 2005) and Rocky Mountain Oil Tools, Inc.
assets (March 2005). |
|
(3) |
|
Represents capital expenditures and the portion of the purchase
price of acquisitions allocated to fixed assets and goodwill
based on their fair market value. |
|
(4) |
|
The interest coverage ratio from continuing operations is
computed by calculating the sum of income from continuing
operations before income taxes, interest expense, depreciation
and amortization, and depletion expense less investment income
(loss) and then dividing by interest expense. This ratio is a
method for calculating the amount of operating cash flows
available to cover interest expense. The interest coverage
ratio from continuing operations is not a measure of
operating performance or liquidity defined by accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America
and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented
by other companies. |
|
(5) |
|
The gross funded debt to capital ratio is calculated by dividing
funded debt by funded debt plus deferred tax liabilities, net of
deferred tax assets plus capital. Funded debt is defined as the
sum of (1) short-term borrowings, (2) current portion
of long-term debt and (3) long-term debt. Capital is
defined as shareholders equity. The gross funded
debt to capital ratio is not a measure of operating
performance or liquidity defined by accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America and may not
be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other
companies. |
|
(6) |
|
The net funded debt to capital ratio is calculated by dividing
net funded debt by net funded debt plus deferred tax
liabilities, net of deferred tax assets plus capital. Net funded
debt is defined as the sum of (1) short-term borrowings,
(2) current portion of long-term debt and
(3) long-term debt reduced by the sum of cash and cash
equivalents, short-term and long-term investments, and other
receivables. Capital is defined as shareholders equity.
The net funded debt to capital ratio is not a
measure of operating performance or liquidity defined by
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures
presented by other companies. |
16
THE
EXCHANGE OFFER
Purpose
and Effect of Exchange Offer; Registration Rights
We sold the old notes to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS
Securities LLC as initial purchasers in private offerings on
February 20, 2008 and July 22, 2008 pursuant to two
purchase agreements. These initial purchasers subsequently sold
the old notes to qualified institutional buyers under
Rule 144A under the Securities Act and to certain
sophisticated investors in offshore transactions in reliance on
Regulation S under the Securities Act. As a condition to
the sale of the old notes to the initial purchasers, we entered
into a registration rights agreement with those initial
purchasers on each of February 20, 2008 and July 22,
2008.
The registration rights agreements require us to file one or
more registration statements under the Securities Act offering
to exchange your old notes for new notes. Accordingly, we are
offering you the opportunity to exchange your old notes for the
same principal amount of new notes. The new notes will be
registered and issued without a restrictive legend. The
registration rights agreements also require us to use reasonable
best efforts to cause the registration statement to be declared
effective by the SEC by August 20, 2008 for the old notes
issued February 20, 2008 and September 10, 2008 for
the old notes issued July 22, 2008 and to complete the
exchange offer by October 20, 2008. In the event that we
are unable to satisfy these requirements, holders of the
relevant old notes would be entitled to additional interest on
the old notes at a rate equal to 0.25% per annum until the
exchange offer is completed, or until the relevant old notes are
freely transferable under Rule 144 of the Securities Act.
In addition, if an exchange offer registration statement ceases
to be effective or usable in connection with resales of the new
notes during periods specified in the registration rights
agreements, the interest rate borne by the old notes and the new
notes will be increased 0.25% per annum until the registration
defects are cured.
Under some circumstances set forth in the registration rights
agreements, holders of old notes, including holders who are not
permitted to participate in the exchange offer or who may not
freely sell new notes received in the exchange offer, may
require us to file and cause to become effective, a shelf
registration statement covering resales of the old notes by
these holders. If such shelf registration statement ceases to be
effective or usable in connection with resales of the new notes
during periods specified in the registration rights agreements,
the interest rate borne by the old notes and the new notes will
be increased 0.25% per annum until the registration defects are
cured.
Copies of the registration rights agreements are incorporated by
reference into this prospectus. You are strongly encouraged to
read the entire text of the agreements, as they, and not this
description defines your rights. Except as discussed below, we
will have no further obligation to register your old notes upon
the completion of the exchange offer.
We believe that the notes issued to you in this exchange offer
may be offered for resale, sold and otherwise transferred by
you, without compliance with the registration and prospectus
delivery provisions of the Securities Act, only if you are able
to make these four representations:
|
|
|
|
|
you are acquiring the notes issued in the exchange offer in the
ordinary course of your business;
|
|
|
|
you have no arrangement or understanding with anyone to
participate in the distribution of the old notes or the new
notes within the meaning of the Securities Act;
|
|
|
|
you are not an affiliate of us or Nabors; and
|
|
|
|
you are not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, the
distribution of the new notes.
|
Our belief is based upon existing interpretations by the
SECs staff contained in several no-action
letters to third parties unrelated to us. If you tender your old
notes in the exchange offer for the purpose of participating in
a distribution of new notes, you cannot rely on these
interpretations by the SECs staff and you must comply with
the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction.
The SEC considers broker-dealers that acquired old notes
directly from us, but not as a result of market-making
activities or other trading activities, to be making a
distribution of the new notes if they participate in the
exchange
17
offer. Consequently, these broker-dealers cannot use this
prospectus for the exchange offer in connection with a resale of
the new notes and, absent an exemption, must comply with the
registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act in connection with a resale of the new notes.
These broker-dealers cannot rely on the position of the
SECs staff set forth in the Exxon Capital Holdings
Corporation no-action letter (available May 13,
1988) or similar letters.
A broker-dealer that has bought old notes for market-making or
other trading activities must deliver a prospectus in order to
resell any new notes it receives for its own account in the
exchange offer. The SEC has taken the position that such
broker-dealers may fulfill their prospectus delivery
requirements with respect to the new notes by delivering the
prospectus contained in the registration statement for the
exchange offer. Accordingly, this prospectus may be used by such
a broker-dealer to resell any of its new notes. We have agreed
in the registration rights agreements to send a prospectus to
any broker-dealer that requests copies in the notice and
questionnaire included in the letter of transmittal accompanying
the prospectus for a period of up to 180 days after the
Expiration Date. Unless you are required to do so because you
are such a broker-dealer, you may not use this prospectus for an
offer to resell, resale or other retransfer of new notes.
We are not making this exchange offer to, nor will we accept
tenders for exchange from, holders of old notes in any
jurisdiction in which the exchange offer or the acceptance of it
would not be in compliance with the securities or blue sky laws
of that jurisdiction.
You may suffer adverse consequences if you fail to exchange your
old notes. Following the completion of the exchange offer,
except as set forth below and in the registration rights
agreements, you will not have any further registration rights
and your old notes will continue to be subject to certain
restrictions on transfer. Accordingly, if you do not participate
in the exchange offer, your ability to sell your old notes could
be adversely affected.
Under the registration rights agreements, we are required to
file a shelf registration statement with the SEC to cover
resales of the old notes or the new notes by holders if we are
not permitted to consummate the exchange offer because we
determine that the exchange offer is not permitted by applicable
law or SEC policy, if the exchange offer is not for any reason
declared effective by August 20, 2008 for the old notes
issued February 20, 2008 or September 10, 2008 for the
old notes issued July 22, 2008 or consummated by
October 20, 2008, the initial purchasers determine that old
notes held by them are not eligible to be exchanged for new
notes following consummation of the exchange offer, or any
holder does not receive freely tradable new notes in the
exchange offer (other than by reason of such holder being an
affiliate of ours).
If we are obligated to file a shelf registration statement, we
will be required to keep such shelf registration statement
effective for up to one year after it is declared effective.
Representations
We Need From You Before You May Participate in the Exchange
Offer
We need representations from you before you can participate in
the exchange offer.
These representations are that:
|
|
|
|
|
any new notes received by you will be acquired in the ordinary
course of your business;
|
|
|
|
you have no arrangement or understanding with anyone to
participate in the distribution of the old notes or the new
notes within the meaning of the Securities Act;
|
|
|
|
you are not an affiliate, within the meaning in Rule 501(b)
of Regulation D of the Securities Act, of us or Nabors;
|
|
|
|
you are not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, the
distribution of the new notes; and
|
|
|
|
if you are a broker-dealer, you will receive new notes for your
own account in exchange for old notes that were acquired as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities
and that you will deliver a prospectus in connection with any
resale of such new notes.
|
18
Terms of
the Exchange Offer
We will accept any validly tendered new notes that are not
withdrawn prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the
expiration date. We will issue $1,000 principal amount of new
notes in exchange for each $1,000 principal amount of your new
notes tendered. Holders may tender some or all of their old
notes in the exchange offer.
The form and terms of the new notes will be substantially the
same as the form and terms of your old notes except that:
|
|
|
|
|
interest on the new notes will accrete or accrue, as the case
may be, from the last interest payment date on which interest
accreted or was paid on your old notes, or, if no interest has
accreted or been paid on the old notes, from the date of the
original issuance of your old notes;
|
|
|
|
the new notes have been registered under the Securities Act and
will not bear a legend restricting their transfer; and
|
|
|
|
the new notes will not benefit from the registration and related
rights pursuant to which we are conducting this exchange offer,
including an increase in the interest rate related to defaults
in our agreement to carry out this exchange offer.
|
This prospectus and the documents you received with this
prospectus are being sent to you and to others believed to have
beneficial interests in the old notes. We intend to conduct the
exchange offer in accordance with the applicable requirements of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, referred to as
the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of
the SEC.
We will have accepted your validly tendered old notes when we
have given oral or written notice to Wells Fargo Bank. Wells
Fargo Bank will act as agent for you for the purpose of
receiving the notes. If any tendered old notes are not accepted
for exchange because of an invalid tender, the occurrence of
certain other events or otherwise, certificates sent to Wells
Fargo Bank will be returned, without expense, as promptly as
practicable after the expiration date to you, unless you request
in the letter of transmittal that the notes be sent to someone
else.
You will not be required to pay brokerage commissions, fees or
transfer taxes in the exchange of your old notes. We will pay
all charges and expenses in connection with the exchange offer
except for any taxes you may incur in effecting the transfer of
your old notes or new notes to some other person, or if a
transfer tax is imposed for any reason other than the exchange
of notes pursuant to the exchange offer.
