Nabors Industries Ltd
Nabors Industries Ltd. owns and operates a large fleet of land drilling rigs and also provides offshore platform rigs, drilling-related services, and rig technology products. The company combines drilling operations with automation software, tubular running services, managed pressure drilling, and equipment manufacturing to improve well construction performance and efficiency.
Fiscal year 2025 · change from previous year
Development 2020–2025
Business
Share of revenueOperation of land rigs and offshore platform rigs under customer contracts.
Tubular running, managed pressure drilling, and other well-construction services.
Manufacture and sale of rig components, downhole tools, and robotic systems.
RigCLOUD, SmartNAV, SmartSLIDE, ROCKit and related automation tools.
Customers
Nabors sells primarily to oil and gas exploration and production companies that need drilling capacity, well-construction services, and rig equipment. A small number of large customers are especially important, with Saudi Aramco representing a major share of consolidated operating revenue through the SANAD joint venture. The company also serves third-party rig operators and customers in international markets that value technical performance, safety, and automation.
Buy long-term drilling capacity and integrated services for major field development programs.
Contract land rigs and drilling services for shale and conventional programs.
Use Nabors rigs and services through SANAD and similar structures for large-scale drilling activity.
Buy Rig Technologies equipment, automation, and aftermarket support to upgrade fleets.
Contract rigs and services in over 20 countries where local operating expertise matters.
Strategy
Nabors is focused on combining drilling hardware, software, and automation into integrated rig systems that improve performance and lower operating costs. Management also emphasizes energy-efficiency and emissions-reduction technologies, while using acquisitions such as Parker to expand scale and broaden the service mix. The strategy is designed to differentiate the fleet, support customer retention, and offset the cyclical pressure of a highly competitive drilling market.
Combining hardware, software, and automation improves rig performance and differentiation.
Automation can reduce labor intensity, improve consistency, and support higher utilization.
Acquired operations can add scale, customer relationships, and cross-selling opportunities.
Emissions-reduction tools help meet customer and regulatory expectations and support pricing power.
Geography
2025Nabors operates in over 20 countries, with a core base in the United States and a meaningful international footprint. Its business is split between U.S. drilling, international drilling, drilling solutions, and rig technologies, so revenue depends on both North American land activity and overseas rig demand. The company’s exposure to Saudi Arabia is especially important because Saudi Aramco is its largest customer, while international operations add currency, political, and regulatory risk.
Share of the revenue the company reports by geography.
Risks
Nabors is exposed to cyclical drilling demand, customer concentration, and intense price competition in a market with excess rig capacity. Its international footprint adds geopolitical, currency, regulatory, and anti-corruption risk, while the capital-intensive fleet creates impairment and leverage sensitivity when activity weakens. Cybersecurity, labor availability, and weather-related disruptions are additional operating risks that can affect uptime and margins.
- Customer concentrationImpact: CriticalLikelihood: Medium
A few large customers account for a large share of operating revenue, limiting replacement options.
Exposure: Saudi Aramco and other major contract drilling customers
- Commodity price volatilityImpact: HighLikelihood: High
Lower oil and gas prices reduce customer drilling budgets and rig utilization.
Exposure - Excess drilling capacity and price competitionImpact: HighLikelihood: High
Oversupply of rigs and bid-based contracting pressure pricing and utilization.
Exposure: U.S. land drilling and international markets
- Asset impairment riskImpact: HighLikelihood: High
Long-lived drilling assets may need write-downs if utilization or dayrates stay weak.
Exposure: Rig fleet and drilling equipment
- International political and regulatory exposureImpact: MediumLikelihood: High
Operations in over 20 countries create exposure to instability, import/export controls, and anti-corruption laws.
Exposure: Middle East and other international markets
Accounting
Judgemental itemsRig values depend on future cash flows, utilization, and dayrates; weak markets can trigger write-downs.
Impact: Could materially affect operating income and asset values
Business combinations require judgment in valuing rigs, equipment, and goodwill.
Impact: Can change reported goodwill and future amortization/depreciation
Reserve estimates affect costs and other deductions and can move with claim experience.
Impact: A 10% reserve change was disclosed as having a measurable earnings effect
The Parker acquisition added assets that increase depreciation and amortization expense.
Impact: Affects operating profit and comparability across periods
Higher average debt and interest rates increase financing costs in a capital-intensive business.
Impact: Directly reduces net income and cash available for investment
Similar listed companies
Publicly listed companies with a comparable business focus.
Expro Group Holdings N.V
Oil & Gas Field Services, NEC
Halliburton Company
HAL · Oil & Gas Field Services, NEC
Halliburton is a U.S.-based oilfield services company that provides products and technical services used across the full well lifecycle, from locating…
Precision Drilling Corporation
PDS · Drilling Oil & Gas Wells
Precision Drilling Corp is a land drilling and oilfield services company that provides drilling rigs, crews, and related technical services to oil and natural gas producers.
SEADRILL Ltd
SDRL · Drilling Oil & Gas Wells
Seadrill Ltd is an offshore drilling contractor that owns and operates drillships and semi-submersible rigs for oil and gas customers worldwide.
Innovex International, Inc.
INVX · Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment
SLB Limited
SLB · Oil & Gas Field Services, NEC
SLB Limited/NV is a global energy technology and oilfield services company organized around digital, reservoir performance, well construction, and production systems.
Last updated: 24/09/2026