# The Drilling Company of 1972 A/S

> Clarifo company profile — qualitative business description generated from
> the company's filings. Financial statements, charts and ratios are
> available on Clarifo (https://www.clarifo.com/en/companies/thedrillingcompanyof1972).

## Overview

The Drilling Company of 1972 A/S is a Danish offshore drilling contractor with roots in the North Sea oil-and-gas market. Through its drilling fleet and associated marine services, the company provides rig-based drilling capacity to energy operators and project owners.

## Products & services

• Offshore drilling rig operations
• Mobile offshore drilling units
• Drilling services for oil and gas wells
• Well-related marine and support services

- **Offshore drilling services** (80%) — Contracted rig services for offshore exploration, appraisal, and development wells.
- **Rig operations and management** (20%) — Operation of drilling units, crews, maintenance, and day-to-day rig management.

- Offshore drilling rig operations
- Mobile offshore drilling units
- Drilling services for oil and gas wells
- Well-related marine and support services

## Customers

The company serves oil and gas operators that need offshore drilling capacity for exploration, appraisal, and development programs. Its customers are typically large energy companies, national oil companies, and project operators that contract rigs for specific campaigns. Demand is tied to offshore drilling budgets, basin activity, and the availability of suitable rigs.

- **Oil and gas operators** (primary) — Large exploration and production companies contracting rigs for offshore wells.
- **National oil companies** (primary) — State-backed energy companies procuring drilling capacity for domestic offshore assets.
- **Project-based drilling clients** (secondary) — Operators that hire rigs for defined drilling campaigns and development projects.

- Oil and gas operators buying offshore drilling capacity
- National oil companies running exploration and development programs
- Project operators needing mobile offshore rigs
- Customers value rig availability, technical capability, and safety
- Contracts are typically tied to specific wells or drilling campaigns

## Geography

The company is Danish in origin and historically linked to offshore drilling activity in the North Sea. Its business is inherently international because rigs are deployed where offshore oil and gas projects are located, often across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and other offshore basins. Geography matters because mobilization, regulation, and customer concentration can change with rig deployment locations.

- Domiciled in Denmark
- Offshore operations can be deployed internationally
- North Sea activity is a natural core market
- Customer exposure depends on rig deployment location
- Operational footprint follows offshore drilling demand

## Strategy

The business model depends on keeping rigs technically ready, safe, and competitive for offshore tenders. Strategic focus is typically on securing long-duration contracts, maintaining fleet utilization, and matching rig capability to customer requirements in offshore basins.

- **Fleet competitiveness** (medium-term) — Modern, compliant rigs are more likely to win contracts and command stronger utilization.
- **Contract coverage** (short-term) — Contract backlog reduces earnings volatility in a cyclical offshore market.

- Maintain rig readiness and operational reliability
- Pursue long-duration drilling contracts
- Keep fleet competitive for offshore tenders
- Match rig capabilities to customer specifications
- Preserve access to active offshore basins

## Risks

The company is exposed to the cyclical offshore drilling market, where customer spending depends on oil and gas prices and capital allocation decisions. Operational and financial performance also depend on rig utilization, contract renewals, safety performance, and the ability to manage maintenance, insurance, and regulatory requirements.

- **Offshore drilling cycle** [high] — Customer demand depends on upstream spending, which is sensitive to oil and gas prices.
- **Rig utilization volatility** [high] — Drilling revenue depends on keeping rigs contracted and operational.
- **Safety and operating incidents** [high] — Offshore drilling has elevated process-safety and environmental risks.
- **Asset impairment** [high] — Drilling rigs are capital-intensive and may need write-downs if market demand weakens.

- Offshore drilling demand is cyclical and tied to energy prices
- Rig utilization can fall if contracts are not renewed
- Operational incidents can cause downtime and reputational damage
- Regulatory and safety requirements raise compliance burden
- Asset-heavy business is exposed to maintenance and impairment risk

## Accounting

Key accounting judgments for a drilling contractor include depreciation of rigs, impairment testing of offshore assets, and classification of mobilization and contract-related costs. The annual report also highlights derivative and hedge accounting, foreign currency exposure, and loan covenant considerations, all of which can affect reported earnings and balance-sheet presentation.

- **Rig depreciation and useful lives** — Earnings and asset values
- **Impairment of drilling assets** — Non-cash write-down risk
- **Derivatives and cash flow hedges** — Equity and OCI volatility
- **Foreign currency risk** — Reported earnings and cash translation

- Rig depreciation affects earnings through asset-life assumptions
- Impairment testing is critical for drilling assets
- Derivative and hedge accounting affects financial volatility
- Foreign currency translation can move reported equity
- Loan covenant metrics influence balance-sheet classification

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*Last updated: 2026-10-24T15:19:46.612162+00:00*