Expiration
Date; Extensions; Amendments
The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City
time, on October 9, 2008, unless we extend the exchange
offer, in which case the exchange offer shall terminate at
5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the last day of the
extension (such date of expiration, the Expiration
Date). We do not currently intend to extend the Expiration
Date. In any event, the exchange offer will be held open for at
least 20 business days. In order to extend the exchange offer,
we will issue a notice by press release or other public
announcement.
We reserve the right, in our sole discretion:
|
|
|
|
|
to delay accepting your old notes;
|
|
|
|
to extend the exchange offer;
|
|
|
|
to terminate the exchange offer, if any of the conditions shall
not have been satisfied; or
|
|
|
|
to amend the terms of the exchange offer in any manner.
|
If we delay, extend, terminate or amend the exchange offer, we
will give notice to the exchange agent and issue a press release
or other public announcement.
19
Procedures
for Tendering Your Old Notes
Except in limited circumstances, only a DTC participant listed
on a DTC securities position listing with respect to the old
notes may tender old notes in the exchange offer. Except as
stated below under Book-Entry Transfer,
to tender in the exchange offer:
|
|
|
|
|
if you do not hold your position through DTC, Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg, you must, on or before the expiration
date, deliver a duly completed letter of transmittal to the
exchange agent at its address specified in the letter of
transmittal, and certificates for your old notes must be
received by Wells Fargo Bank along with the letter of
transmittal;
|
|
|
|
if you hold your position through DTC, you must instruct DTC and
a DTC participant by completing the form Instruction to
Registered Holder from Beneficial Holder accompanying
this prospectus of your intention whether or not you wish to
tender your old notes for new notes, and you must in turn follow
the procedures for book-entry transfer as set forth below under
Book-Entry Transfer and in the letter of
transmittal; or
|
|
|
|
if you hold your position through Euroclear or Clearstream,
Luxembourg, the form Instruction to Registered Holder
from Beneficial Holder with respect to old notes held
through Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg must be completed
by a direct accountholder in Euroclear or Clearstream,
Luxembourg, and interests in the old notes must be tendered in
compliance with procedures established by Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg.
|
If you intend to use the guaranteed delivery procedures, you
must comply with the guaranteed delivery procedures described
below.
Neither us, Nabors nor the exchange agent will be responsible
for the communication of tenders by holders to the
accountholders in DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg
through which they hold old notes or by such accountholders to
the exchange agent, DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg.
Holders will not be responsible for the payment of any fees or
commissions to the exchange agent for the old notes.
In no event should a holder submitting a tender for exchange
send a letter of transmittal or old notes to any agent of us or
Nabors other than the exchange agent, or to DTC, Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg.
Holders may contact the exchange agent for assistance in filling
out and delivering letters of transmittal and for additional
copies of the exchange offer materials.
To be tendered effectively, a letter of transmittal or, as
described below under Book-Entry
Transfer, an agents message and other
required documents must be received by Wells Fargo Bank at its
address set forth under Exchange Agent
below prior to the expiration date.
If you do not withdraw your tender before the expiration date,
your tender will constitute an agreement between you and us in
accordance with the terms and conditions in this prospectus and
in the letter of transmittal.
The method of delivery of your old notes, the letter of
transmittal and all other required documents to be delivered to
Wells Fargo Bank is at your election and risk. Instead of
delivery by mail, it is recommended that you use an overnight or
hand delivery service. In all cases, you should allow sufficient
time to ensure delivery to Wells Fargo Bank before the
expiration date. No letter of transmittal or old notes should be
sent to us or Nabors. You may request your brokers, dealers,
commercial banks, trust companies or nominees to effect these
transactions on your behalf.
Procedure
if the Old Notes Are Not Registered in Your Name
If your old notes are registered in the name of a broker,
dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee and you
wish to tender your old notes, then you should contact the
registered holder promptly and instruct the registered holder to
tender on your behalf. If you wish to tender on behalf of a
registered owner, you must, prior to completing and executing a
letter of transmittal and delivering the registered owners
old notes, either make
20
appropriate arrangements to register ownership of the old notes
in your name or obtain a properly completed power of attorney or
other proper endorsement from the registered holder. We strongly
urge you to act immediately since the transfer of registered
ownership may take considerable time.
Signature
Requirements and Signature Guarantees
Signatures on a letter of transmittal or a notice of withdrawal
must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor
institution within the meaning of
Rule 17Ad-15
under the Exchange Act referred to as an eligible
institution, that is a member of specified signature
guarantee programs. Signatures on a letter of transmittal or a
notice of withdrawal will not be required to be guaranteed if
the old notes are tendered:
|
|
|
|
|
by a registered holder that has not completed the box entitled
Special Issuance Instructions or Special
Delivery Instructions on the letter of transmittal; or
|
|
|
|
for the account of an eligible institution.
|
If a letter of transmittal or any notes or powers of attorney
are signed by trustees, executors, administrators, guardians,
attorneys-in-fact, officers of corporations or others acting in
a fiduciary or representative capacity, such persons should so
indicate when signing. Evidence satisfactory to us of their
authority to so act must be submitted with such letter of
transmittal unless waived by us.
Conditions
to the Exchange Offer
All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility, including
time of receipt, acceptance and withdrawal of tendered notes
will be determined by us, in our sole discretion, and our
determination will be final and binding. We reserve the absolute
right to reject any and all old notes not properly tendered or
any old notes the acceptance of which would be unlawful in the
opinion of us or our counsel. We also reserve the right to waive
any defects, irregularities or conditions of tender as to
particular old notes. Our interpretation of the terms and
conditions of the exchange offer, including the instructions in
a letter of transmittal, will be final and binding on all
parties. Any defects or irregularities in connection with
tenders of old notes must be cured within such time as we shall
determine, unless waived by us. Although we intend to notify you
of defects or irregularities with respect to tenders of old
notes, neither we, Wells Fargo Bank nor any other person shall
be under any duty to give such notification or shall incur any
liability for failure to give such notification. Tenders of old
notes will not be deemed to have been made until all such
defects and irregularities have been cured or waived. Any old
notes received by Wells Fargo Bank that are not properly
tendered and as to which the defects or irregularities have not
been cured or waived will be returned by Wells Fargo Bank as
soon as practicable following the expiration date to you, unless
you request in the letter of transmittal that the notes be sent
to someone else.
In addition, we reserve the right in our sole discretion to
purchase or make offers for any old notes that remain
outstanding after the expiration date and, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, to purchase old notes in the open
market in privately negotiated transactions, or otherwise. The
terms of any such purchases or offers could differ from the
terms of this exchange offer.
Despite any other term of the exchange offer, we will not be
required to accept for exchange, or exchange new notes for, any
old notes, and we may terminate the exchange offer, if:
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the exchange offer, or the making of any exchange by a holder,
violates, in our good faith determination or on the advice of
counsel, any applicable law, rule or regulation or any
applicable interpretation of the staff of the SEC;
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any action or proceeding is instituted or threatened in any
court or by the SEC or any other governmental agency with
respect to the exchange offer that, in our judgment, would
impair our ability to proceed with the exchange offer; or
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we have not obtained any governmental approval which we, in our
sole discretion, consider necessary for the completion of the
exchange offer as contemplated by this prospectus.
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21
The conditions listed above are for our sole benefit and may be
asserted by us at any time, regardless of the circumstances
giving rise to any of these conditions, or may be waived by us
in whole or in part at any time in our sole discretion. The
failure by us to exercise any of our rights shall not be a
waiver of our rights. We are required to use reasonable efforts
to obtain the withdrawal of any stop order at the earliest
possible time.
In all cases, the issuance of new notes for tendered old notes
that are accepted for exchange in the exchange offer will be
made only after timely receipt by Wells Fargo Bank of:
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certificates for old notes or a timely confirmation from DTC of
such old notes into Wells Fargo Banks account at DTC,
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a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal or,
with respect to DTC and its participants, an agents
message described further below in which the tendering
holder acknowledges its receipt of and agreement to be bound by
the letter of transmittal for such exchange offer, and
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all other required documents.
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If we do not accept your tendered old notes or if you submit old
notes for a greater aggregate principal amount than you desire
to exchange, then the unaccepted or unexchanged old notes will
be returned without expense to you or, in the case of notes
tendered by book-entry transfer into Wells Fargo Banks
account at DTC pursuant to the book-entry transfer procedures
described below, such non-exchanged notes will be credited to an
account maintained with DTC, as promptly as practicable after
the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.
Book-Entry
Transfer
We understand that the exchange agent will make a request
promptly after the date of this prospectus to establish accounts
with respect to the old notes at DTC for the purpose of
facilitating the exchange offer. Any financial institution that
is a participant in DTCs system may make book-entry
delivery of old notes by causing DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream,
Luxembourg, as the case may be, to transfer such old notes into
the exchange agents DTC account in accordance with
DTCs electronic Automated Tender Offer Program procedures
for such transfer. The exchange of new notes for tendered old
notes will only be made after timely:
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confirmation of book-entry transfer of the old notes into the
exchange agents account; and
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receipt by the exchange agent of an executed and properly
completed letter of transmittal or an agents
message and all other required documents specified in the
letter of transmittal.
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The confirmation, letter of transmittal or agents message
and any other required documents must be received at the
exchange agents address listed below under
Exchange Agent on or before
5:00 p.m., New York time, on the expiration date of the
exchange offer or, if the guaranteed delivery procedures
described below are complied with, within the time period
provided under those procedures.
As indicated above, delivery of documents to any of DTC,
Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg in accordance with its
procedures does not constitute delivery to the exchange agent.
The term agents message means a message,
transmitted by DTC and received by the exchange agent and
forming part of the confirmation of a book-entry transfer, which
states that DTC has received an express acknowledgment from a
participant in DTC tendering old notes stating:
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the aggregate principal amount of old notes that have been
tendered by the participant;
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that such participant has received an appropriate letter of
transmittal and agrees to be bound by the terms of the letter of
transmittal and the terms of the exchange offer; and
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that we may enforce such agreement against the participant.
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Delivery of an agents message will also constitute an
acknowledgment from the tendering DTC participant that the
representations contained in the letter of transmittal are true
and correct.
22
Guaranteed
Delivery Procedures
If you wish to tender your old notes and the old notes are not
immediately available, or time will not permit your old notes or
other required documents to reach Wells Fargo Bank before the
expiration date, or the procedure for book-entry transfer cannot
be completed on a timely basis, a tender may be effected if:
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the tender is made through an eligible institution;
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before the expiration date, Wells Fargo Bank has received from
such eligible institution a properly completed and duly executed
letter of transmittal, or a facsimile thereof, and notice of
guaranteed delivery substantially in the form provided by us, by
facsimile transmission, mail or hand delivery. The notice of
guaranteed delivery shall state your name and address and the
amount of the old notes tendered, shall state that the tender is
being made thereby and shall guarantee that, within three New
York Stock Exchange trading days after the date of execution of
the notice of guaranteed delivery, the certificates for all
physically tendered old notes, in proper form for transfer, or a
confirmation from DTC of book-entry transfer, the letter of
transmittal, or a manually executed facsimile thereof, properly
completed and duly executed, and any other documents required by
the applicable letter of transmittal will be deposited by the
eligible institution with Wells Fargo Bank; and
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the certificates for all physically tendered old notes, in
proper form for transfer, or a confirmation from DTC of
book-entry transfer, the properly completed and duly executed
letter of transmittal, or a manually executed facsimile thereof,
and all other documents required by the applicable letter of
transmittal are received by Wells Fargo Bank within three New
York Stock Exchange trading days after the date of execution of
the notice of guaranteed delivery.
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Withdrawal
Rights
You may withdraw your tender of old notes at any time prior to
5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date.
For a withdrawal of tendered notes to be effective, a written,
or for a DTC participant electronic, notice of withdrawal must
be received by Wells Fargo Bank, at its address set forth in the
next section of this prospectus entitled
Exchange Agent, prior to 5:00 p.m.,
New York City time, on the expiration date.
Any such notice of withdrawal must:
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specify your name;
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identify the old notes to be withdrawn, including, if
applicable, the certificate number or numbers and aggregate
principal amount of such old notes;
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be signed by you in the same manner as the original signature on
the letter of transmittal by which your old notes were tendered,
including any required signature guarantees, or be accompanied
by documents of transfer sufficient for the trustee of your old
notes to register the transfer of those notes into the name of
the person withdrawing the tender; and
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specify the name in which you want the withdrawn old notes to be
registered, if different from your name.
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All questions as to the validity, form and eligibility,
including time of receipt, of such notices will be determined by
us, and our determination shall be final and binding on all
parties. Any old notes withdrawn will be considered not to have
been validly tendered for exchange for the purposes of the
exchange offer. Any notes that have been tendered for exchange
but that are not exchanged for any reason will be returned to
you without cost as soon as practicable after withdrawal,
rejection of tender or termination of the exchange offer
relating to such old notes. Properly withdrawn old notes may be
retendered by following one of the procedures described above in
Procedures for Tendering Your Old Notes
at any time on or prior to the expiration date.
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Exchange
Agent
All executed letters of transmittal should be directed to the
exchange agent. We have appointed Wells Fargo Bank as the
exchange agent for the exchange offer. Questions, requests for
assistance and requests for additional copies of the prospectus
or letter of transmittal should be directed to the exchange
agent at its offices at Corporate Trust Operations, 608
2nd Avenue South, Northstar East Building-12th Floor,
Minneapolis, MN 55402. The exchange agents telephone
number is
(800) 334-5128
and facsimile number is
(612) 667-6282.
Fees and
Expenses
We will not make any payments to brokers, dealers or others
soliciting acceptances of the exchange offer, other than to the
exchange agent. The principal solicitation is being made by
mail. However, additional solicitations may be made in person or
by telephone by our officers and employees.
The cash expenses to be incurred in connection with the exchange
offer will be paid by us and are estimated in the aggregate to
be approximately $350,000, which includes the SECs
registration fee, fees and expenses of Wells Fargo Bank, as
exchange agent, and accounting, legal, printing and related fees
and expenses.
Transfer
Taxes
If you tender old notes for exchange, you will not be obligated
to pay any transfer taxes unless you instruct us to register
your new notes in a different name or if a transfer tax is
imposed for a reason other than the exchange of notes pursuant
to this exchange offer. If you request that your old notes not
tendered or not accepted in the exchange offer be returned to a
different person, you will be responsible for the payment of any
applicable transfer tax.
Consequences
of Failure to Properly Tender Old Notes in the
Exchange
We will issue new notes in exchange for old notes under the
exchange offer only after timely receipt by the exchange agent
of the old notes, a properly completed and duly executed letter
of transmittal or agents message and all other required
documents. Therefore, holders of the old notes desiring to
tender old notes in exchange for new notes should allow
sufficient time to ensure timely delivery. We are under no duty
to give notification of defects or irregularities of tenders of
old notes for exchange. Upon completion of the exchange offer,
specified rights under the registration rights agreements,
including registration rights and any right to additional
interest, will be either limited or eliminated.
Participation in the exchange offer is voluntary. In the event
the exchange offer is completed, we will not be required to
register the remaining old notes, except in the limited
circumstances described under Purpose and
Effect of Exchange Offer; Registration Rights. Old notes
that are not tendered or that are tendered but not accepted by
us will, following completion of the exchange offer, continue to
be subject to the following restrictions on transfer:
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holders may resell old notes only if an exemption from
registration under the Securities Act is available or, outside
of the United States, to
non-U.S. persons
in accordance with the requirements of Regulation S under
the Securities Act; and
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the remaining old notes will bear a legend restricting transfer
in the absence of registration or an exemption from registration.
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To the extent that old notes are tendered and accepted in
connection with the exchange offer, any trading market for
remaining old notes could be adversely affected.
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DESCRIPTION
OF THE NEW NOTES
The form and terms of the new notes and the old notes are
identical in all material respects, except that transfer
restrictions and registration rights applicable to the old notes
do not apply to the new notes. The new notes will be issued
under the Indenture.
We issued $575.0 million of the old notes on
February 20, 2008 and $400.0 million of the old notes
on July 22, 2008 pursuant to the Indenture. The terms of
the new notes include those expressly set forth in the Indenture
and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, referred to as the
Trust Indenture Act. The Indenture is unlimited
in aggregate principal amount, although the issuance of new
notes in this prospectus will be limited to $975.0 million
and will mature on February 15, 2018. We may issue an
unlimited principal amount of additional notes having identical
terms and conditions, except for the offering price and issue
date, as the new notes, referred to as the additional
notes. Any additional notes will be part of the same issue
as the notes that we are currently offering and will vote on all
matters with the holders of the new notes.
This description of the new notes is intended to be a useful
overview of the material provisions of the new notes, the
guarantee and the Indenture. Since this description is only a
summary, you should refer to the Indenture for a complete
description of our obligations, the obligations of the guarantor
and your rights.
The new notes will:
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be unsecured,
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be effectively junior in right of payment to any of our future
secured debt,
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rank equally in right of payment with all of our existing and
future unsubordinated debt, and
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be senior in right of payment to any of our future senior
subordinated or subordinated debt.
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Our obligations under the new notes will be fully and
unconditionally guaranteed by Nabors. The Indenture contains no
restrictions on the amount of additional indebtedness that
either we or Nabors may issue or guarantee in the future.
Interest
Interest on the new notes will begin to accrue upon the last
interest payment date on which interest was paid on the old note
surrendered in exchange for the new note or, if no interest has
been paid on such old note, from February 20, 2008, at a
rate of 6.15% per annum.
Interest will be payable semiannually on February 15 and August
15 of each year, beginning August 15, 2008, to the persons
in whose names the notes are registered at the close of business
on the preceding February 1 and August 1, respectively.
Interest on the notes will be computed on the basis of a
360-day year
comprised of twelve
30-day
months.
Payments
on the Notes; Paying Agent and Registrar
We will pay principal of, premium, if any, additional amounts
(as defined below), if any, and interest on any new notes issued
in certificated form at the office or agency we designate in the
City of New York, except that we may, at our option, pay
interest on any new notes in certificated form either at the
corporate trust office of the trustee in Houston, Texas or by
check mailed to holders of the new notes at their registered
addresses as they appear in the registrars books. In
addition, if a holder of any new notes in certificated form has
given wire transfer instructions in accordance with the
Indenture with respect to those notes, we will make all payments
on those new notes by wire transfer. We have initially
designated the corporate trust office of the trustee to act as
our paying agent and registrar. We may, however, change the
paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the holders of
the new notes, and Nabors or any of its subsidiaries may act as
paying agent or registrar.
We will pay principal of, premium, if any, additional amounts,
if any, and interest on, any new note in global form registered
in the name of or held by DTC or its nominee in immediately
available funds to DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as
the registered holder of such global note.
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Transfer
and Exchange
A holder of new notes may transfer or exchange notes at the
office of the registrar in accordance with the Indenture. The
registrar and the trustee may require a holder, among other
things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer
documents. No service charge will be imposed by us, the trustee
or the registrar for any registration of transfer or exchange of
notes, but we may require a holder to pay a sum sufficient to
cover any transfer tax or other similar governmental charge
required by law. We are not required to transfer or exchange any
new note selected for redemption. Also, we are not required to
transfer or exchange any new note for a period of 15 days
before a mailing of notice of redemption.
The registered holder of a new note will be treated as the owner
of it for all purposes.
Guarantee
Nabors will fully and unconditionally guarantee the due and
punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and
interest on the new notes and any other obligations of ours
under the new notes when and as they become due and payable,
whether at maturity, upon redemption, by acceleration or
otherwise, if we are unable to satisfy these obligations.
Nabors guarantee of our obligations under the new notes
will be its unsecured and unsubordinated obligation and will
have the same ranking with respect to Nabors indebtedness
as the new notes will have with respect to our indebtedness. The
guarantee will provide that, in the event of a default in
payment by us on the new notes, the holders of the new notes may
institute legal proceedings directly against Nabors to enforce
its guarantee without first proceeding against us.
In the event that Nabors is required to withhold or deduct on
account of any Bermudan taxes due from any payment made under or
with respect to its guarantee, Nabors will pay additional
amounts so that the net amount received by each holder of new
notes will equal the amount that the holder would have received
if the Bermudan taxes had not been required to be withheld or
deducted. The amounts that Nabors is required to pay to preserve
the net amount receivable by the holders of the new notes are
referred to as additional amounts.
Optional
Redemption
The new notes will be subject to redemption by us, in whole or
in part, at any time at a redemption price equal to the greater
of:
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100% of the principal amount of the new notes then outstanding
to be redeemed; or
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the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled
payments of principal and interest thereon (exclusive of the
interest accrued to the date of redemption) computed by
discounting such payments to the redemption date on a semiannual
basis, assuming a
360-day year
consisting of twelve
30-day
months, at a rate equal to the sum of 35 basis points plus
the adjusted treasury rate, as that term is generally used in
the industry, on the third business day prior to the redemption
date, as calculated by an independent investment banker, plus,
in either case, accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption
date.
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We will mail notice of redemption at least 20 days but not
more than 75 days before the applicable redemption date to
each holder of the new notes to be redeemed. If we elect to
redeem the notes in part, the trustee will select the notes to
be redeemed in a fair and appropriate manner.
Upon the payment of the redemption price, premium, if any,
additional amounts, if any, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if
any, to the date of redemption, interest will cease to accrue on
and after the applicable redemption date on the new notes or
portions thereof called for redemption.
Change of
Control Offer
Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event (as
defined below), each holder will have the right to require us to
purchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral
multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of such holders new
notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal
amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the
date of purchase (subject to the right of holders of record on
the relevant record date to
26
receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date),
except to the extent that we have exercised our right to redeem
the new notes as described under Optional
Redemption.
Change of Control means the occurrence of any one of
the following:
(a) the sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other
disposition (other than by way of merger, amalgamation or
consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of
all or substantially all of the assets of Nabors and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any person (as that
term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other
than to Nabors or one or more of the Subsidiaries or a
combination thereof or a person controlled by Nabors or one or
more of the Subsidiaries or a combination thereof;
(b) the consummation of any transaction (including without
limitation, any merger, amalgamation or consolidation) the
result of which is that any person (as that term is
used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) (other than
any Subsidiary) becomes the beneficial owner (as
defined in
Rules 13d-3
and 13d-5
under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of more than
50% of the outstanding Voting Stock of Nabors, measured by
voting power rather than number of shares (excluding a
redomestication of Nabors); or
(c) the first day on which the majority of the members of
the board of directors of Nabors cease to be Continuing
Directors.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed
to involve a Change of Control under clause (b)
above if (i) Nabors becomes a direct or indirect wholly
owned Subsidiary of a holding company and (ii)(A) the direct or
indirect holders of the Voting Stock of such holding company
immediately following such transaction are substantially the
same as the holders of the Voting Stock of Nabors immediately
prior to such transaction or (B) immediately following such
transaction no person (as that term is used in
Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act of 1933) (other than a
holding company satisfying the requirements of this sentence) is
the beneficial owner (as defined in
Rules 13d-3
and 13d-5
under the Exchange Act of 1933), directly or indirectly, of more
than 50% of the outstanding Voting Stock of such holding
company, measured by voting power rather than number of shares.
Change of Control Triggering Event means the ratings
of the notes are lowered by at least two of the three Rating
Agencies and the notes cease to be rated Investment Grade by at
least two of the three Rating Agencies in any case on any date
during the period, referred to as the Trigger
Period, commencing on the date of the first public
announcement by Nabors of any Change of Control (or pending
Change of Control) and ending 60 days following
consummation of such Change of Control (which
60-day
period will be extended for so long as the rating of the notes
is under publicly announced consideration for a possible
downgrade by any of the Rating Agencies). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no Change of Control will be deemed to have occurred
in connection with any particular Change of Control unless and
until such Change of Control has actually been consummated.
Within 60 days following the date upon which the Change of
Control Triggering Event has occurred, or at our option, prior
to any Change of Control but after the public announcement of
the transaction that constitutes or may constitute the Change of
Control, except to the extent that we have exercised our right
to redeem the notes as described under
Optional Redemption, we will mail a
notice, referred to as a Change of Control Offer, to
each holder with a copy to the trustee, which notice will govern
the terms of the Change of Control Offer, stating:
(1) that a Change of Control Triggering Event has occurred
and that such holder has the right to require us to purchase
such holders notes at a purchase price in cash equal to
101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid
interest, if any, to the date of purchase (subject to the right
of holders of record on a record date to receive interest on the
relevant interest payment date);
(2) the circumstances regarding such Change of Control
Triggering Event;
(3) the purchase date (which shall be no earlier than
30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such
notice is mailed, other than as may be required by law), such
date referred to as the Change of Control Payment
Date; and
(4) the instructions that a holder must follow in order to
have its notes purchased.
Holders of new notes electing to have new notes purchased
pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to
surrender their new notes, with the form entitled Option
of Holder to Elect Purchase on the reverse of
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the new note completed, to the paying agent at the address
specified in the notice, or transfer their new notes to the
paying agent by book-entry transfer pursuant to the applicable
procedures of the paying agent, prior to the close of business
on the third business day prior to the Change of Control Payment
Date.
We may make a Change of Control Offer in advance of a Change of
Control and the Change of Control Payment Date, and our Change
of Control Offer may be conditioned upon such Change of Control,
if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control
at the time of making the Change of Control Offer.
If holders of not less than 95% in aggregate principal amount of
the outstanding notes validly tender and do not withdraw such
new notes in a Change of Control Offer and we, or any third
party making a Change of Control Offer in lieu of us, as
described below, purchases all of the notes validly tendered and
not withdrawn by such holders, we will have the right, upon not
less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior notice,
given not more than 30 days following such purchase
pursuant to the Change of Control Offer described above, to
redeem all notes that remain outstanding following such purchase
at a redemption price in cash equal to 101% of the principal
amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the
date of redemption (subject to the right of holders of record on
a record date to receive interest on the relevant interest
payment date).
We will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer if a
third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and
otherwise in compliance with the requirements for such an offer
made by us and such third party purchases all notes properly
tendered and not withdrawn under its offer.
We will comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements
of Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act and any other
securities laws or regulations in connection with the repurchase
of notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer. To the extent
that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations
conflict with the terms described in this prospectus, we shall
comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and
will not be deemed to have breached its obligations by virtue
thereof.
The definition of Change of Control includes a phrase relating
to the sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of
all or substantially all of the assets of Nabors and
the Subsidiaries taken as a whole. Although there is a limited
body of case law interpreting the phrase substantially
all, there is no precise established definition of the
phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, the ability of a
holder of new notes to require us to repurchase its new notes as
a result of a sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other
disposition of less than all of the assets of Nabors and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole to another person may be uncertain.
Associated
Definitions
Continuing Director means, as of any date of
determination, any member of the board of directors of Nabors
who:
(1) was a member of such board of directors (a) on the
date of the original issuance of the notes or (b) for at
least two consecutive years; or
(2) was nominated for election, elected or appointed to
such board of directors with the approval of a majority of the
Continuing Directors who were members of such board of directors
at the time of such nomination, election or appointment (either
by a specific vote or by approval of the Nabors proxy
statement in which such member was named as a nominee for
election as a director, without objection to such nomination).
Fitch means Fitch Inc., a subsidiary of Fimalac,
S.A., and its successors.
Investment Grade means a rating of Baa3 or better by
Moodys (or its equivalent under any successor rating
category of Moodys); a rating of BBB- or better by
S&P (or its equivalent under any successor rating category
of S&P); a rating of BBB- or better by Fitch (or its
equivalent under any successor rating category of Fitch); and
the equivalent investment grade rating from any replacement
Rating Agency or Agencies appointed by us or Nabors.
Moodys means Moodys Investors Service,
Inc., a subsidiary of Moodys Corporation, and its
successors.
S&P means Standard & Poors
Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.,
and its successors.
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Rating Agency means each of Moodys, S&P
and Fitch; provided, that if any of Moodys,
S&P and Fitch ceases to rate the notes or fails to make a
rating of the notes publicly available, we or Nabors will
appoint a replacement for such Rating Agency that is a
nationally recognized statistical rating
organization within the meaning of
Rule 15c3-l(c)(2)(vi)(F)
under the Exchange Act.
Voting Stock of any specified person as of any date
means the capital stock of such person that is at the time
entitled to vote generally in the election of the board of
directors of such person.
Covenants
Various capitalized terms used within this Covenants
subsection are defined at the end of this subsection.
Limitations
on Liens
So long as any new notes are outstanding, Nabors will not, nor
will it permit any Subsidiary to, issue, assume, guarantee or
suffer to exist any debt for money borrowed, referred to as
Debt, if such Debt is secured by a mortgage, pledge,
security interest or lien, referred to as a mortgage
or mortgages, upon any properties of Nabors or any
Subsidiary or upon any securities or indebtedness of any
Subsidiary (whether such properties, securities or indebtedness
is now owned or hereafter acquired) without in any such case
effectively providing that the new notes shall be secured
equally and ratably with (or prior to) such Debt, except that
the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to:
(a) mortgages on any property acquired, constructed or
improved by Nabors or any Subsidiary (or mortgages on the
securities of a special purpose Subsidiary which holds no
material assets other than the property being acquired,
constructed or improved) after the date of the Indenture which
are created within 360 days after such acquisition (or in
the case of property constructed or improved, after the
completion and commencement of commercial operation of such
property, whichever is later) to secure or provide for the
payment of the purchase price or cost thereof; provided
that in the case of such construction or improvement the
mortgages shall not apply to any property owned by Nabors or any
Subsidiary before such construction or improvement other than
(1) unimproved real property on which the property so
constructed, or the improvement, is located or (2) personal
property which is so improved;
(b) mortgages existing on the date of issuance of the new
notes, existing mortgages on property acquired (including
mortgages on any property acquired from a person which is
consolidated with or merged with or into Nabors or a Subsidiary)
or mortgages outstanding at the time any corporation,
partnership or other entity becomes a Subsidiary; provided
that such mortgages shall only apply to property owned by
such corporation, partnership or other entity at the time it
becomes a Subsidiary or that is acquired thereafter other than
from Nabors or another Subsidiary;
(c) mortgages in favor of Nabors or any Subsidiary;
(d) mortgages in favor of domestic or foreign governmental
bodies to secure advances or other payments pursuant to any
contract or statute or to secure indebtedness incurred to
finance the purchase price or cost of constructing or improving
the property subject to such mortgages, including mortgages to
secure Debt of the pollution control or industrial revenue bond
type;
(e) mortgages consisting of pledges or deposits by Nabors
or any Subsidiary under workers compensation laws,
unemployment insurance laws or similar legislation, or good
faith deposits in connection with bids, tenders, contracts
(other than for the payment of Debt) or leases to which Nabors
or any Subsidiary is a party, or deposits to secure public or
statutory obligations of Nabors or any Subsidiary or deposits or
cash or United States government bonds to secure surety or
appeal bonds to which it is a party, or deposits as security for
contested taxes or import or customs duties or for the payment
of rent, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of
business;
(f) mortgages imposed by law, including carriers,
warehousemens, repairmans, landlords and
mechanics liens, in each case for sums not yet due or
being contested in good faith by appropriate
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proceedings if a reserve or other appropriate provisions, if
any, as shall be required by generally accepted accounting
principles shall have been made in respect thereof;
(g) mortgages for taxes, assessments or other governmental
charges that are not yet delinquent or which are being contested
in good faith by appropriate proceedings provided
appropriate reserves required pursuant to generally accepted
accounting principles have been made in respect thereof;
(h) mortgages in favor of issuers of surety or performance
bonds or letters of credit or bankers acceptances issued
pursuant to the request of and for the account of Nabors or any
Subsidiary in the ordinary course of its business;
(i) mortgages consisting of encumbrances, easements or
reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights of
way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and
other similar purposes, or mortgages consisting of zoning or
other restrictions as to the use of real properties or mortgages
incidental to the conduct of the business of Nabors or a
Subsidiary or to the ownership of its properties which do not
materially adversely affect the value of said properties or
materially impair their use in the operation of the business of
Nabors or a Subsidiary;
(j) mortgages arising by virtue of any statutory or common
law provisions relating to bankers liens, rights of
set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or
other funds maintained with a depository institution;
provided that:
(1) such deposit account is not a dedicated cash collateral
account and is not subject to restrictions against access by
Nabors or a Subsidiary in excess of those set forth by
regulations promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board; and
(2) such deposit account is not intended by Nabors or any
Subsidiary to provide collateral to the depository institution;
(k) mortgages arising from Uniform Commercial Code
financing statement filings regarding operating leases Nabors
and its Subsidiaries enter into in the ordinary course of
business;
(l) any mortgage over goods (or any documents relating
thereto) arising either in favor of a bank issuing a form of
documentary credit in connection with the purchase of such goods
or by way of retention of title by the supplier of such goods
where such goods are supplied on credit, subject to such
retention of title, and in both cases where such goods are
acquired in the ordinary course of business;
(m) any mortgage pursuant to any order of attachment,
execution, enforcement, distraint or similar legal process
arising in connection with court proceedings; provided
that such process is effectively stayed, discharged or
otherwise set aside within 30 days;
(n) any lease, sublease and sublicense granted to any third
party constituting a mortgage and any mortgage pursuant to
farm-in and farm-out agreements, operating agreements,
development agreements and any other similar arrangements, which
are customary in the oil and gas industry or in the ordinary
course of business of Nabors or any Subsidiary; or
(o) any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive
extensions, renewals or replacements), in whole or in part, of
any mortgage referred to in the foregoing clauses (a)
through (n), inclusive; provided that the principal
amount of Debt secured thereby shall not exceed the principal
amount of Debt so secured at the time of such extension, renewal
or replacement, and that such extension, renewal or replacement
shall be limited to all or a part of the property which secured
the mortgage so extended, renewed or replaced (plus improvements
in such property).
In addition to the foregoing, Nabors and any Subsidiary may,
without securing the new notes, issue, assume or guarantee
secured Debt that, with certain other Debt described in the
following sentence, does not exceed 10% of Consolidated Net
Tangible Assets. The other Debt to be aggregated for purpose of
this exception is all Attributable Debt in respect of Sale and
Lease-Back Transactions of Nabors and its Subsidiaries under the
exception in clause (e)(2) below existing at such time.
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Limitations
on Sale and Lease-Back Transactions
So long as any new notes are outstanding, Nabors will not, nor
will it permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any Sale and
Lease-Back Transaction, other than any Sale and Lease-Back
Transaction:
(a) entered into within 360 days of the later of the
acquisition or placing into service of the property subject
thereto by Nabors or the Subsidiary;
(b) involving a lease of less than five years;
(c) entered into a connection with an industrial revenue
bond or pollution control financing;
(d) between Nabors
and/or one
or more Subsidiaries;
(e) as to which Nabors or such Subsidiary would be entitled
to incur Debt secured by a mortgage on the property to be leased
in an amount equal to the Attributable Debt with respect to such
Sale and Lease-Back Transaction without equally and ratably
securing the notes (1) under clauses (a) through
(n) in Limitations on Liens above
or (2) under the last paragraph of that covenant; or
(f) as to which Nabors will apply an amount equal to the
net proceeds from the sale of the property so leased to
(1) the retirement (other than any mandatory retirement),
within 360 days of the effective date of any such Sale and
Lease-Back Transaction, of notes or of Funded Debt of Nabors or
a Subsidiary or (2) the purchase or construction of other
property, provided that such property is owned by Nabors
or a Subsidiary free and clear of all mortgages.
SEC
Reports; Financial Information
So long as any new notes are outstanding, Nabors will file with
the trustee copies, within 15 days after Nabors is required
to file the same with the SEC, of the annual reports and of the
information, documents and other reports (or copies of such
portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may from time to
time by rules and regulations prescribe) which Nabors may be
required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or
Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act or, if Nabors is not
required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to
either of such sections, then to file with the trustee and the
SEC, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from
time to time by the SEC, such of the supplementary and periodic
information, documents and reports, if any, which may be
required pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act, in
respect of a security listed and registered on a national
securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in
such rules and regulations.
At any time when neither Nabors nor we are subject to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the new notes
are not freely transferable under the Securities Act, upon the
request of a holder of the new notes, Nabors and we will
promptly furnish or cause to be furnished the information
specified under Rule 144A(d)(4) of the Securities Act to
such holder, or to a prospective purchaser of a note designed by
such holder, in order to permit compliance with Rule 144A
under the Securities Act.
Consolidation,
Amalgamation, Merger, Conveyance of Assets
The Indenture provides, in general, that neither we nor Nabors
will consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other
entity or convey, transfer or lease our or its assets
substantially as an entirety to any person, unless:
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the entity formed by the consolidation or amalgamation or into
which we or Nabors is merged, or the person who acquires the
assets, shall be organized, in our case, under the laws of the
United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia,
and in either case expressly assumes our or Nabors
obligations under the Indenture, the notes and the
guarantee; and
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immediately after giving effect to that type of transaction, no
event of default, and no event that, after notice or lapse of
time or both, would become an event of default, shall have
happened and be continuing.
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Event
Risk
Except for the limitations described above under the subsections
Limitations on Liens and
Limitations on Sale and Lease-Back
Transactions, neither the Indenture, the guarantee nor the
new notes will afford holders of the new notes protection in the
event of a highly leveraged transaction involving either us or
the guarantor or will contain any restrictions on the amount of
additional indebtedness that either we or the guarantor may
incur.
Definitions
Attributable Debt means, with respect to any Sale
and Lease-Back Transaction as of any particular time, the
present value discounted at the rate of interest implicit in the
terms of the lease of the obligations of the lessee under such
lease for net rental payments during the remaining term of the
lease.
Capital Stock means (i) in the case of a
corporation or a company, corporate stock or shares;
(ii) in the case of an association or business entity, any
and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other
equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;
(iii) in the case of a partnership or limited liability
company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or
limited); and (iv) any other interest or participation that
confers on a person the right to receive a share of the profits
and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing person.
Consolidated Net Tangible Assets means the total
assets of Nabors and the Subsidiaries as of the most recent
fiscal quarter end for which a consolidated balance sheet of
Nabors and the Subsidiaries is available, minus all current
liabilities (excluding the current portion of any long-term
debt) of Nabors and the Subsidiaries reflected on such balance
sheet and minus total goodwill and other intangible assets of
Nabors and the Subsidiaries reflected on such balance sheet, all
calculated on a consolidated basis in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles in the United States.
Funded Debt means indebtedness for money borrowed
which by its terms matures at, or is extendible or renewable at
the option of the obligor to, a date more than twelve months
after the date of the creation of such indebtedness.
Sale and Lease-Back Transaction means any
arrangement with any person providing for the leasing by Nabors
or any Subsidiary of any property, whereby such property had
been sold or transferred by Nabors or any Subsidiary to such
person.
Subsidiary means (1) any corporation,
association or other business entity (other than a partnership,
joint venture or limited liability company) of which more than
50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock
entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency)
to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees
thereof is at the time of determination owned or controlled,
directly or indirectly, by Nabors or one or more of the other
Subsidiaries or a combination thereof and (2) any
partnership, joint venture or limited liability company of which
(x) more than 50% of the capital accounts, distribution
rights, total equity and voting interests or general and limited
partnership interests, as applicable, are owned or controlled,
directly or indirectly, by Nabors or one or more of the other
Subsidiaries or a combination thereof, whether in the form of
membership, general, special or limited partnership interests or
otherwise, (y) Nabors or any of the Subsidiaries is a
controlling general partner or otherwise controls such entity
and (z) such entity is consolidated in the consolidated
financial statements of Nabors in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles in the United States.
Mandatory
Redemption; Sinking Fund
We are not required to make either mandatory redemption or
sinking fund payments with respect to the new notes.
Book-Entry;
Delivery and Form
The new notes will initially be issued only in registered,
book-entry form, in denominations of $2,000 and any integral
multiples of $1,000 as described under Book-Entry
System. We will issue one or more global notes in
denominations that together equal the total principal amount of
the outstanding new notes.
32
Modification
of the Indenture
Amendments of the Indenture may be made by us, Nabors and the
trustee with the consent of the holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the outstanding notes;
provided, however, that no such amendment may,
without the consent of the holder of each outstanding note
affected thereby:
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extend the final maturity of the principal of any of the new
notes;
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reduce the principal amount of any of the new notes;
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reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest or
additional amounts, if any, on any of the new notes;
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reduce any amount payable on redemption of any of the new notes;
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change the currency in which the principal of, premium, if any,
or interest or additional amounts, if any, on any of the new
notes is payable;
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impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any
payment on any of the new notes when due; or
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make any change in the percentage in principal amount of the new
notes, the consent of the holders of which is required for any
such amendment.
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Without the consent of any holder of outstanding new notes, we
may amend the Indenture as it relates to the new notes and the
new notes to:
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cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency;
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provide for the assumption by a successor to the obligations of
Nabors or ourself under the Indenture;
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provide for uncertificated new notes in addition to or in place
of certificated new notes (provided that the
uncertificated notes are issued in registered form for purposes
of Section 163(f) of the Code, or in a manner such that the
uncertificated notes are described in Section 163(f)(2)(B)
of the Code);
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provide for the issuance of additional notes in accordance with
the Indenture;
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effect or maintain, or otherwise comply with the requirements of
the SEC in connection with, the qualification of the Indenture
under the Trust Indenture Act;
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secure all or any of the new notes;
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add to the covenants of Nabors or ourself or events of default
for the benefit of the holders or surrender any right or power
conferred upon us or Nabors;
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effect any provision of the Indenture; or
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make other provisions that do not adversely affect the rights of
any holder of outstanding new notes.
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The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding notes may, on behalf of the holders of all notes,
waive any past default under the Indenture, except a default in
the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, additional
amounts, if any, or interest on any note or in respect of a
provision which under the Indenture cannot be amended without
the consent of the holder of each outstanding note affected.
It is not necessary for the consent of the holders under the
Indenture to approve the particular form of any proposed
amendment or waiver. It is sufficient if such consent approves
the substance of the proposed amendment or waiver. A consent to
any amendment or waiver under the Indenture by any holder of
notes given in connection with a tender of such holders
notes will not be rendered invalid by such tender. After an
amendment or waiver under the Indenture becomes effective, we
are required to mail to the holders a notice briefly describing
such amendment or waiver. However, the failure to mail such
notice, or any defect in the notice, will not impair or affect
the validity of the amendment or waiver.
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Events of
Default
In general, the Indenture defines an event of default as being:
(1) a default for 10 days in payment of any principal
or premium, if any, on the notes, either at maturity, upon any
redemption, by declaration or otherwise;
(2) a default for 30 days in payment of any interest
or additional amounts, if any, on the notes;
(3) a default for 90 days after written notice from
the trustee or holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal
amount of the outstanding notes in the observance or performance
of any covenant in the notes or the Indenture;
(4) an event of our or Nabors bankruptcy, insolvency
or reorganization; or
(5) the failure to keep Nabors full and unconditional
guarantee in place.
If an event of default (other than one described in
clause (4) above) occurs and is continuing, either the
trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal
amount of the outstanding notes may declare the principal amount
of all notes to be due and payable immediately. If any event of
default described in clause (4) above occurs, the principal
amount of the notes will be automatically due and payable
immediately. However, any time after an acceleration with
respect to the notes has occurred, but before a judgment or
decree based on such acceleration has been obtained, the holders
of a majority in aggregate principal amount of outstanding notes
may, under some circumstances, rescind and annul such
acceleration. The majority holders, however, may not annul or
waive a continuing default in payment of principal of, premium,
if any, additional amounts, if any, or interest on the notes.
The Indenture provides that the holders of the notes will
indemnify the trustee before the trustee exercises any of its
rights or powers under the Indenture. This indemnification is
subject to the trustees duty to act with the required
standard of care during a default.
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding notes may direct the time, method and place of:
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the conduct of any proceeding for any remedy available to the
trustee; or
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the exercise of any trust or power conferred on the trustee.
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This right of the holders of the notes is, however, subject to
the provisions in the Indenture providing for the
indemnification of the trustee and other specified limitations.
In general, the Indenture provides that holders of notes may
institute an action against us, Nabors or any other obligor
under the notes only if the following four conditions are
fulfilled:
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the holder previously has given to the trustee written notice of
default and the default continues;
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the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the
notes then outstanding have both requested the trustee to
institute such action and offered the trustee reasonable
indemnity;
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the trustee has not instituted this action within 60 days
of receipt of such request; and
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the trustee has not received a direction inconsistent with such
written request by the holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the notes then outstanding.
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The above four conditions do not apply to actions by holders of
the notes against us, Nabors or any other obligor under the
notes for payment of principal of, premium, if any, additional
amounts, if any, or interest on or after the due date.
The Indenture contains a covenant that we, Nabors and any other
obligor under the notes will file annually with the trustee a
certificate of no default or a certificate specifying any
default that exists.
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Discharge,
Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance
We may discharge or defease our obligations under the Indenture
as set forth below.
Under terms satisfactory to the trustee, we may discharge
certain obligations to holders of the notes that have not
already been delivered to the trustee for cancellation. The
notes must also:
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have become due and payable;
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be due and payable by their terms within one year; or
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be scheduled for redemption by their terms within one year.
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We may discharge the Indenture by irrevocably depositing an
amount certified to be sufficient to pay at maturity, or upon
redemption, the principal, premium, if any, additional amounts,
if any, and interest on the notes. We may make the deposit in
cash or U.S. Government Obligations, as defined in the
Indenture.
We may terminate all our obligations under the notes and the
Indenture at any time, except for certain obligations, including
those respecting the defeasance trust and obligations to
register the transfer or exchange of the notes, to replace
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen notes and to maintain a
registrar and paying agent in respect of the notes. This is
referred to as legal defeasance. If we exercise our
legal defeasance option, the guarantee in effect at such time
will terminate.
Under terms satisfactory to the trustee, we and Nabors may be
released with respect to any outstanding notes from the
obligations imposed by the sections of the Indenture that
contain the covenants described above limiting liens, sale and
lease-back transactions and consolidations, amalgamations,
mergers and conveyances of assets. Also under terms satisfactory
to the trustee, we may no longer be required to comply with
these sections without the creation of an event of default. This
is typically referred to as covenant defeasance. If
we exercise our covenant defeasance option, the guarantee in
effect at such time will terminate. We may exercise our legal
defeasance option notwithstanding our prior exercise of our
covenant defeasance option.
Legal defeasance or covenant defeasance may be effected by us
only if, among other things:
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we irrevocably deposit with the trustee cash or
U.S. Government Obligations as trust funds in an amount
certified to be sufficient to pay at maturity or upon redemption
the aggregate principal of, premium, if any, additional amounts,
if any, and interest on all outstanding notes; and
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we deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect
that the holders of the notes will not recognize income, gain or
loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result
of our legal defeasance or covenant defeasance. This opinion
must further state that these holders will be subject to United
States federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same
manner and at the same times as would have been the case if our
legal defeasance or covenant defeasance had not occurred. In the
case of a legal defeasance, this opinion must be based on a
ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or a change in United
States federal income tax law occurring after the date of the
Indenture, since this result would not occur under current tax
law.
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Concerning
the Trustee
The trustee is one of a number of banks with which Nabors and
its subsidiaries maintain ordinary banking relationships. We
have appointed the trustee as registrar and paying agent under
the Indenture.
Governing
Law
The Indenture, the notes and the guarantee will be governed by,
and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New
York.
35
BOOK-ENTRY
SYSTEM
Book-Entry,
Delivery and Form
The old notes are, and the new notes will be, represented by one
or more global notes in registered, global form without interest
coupons, collectively referred to as the Global
Notes). The Global Notes initially will be deposited upon
issuance with the Trustee as custodian for DTC, in New York, New
York, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., in
each case for credit to an account of a direct or indirect
participant as described below.
Except as set forth below, the Global Notes may be transferred,
in whole and not in part, only to another nominee of DTC or to a
successor of DTC or its nominee. Beneficial interests in the
Global Notes may not be exchanged for exchange notes in
certificated form except in the limited circumstances described
below. See Exchange of Global Notes for
Certificated Notes. In addition, transfers of beneficial
interests in the Global Notes will be subject to the applicable
rules and procedures of DTC and its direct or indirect
participants, which may change from time to time.
The notes may be presented for registration of transfer and
exchange at the offices of the registrar.
Depository
Procedures
The following description of the operations and procedures of
DTC is provided solely as a matter of convenience. These
operations and procedures are solely within the control of the
respective settlement systems and are subject to changes by
them. We take no responsibility for these operations and
procedures and urge investors to contact the system or their
participants directly to discuss these matters.
DTC has advised us that DTC is a limited-purpose trust company
organized under the laws of the State of New York, a
banking organization within the meaning of the New
York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a
clearing corporation within the meaning of the
Uniform Commercial Code and a clearing agency
registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the
Exchange Act. DTC was created to hold securities for its
participating organizations, collectively referred to as the
Participants, and to facilitate the clearance and
settlement of transactions in those securities between
Participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts
of its Participants. The Participants include securities brokers
and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and
certain other organizations. Access to DTCs system is also
available to other entities such as banks, brokers, dealers and
trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial
relationship with a participant, either directly or indirectly,
collectively referred to as the Indirect
Participants. Persons who are not Participants may
beneficially own securities held by or on behalf of DTC only
through the Participants or the Indirect Participants. The
ownership interests in, and transfers of ownership interests in,
each security held by or on behalf of DTC are recorded on the
records of the Participants and Indirect Participants.
DTC has also advised us that, pursuant to procedures established
by it:
(1) upon deposit of the Global Notes, DTC will credit the
accounts of Participants designated by the initial purchasers
with portions of the principal amount of the Global
Notes; and
(2) ownership of these interests in the Global Notes will
be shown on, and the transfer of ownership of these interests
will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with
respect to the Participants) or by the Participants and the
Indirect Participants (with respect to other owners of
beneficial interests in the Global Notes).
Investors in the Global Notes who are Participants in DTCs
system may hold their interests therein directly through DTC.
Investors in the Global Notes who are not Participants may hold
their interests therein indirectly through organizations which
are Participants in such system. All interests in a Global Note
may be subject to the procedures and requirements of DTC. The
laws of some states require that certain persons take physical
delivery in definitive form of securities that they own.
Consequently, the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a
Global Note to such persons will be limited to that extent.
Because DTC can act only on behalf of Participants, which in
turn act on behalf of Indirect Participants, the ability of a
person having beneficial interests in a Global Note to pledge
such
36
interests to persons that do not participate in the DTC system,
or otherwise take actions in respect of such interests, may be
affected by the lack of a physical certificate evidencing such
interests.
Except as described below, owners of an interest in the
Global Notes will not have new notes registered in their names,
will not receive physical delivery of new notes in certificated
form and will not be considered the registered owners or
holders thereof under the Indenture for any
purpose.
Payments in respect of the principal of, and interest and
premium on a Global Note registered in the name of DTC or its
nominee will be payable to DTC in its capacity as the registered
holder under the Indenture. Under the terms of the Indenture, we
and the Trustee will treat the persons in whose names the new
notes, including the Global Notes, are registered as the owners
of the notes for the purpose of receiving payments and for all
other purposes. Consequently, neither we, the Trustee nor any
agent of us or the Trustee has or will have any responsibility
or liability for:
(1) any aspect of DTCs records or any
Participants or Indirect Participants records
relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership
interests in the Global Notes or for maintaining, supervising or
reviewing any of DTCs records or any Participants or
Indirect Participants records relating to the beneficial
ownership interests in the Global Notes; or
(2) any other matter relating to the actions and practices
of DTC or any of its Participants or Indirect Participants.
DTC has advised us that its current practice, upon receipt of
any payment in respect of securities such as the new notes
(including principal and interest), is to credit the accounts of
the relevant Participants with the payment on the payment date
unless DTC has reason to believe it will not receive payment on
such payment date. Each relevant Participant is credited with an
amount proportionate to its beneficial ownership of an interest
in the principal amount of the relevant security as shown on the
records of DTC. Payments by the Participants and the Indirect
Participants to the beneficial owners of new notes will be
governed by standing instructions and customary practices and
will be the responsibility of the Participants or the Indirect
Participants and will not be the responsibility of DTC, the
Trustee, Nabors or us. Neither we Nabors, nor the Trustee will
be liable for any delay by DTC or any of its participants in
identifying the beneficial owners of the notes, and we and the
Trustee may conclusively rely on and will be protected in
relying on instructions from DTC or its nominee for all purposes.
Transfers between Participants in DTC will be effected in
accordance with DTCs procedures, and will be settled in
same-day
funds.
DTC has advised us that it will take any action permitted to be
taken by a holder of new notes only at the direction of one or
more Participants to whose account DTC has credited the
interests in the Global Notes and only in respect of such
portion of the aggregate principal amount of the new notes as to
which such Participant or Participants has or have given such
direction. However, if there is an event of default under the
new notes, DTC reserves the right to exchange the Global Notes
for legended new notes in certificated form, and to distribute
such notes to its Participants.
Although DTC has agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to
facilitate transfers of interests in the Global Notes among
Participants, it is under no obligation to perform such
procedures, and such procedures may be discontinued or changed
at any time. Neither we, Nabors, the Trustee nor any of our
respective agents will have any responsibility for the
performance by DTC or its Participants or Indirect Participants
of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures
governing their operations.
Exchange
of Global Notes for Certificated Notes
A Global Note is exchangeable for definitive notes in registered
certificated form, referred to as the Certificated
Notes, if (1) DTC (A) notifies us that it is
unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for the Global
Notes and a successor depositary is not appointed or
(B) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the
Exchange Act, and, in either case, we fail to appoint a
successor depositary within 90 days, or (2) there has
occurred and is continuing an Event of Default and DTC notifies
the trustee of its decision to exchange Global Notes for notes
in certificated form.
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In addition, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be
exchanged for Certificated Notes upon request but only upon at
least 20 days prior written notice given to the
trustee by or on behalf of DTC in accordance with customary
procedures. In all cases, Certificated Notes delivered in
exchange for any Global Note or beneficial interest therein will
be registered in names, and issued in minimum denominations of
$2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof,
requested by or on behalf of DTC (in accordance with its
customary procedures).
Neither we, Nabors nor the trustee will be liable for any delay
by a Global Note holder or DTC in identifying the beneficial
owners of the new notes and we, Nabors and the trustee may
conclusively rely on, and will be protected in relying on,
instructions from the Global Note holder or DTC for all purposes.
Same Day
Settlement and Payment
We will make payments in respect of the new notes represented by
the Global Notes (including principal, premium, if any, and
interest) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the
accounts specified by the Global Note holder. We will make all
payments of principal, interest and premium with respect to
Certificated Notes by wire transfer of immediately available
funds to the accounts specified by the holders of the
Certificated Notes or, if no such account is specified, by
mailing a check to each such holders registered address.
The new notes represented by the Global Notes are expected to be
eligible to trade in DTCs
Same-Day
Funds Settlement System, and any permitted secondary market
trading activity in such notes will, therefore, be required by
DTC to be settled in immediately available funds. We expect that
secondary trading in any Certificated Notes will also be settled
in immediately available funds.
38
TAXATION
The following is a general discussion of certain United
States federal income and estate tax consequences of the
acquisition, ownership, disposition and exchange of notes by an
investor who purchases notes pursuant to this offering and that
holds the notes as capital assets. For purposes of this
discussion, a U.S. Holder means an individual
who is a citizen or resident of the United States, a corporation
or other entity taxable as a corporation for United States
federal income tax purposes, that was created or organized in
the United States or under the law of the United States or of
any state thereof or the District of Columbia, an estate whose
income is subject to United States federal income taxation
regardless of its source, or a trust if either a United States
court is able to exercise primary supervision over the
administration of the trust and one or more United States
persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions
of the trust, or the trust has a valid election in effect under
applicable United States Treasury regulations to be treated as a
United States person. A
Non-U.S. Holder
is a person that is not a U.S. Holder. Other than with
respect to the discussion under the heading United States
Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Exchange, the
discussion addresses only
Non-U.S. Holders.
This discussion does not purport to discuss all aspects of
United States federal taxation that may be important to a
particular investor in light of the investors particular
investment or tax circumstances, or to certain types of holders
subject to special tax rules including, insurance companies, tax
exempt organizations, financial institutions, broker-dealers,
certain expatriates, holders whose functional currency is not
the United States dollar, or holders who will hold the notes as
a hedge against currency risks or as part of a straddle or a
synthetic security. In addition, this discussion does not
discuss any foreign, state, local or other taxing jurisdiction
tax considerations. If a partnership, or other entity treated as
a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes,
holds notes, the tax treatment of a partner generally will
depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the
partnership. A holder that is a partnership and partners in such
partnership are urged to consult their tax advisors about the
United States federal tax consequences of acquiring, holding and
disposing of notes. This discussion is based upon the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (which we refer to as the
Code), United States Treasury regulations promulgated
thereunder, published rulings and court decisions, all as in
effect on the date hereof, which are subject to change, possibly
with retroactive effect, or to different interpretations.
Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors
regarding the United States federal tax consequences of
acquiring, holding and disposing of notes, as well as any tax
consequences that may arise under the laws of any relevant
foreign, state, local or other taxing jurisdiction.
United
States Federal Tax Consequences of the Exchange
The exchange of old notes for new notes in this exchange offer
will not constitute a taxable event for holders. Consequently, a
holder will not recognize gain or loss on the exchange, the
holding period of the new note will include the holding period
of the old note and the basis of the new note will be the same
as the basis of the old note immediately before the exchange.
Certain
United States Federal Tax Considerations for
Non-U.S.
Holders
Interest
Interest that we pay to a
Non-U.S. Holder
will not be subject to United States federal income or
withholding tax provided that such interest is not effectively
connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the
United States by such
Non-U.S. Holder
and, among other things, such
Non-U.S. Holder
(i) does not actually or constructively own 10% or more of
the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock,
(ii) is not a controlled foreign corporation that is
related to us either actually or constructively through stock
ownership, (iii) is not a bank whose receipt of interest on
the notes is described in Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code
and (iv) certifies to us, our paying agent or the person
who would otherwise be required to withhold United States
federal income tax, on a
Form W-8BEN
or a suitable substitute or successor form, under penalties of
perjury, that such holder is not a U.S. person and provides
such holders name and address (the Certification
Requirement). If interest on a note is not effectively
connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the
United States and the three requirements of the preceding
sentence are not satisfied, the
Non-U.S. Holders
interest on a note will generally be subject to United States
withholding tax at a flat rate of 30% (or a lower applicable
treaty rate). If a
Non-U.S. Holders
interest on a note is effectively connected with the conduct of
a trade or business within the United States, then the
Non-U.S. Holder
will be subject to United States federal income tax on such
interest income in essentially the same
39
manner as a United States person, and in the case of a
Non-U.S. Holder
that is a foreign corporation, such corporation may also be
subject to the branch profits tax.
Gain
on Disposition
A
Non-U.S. Holder
generally will not be subject to United States federal income
tax with respect to gain recognized on a sale, redemption or
other disposition of a note unless (i) the gain is
effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business
within the United States by the
Non-U.S. Holder
(and, if an applicable income tax treaty so requires, is
attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment maintained
by the
Non-U.S. Holder)
or (ii) such holder is an individual who is present in the
United States for 183 or more days in the taxable year and
certain other requirements are met. Any such gain that is
effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business
within the United States will be subject to United States
federal income tax on a net income basis in essentially the same
manner as if such holder were a United States person, and if
such
Non-U.S. Holder
is a foreign corporation, such gain may also be subject to the
branch profits tax.
Federal
Estate Taxes
If interest on a note is exempt from withholding of United
States federal income tax under the rules described above, the
note held by an individual who at the time of death is a
Non-U.S. Holder
generally will not be subject to United States federal estate
tax as a result of such individuals death.
Information
Reporting and Backup Withholding
We will, when required, report to the holders of the notes and
the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) the amount of any
interest paid on the notes in each calendar year and the amounts
of tax withheld, if any, with respect to such payments.
In the case of payments of interest, backup withholding tax and
certain information reporting will not apply, provided the
Non-U.S. Holder
has satisfied the Certification Requirement or an exemption has
otherwise been established. Information reporting requirements
and backup withholding tax, at the then applicable rate, will
apply to the gross proceeds paid to a
Non-U.S. Holder
on the disposition of a note by or through a United States
office of a United States or foreign broker, unless the holder
satisfies the Certification Requirement or otherwise establishes
an exemption. Information reporting requirements, but not backup
withholding, will apply to a payment of the proceeds of a
disposition of a note by or through a foreign office of a United
States broker or foreign broker with certain types of
relationships to the United States, unless such broker has
documentary evidence in its file that the holder of the note is
not a U.S. person and such broker has no actual knowledge
or reason to know to the contrary, or the holder otherwise
establishes an exemption. Neither information reporting
requirements nor backup withholding generally will apply to a
payment of the proceeds of a disposition of a note by or through
a foreign office of a foreign broker provided such broker does
not have certain types of relationships to the United States.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts
withheld under the backup withholding rules may be credited
against the
Non-U.S. Holders
United States federal income tax liability and any excess may be
refunded, provided that the required information is timely
furnished to the IRS.
Consult your own tax advisor concerning the tax consequences
of the exchange arising under United States Federal, state,
local or
non-U.S. law.
40
CERTAIN
ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
The discussion of tax matters in this prospectus is not
intended or written to be used, and cannot be used by any
person, for the purpose of avoiding U.S. federal, state or
local tax penalties, and was written to support the promotion or
marketing of the notes. Each taxpayer should seek advice based
on such persons particular circumstances from an
independent tax advisor.
The following is a summary of certain considerations associated
with an investment in the notes by employee benefit plans that
are subject to Title I of the U.S. Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA),
plans, individual retirement accounts and other arrangements
that are subject to Section 4975 of the Code, and entities
whose underlying assets are considered to include plan assets of
such plans, accounts and arrangements (each, a Plan).
ERISA and the Code impose certain duties on persons who are
fiduciaries of a Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or
Section 4975 of the Code, such as exercising prudence in
selecting investments, diversifying investments to minimize the
risk of losses to the Plan, and acting in accordance with the
documents and instruments governing the Plan. In addition,
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code
prohibit Plans from engaging in specified transactions involving
plan assets with persons or entities who are parties in
interest, within the meaning of ERISA, or
disqualified persons, within the meaning of
Section 4975 of the Code (each, a Party in
Interest), unless an exemption is available. A Party in
Interest who engages in a nonexempt prohibited transaction may
be subject to excise taxes and other penalties and liabilities
under ERISA and the Code and the transaction may have to be
rescinded at significant cost to us. The U.S. Department of
Labor has granted certain class exemptions including, without
limitation, Prohibited Transaction Class Exemption
(PTCE)
90-1
(relating to investments by insurance company pooled separate
accounts),
PTCE 91-38
(relating to investments by bank collective investment funds),
PTCE 84-14
(relating to transactions effected by a qualified
professional asset manager),
PTCE 95-60
(relating to investments by an insurance company general
account), and
PTCE 96-23
(relating to transactions directed by an in-house professional
asset manager) which, if their terms are met, may permit
transactions that would otherwise be prohibited under
Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code.
There can be no assurance that all of the conditions of any such
exemptions will be satisfied.
An investment in the notes by a Plan may result in a prohibited
transaction under ERISA or the Code if we or the Initial
Purchasers or any of our or their affiliates were considered a
Party in Interest with respect to such Plan. Although we do not
expect to be a Party in Interest with respect to any Plan at the
time the notes are issued (other than Plans sponsored by us or
our affiliates for the benefit of our or our affiliates
employees, which are not permitted to invest in the notes) or
provide services in the foreseeable future to Plans that would
make us a Party in Interest, there can be no assurance that we
will not become a Party in Interest with respect to one or more
Plans while the notes remain outstanding. This could happen, for
example, if we were acquired by an entity that is a Party in
Interest to one or more Plans. Accordingly, each investor and
subsequent transferee by its acquisition and holding of the
notes (or any interest in a note) will be deemed to have
represented and agreed that either: (i) it is not, and will
not be for so long as it holds any note (or interest in a note),
a Plan, or a governmental,
non-U.S.,
church or other plan which is subject to any federal, state,
local or
non-U.S. law
substantially similar to Section 406 of ERISA or
Section 4975 of the Code (Similar Law) and no
portion of the assets used by such purchaser or transferee to
acquire and hold the notes constitutes assets of any Plan; or
(ii) its acquisition, holding and disposition of such notes
will not constitute or result in a nonexempt prohibited
transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975
of the Code (or, in the case of a governmental,
non-U.S.,
church or other plan, a violation of any Similar Law).
Any Plan that is considering an investment in the notes (or
interests therein) should consult with its counsel to confirm
that such investment will satisfy applicable requirements of
ERISA, the Code and Similar Law, and that it can make the deemed
representation set forth above. The issuance of the notes to a
Plan is in no respect a representation by us or the Initial
Purchasers that such an investment meets all relevant legal
requirements with respect to investments by Plans generally or
any particular Plan, or that such an investment is appropriate
for Plans generally or any particular Plan.
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PLAN OF
DISTRIBUTION
Each broker-dealer that receives new notes for its own account
pursuant to this exchange offer must acknowledge that it will
deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such new
notes. Any broker-dealer that holds old notes acquired for its
own account as a result of market-making activities or other
trading activities, and who receives the new notes in exchange
for such old notes pursuant to the exchange offer, may be a
statutory underwriter and must deliver a prospectus meeting the
requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale
of such new notes. This prospectus, as it may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer
in connection with resales of new notes received in exchange for
old securities where such old securities were acquired as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities.
We have agreed that, starting on the Expiration Date and ending
on the close of business
180-days
after the Expiration Date or such shorter period as will
terminate when all new notes held by broker-dealers exchanging
old notes they acquired for their own account as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities or initial
purchasers have been sold pursuant hereto, we will make this
prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any
broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale.
We will not receive any proceeds from any sale of new notes by
brokers-dealers. New notes received by broker-dealers for their
own account pursuant to this exchange offer may be sold from
time to time in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter
market, in negotiated transactions, through the writing of
options on the new notes or a combination of such methods of
resale, at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at
prices related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated
prices. Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to
or through brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in
the form of commissions or concessions from any such
broker-dealer
and/or the
purchasers of any such new notes. Any broker-dealer that resells
new notes that were received by it for its own account pursuant
to this exchange offer and any broker or dealer that
participates in a distribution of such new notes may be deemed
to be an underwriter within the meaning of the
Securities Act and any profit of any such resale of new notes
and any commissions or concessions received by any such persons
may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under the
Securities Act. The Letter of Transmittal states that by
acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a
prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it
is an underwriter within the meaning of the
Securities Act.
Furthermore, any broker-dealer that acquired any of the old
notes directly from us:
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may not rely on the applicable interpretation of the staff of
the SECs position contained in Exxon Capital Holdings
Corporation (pub. avail. May 13, 1988), Morgan Stanley and
Co., Inc. (pub. avail. June 5, 1991), as interpreted in the
Commissions letter to Shearman & Sterling dated
July 2, 1993 and similar no-action letters; and
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must also be named as a selling noteholder in connection with
the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act relating to any resale transaction.
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For a period of
180-days
after the Expiration Date or such shorter period as will
terminate when all new notes held by broker-dealers exchanging
old notes they acquired for their own account as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities or initial
purchasers have been sold pursuant hereto, we will promptly send
additional copies of this prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to this prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests
such documents in the Letter of Transmittal. We have agreed to
pay all expenses incident to this exchange offer (including the
expenses of one counsel for the holder of the old notes) other
than commissions or concessions of any brokers or dealers and
will indemnify the holders of the old notes (including any
broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act.
INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the documents
listed below and any future filings Nabors makes with the SEC
under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange
Act, including any filings after the date of this prospectus
until the exchange offer is consummated with respect to all the
notes to which this prospectus relates or the offering is
otherwise terminated.
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Nabors Annual Report on
Form 10-K
filed on February 28, 2008, for Nabors fiscal year
ended December 31, 2007;
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Nabors Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the three month period ended March 31, 2008 filed on
May 2, 2008;
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Nabors Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the three month period ended June 30, 2008 filed on
August 1, 2008;
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Nabors Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A
filed on April 29, 2008 as amended by the revised
Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed on
April 30, 2008, to the extent incorporated by reference
into Nabors Annual Report on
Form 10-K;
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Nabors Current Report on
Form 8-K
filed on May 14, 2008;
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Nabors Current Report on
Form 8-K
filed on May 29, 2008;
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Nabors Current Report on
Form 8-K
filed on July 1, 2008;
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Nabors Current Report on
Form 8-K
filed on July 17, 2008; and
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Nabors Current Report on
Form 8-K
filed on July 23, 2008.
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The information incorporated by reference is an important part
of this prospectus. Any statement in a document incorporated by
reference into this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or
superseded to the extent a statement contained in (1) this
prospectus or (2) any other subsequently filed document
that is incorporated by reference into this prospectus modifies
or supersedes such statement.
We will furnish without charge to you, upon written or oral
request, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by
reference herein, other than exhibits to such documents that are
not specifically incorporated by reference therein. You should
direct any requests for documents to Nabors at: Mintflower
Place, 8 Par-La- Ville Road, Hamilton, HM08, Bermuda,
Attention: Investor Relations, or by telephoning Nabors at
(441) 292-1510.
LEGAL
MATTERS
Certain legal matters will be passed upon for us by Milbank,
Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP with respect to New York
law and by Appleby with respect to Bermuda law.
INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The consolidated financial statements and managements
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over
financial reporting (which is included in Managements
Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting)
incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Annual
Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2007 have been so
incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on
the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
With respect to the unaudited financial information of Nabors
Industries Ltd. for the three-month periods ended March 31,
2008 and 2007 and the three-month and six-month periods ended
June 30, 2008 and 2007, incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP reported that they have
applied limited procedures in accordance with professional
standards for a review of such information. However, their
reports dated May 1, 2008 and July 31, 2008,
respectively, incorporated by reference herein state that they
did not audit and they do not express an opinion on that
unaudited financial information. Accordingly, the degree of
reliance on their reports on such information should be
restricted in light of the limited nature of the review
procedures applied. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is not subject to
the liability provisions of Section 11 of the Securities
Act of 1933 for their reports on the unaudited financial
information because those reports are not reports or
a part of the registration statement prepared or
certified by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP within the meaning of
Sections 7 and 11 of the Act.
43
Nabors
Industries, Inc.
Nabors Industries Ltd.
Exchange
Offer for
6.15% Senior Notes due 2018
Fully and unconditionally Guaranteed by Nabors Industries
Ltd.
PROSPECTUS
September 10,
2008