Weatherford International (WFRD) Risk Analysis

As is customary in our industry, our contracts typically require that our customers indemnify us for claims arising from the injury or death of their employees (and those of their other contractors), the loss or damage of their equipment (and that of their other contractors), damage to the well or reservoir and environmental impacts originating from the customer's equipment or from the reservoir (including uncontained oil flow from a reservoir), claims arising from catastrophic events, such as a well blowout, fire, explosion and from environmental impacts below the surface. Conversely, we typically indemnify our customers for claims arising from the injury or death of our employees, the loss or damage of our equipment (other than equipment lost in the hole) or environmental impacts originating from our equipment above the surface of the earth or water. Our indemnification arrangements may not protect us in every case. For example, our indemnity arrangements may be held to be overly broad in some courts and/or contrary to public policy in some jurisdictions, and to that extent may be unenforceable. Additionally, some jurisdictions which permit indemnification nonetheless limit its scope by applicable law, rule, order or statute. We may be subject to claims brought by third parties or government agencies with respect to which we are not indemnified. Furthermore, the parties from which we seek indemnity may not be solvent, may become bankrupt, may lack resources or insurance to honor their indemnities or may not otherwise be able to satisfy their indemnity obligations to us. The lack of enforceable indemnification could expose us to significant potential losses. Further, our assets generally are not insured against loss from political violence such as war, terrorism or civil unrest. If any of our assets are damaged or destroyed as a result of an uninsured cause, we could recognize a loss of those assets.

Because Weatherford International plc is organized under the laws of Ireland, we would generally be classified as a foreign corporation for U.S. tax purposes under the general rule that a corporation is considered tax resident in the jurisdiction of its organization or incorporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, the IRS may assert that we should be treated as a U.S. corporation (and therefore, a U.S. tax resident) for U.S. federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section 7874 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. In addition, a retroactive change to U.S. tax laws in this area could change this classification. If we are to be treated as a U.S. corporation for federal tax purposes, we could be subject to substantially greater U.S. tax liability than currently contemplated as a non-U.S. corporation.

Increasing focus on ESG factors has led to enhanced interest in, and review of performance results by investors and other stakeholders, and the potential for litigation and reputational risk. In 2022, we made certain public commitments to various corporate ESG initiatives, including our commitment to achieve net-zero emissions for Scope 1 and 2 by 2050 and signing on to the UN Global Compact. Any failure, or perceived failure, to achieve or accurately report on our commitments in our disclosures, including our annual Sustainability Report and our other disclosures on these matters, could harm our reputation and adversely affect our client relationships or our recruitment and retention efforts, as well as expose us to potential legal liability. In addition, positions we take or do not take on social issues may be unpopular with some of our employees, our clients or potential clients, shareholders, investors, governments or advocacy groups, which may impact our ability to attract or retain employees or the demand for our services. Increasing focus on ESG matters has resulted in the adoption of legal and regulatory requirements designed to mitigate the effects of climate change on the environment, as well as legal and regulatory requirements requiring climate, human rights and supply chain-related disclosures. We expect these types of regulatory requirements related to ESG matters to continue to expand globally. If new laws or regulations are more stringent than current legal or regulatory requirements or involve reporting information according to differing standards and frameworks in the countries in which we operate, we may experience increased compliance burdens and costs to meet such obligations. In addition, our selection of voluntary disclosure frameworks and standards, and the interpretation or application of those frameworks and standards, may change from time to time or may not satisfy varying regulatory requirements or the expectations of investors or other stakeholders. Our ability to achieve our ESG commitments, including our goals relating to sustainability and inclusion and diversity, is subject to numerous risks, many of which are outside of our control. Examples of such risks include: (1) our ability to operate more sustainably and with a lower carbon footprint; (2) the availability and cost of low- or non-carbon-based energy sources and technologies; (3) evolving and potentially conflicting global regulatory requirements affecting ESG standards or disclosures; (4) the availability of suppliers that can meet our sustainability, diversity and other standards; and (5) our ability to recruit, develop, and retain diverse talent. In addition, standards for tracking and reporting on ESG matters, including climate change and human rights related matters, have not been harmonized and continue to evolve. Methodologies for reporting ESG data may be updated requiring that previously reported ESG data be adjusted to reflect improvement in availability and quality of third-party data, changing assumptions, changes in the nature and scope of our operations and other changes in circumstances. Our processes and controls for reporting ESG matters across our operations and supply chain are evolving to address obtaining information that resides in multiple internal systems and responding to multiple disparate standards for identifying, measuring, and reporting ESG metrics, including ESG-related disclosures that may be required by the SEC, European and other regulators. Such standards are currently not consistent and may change over time, which could result in significant revisions to our current goals, reported progress in achieving such goals, or ability to achieve such goals in the future.

We rely extensively on our information systems to manage our business, data, communications, supply chain, ordering, pricing, billing, inventory replenishment, accounting functions, and other processes. Our enterprise resource systems are subject to damage or interruption from various sources, including obsolescence, power outages, computer and telecommunications failures, computer viruses, cyber security breaches, vandalism, severe weather conditions, catastrophic events, terrorism, and human error, and our disaster recovery planning cannot account for all eventualities. Our disaster recovery measures may or may not address all potential contingencies. If our infrastructure becomes damaged, fail to function properly, or otherwise becomes compromised or unavailable, we may incur substantial costs to repair or replace them, and we may experience loss of critical data or interruptions or delays in our ability to perform critical functions, which could adversely affect our business, operating results, or financial condition. Furthermore, certain of our infrastructure are aged and may require periodic modifications, upgrades, and replacements which may subject us to risks, including operating disruptions, substantial capital expenditures, or additional cost to implement. Any of the aforementioned interruptions, as well as the failure to properly or efficiently modify, upgrade, replace or implement our infrastructure on a timely basis could materially disrupt our operations, and have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

Demand for our products and services is tied to the level of exploration, development and production activity and the corresponding capital and operating spending by oil and natural gas exploration and production companies, including national oil companies. The level of exploration, development and production activity is directly affected by fluctuations in oil and natural gas prices, which historically have been volatile and are likely to continue to be volatile in the future, especially given current geopolitical and economic conditions. Low oil and natural gas prices and decline in global demand for oil and natural gas, including reduced demand as a result of a pandemic, have previously led to our customers, including national oil companies and large oil and natural gas exploration and production companies, to greatly reduce planned future capital expenditures. Factors affecting the prices of oil and natural gas include, but are not limited to: - the level of supply and demand for oil and natural gas;- the ability or willingness of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries ("OPEC") and the expanded alliance ("OPEC+") and other high oil exporting non-OPEC+ nations to set and maintain oil production levels;- the level of oil and natural gas production in the U.S. and by other non-OPEC+ countries;- oil refining capacity;- shifts in end-customer preferences toward sustainable energy sources, fuel efficiency and the use of natural gas;- the cost of, and constraints associated with, producing and delivering oil and natural gas;- governmental regulations, including the policies of governments regarding the exploration for and production and development of their oil and natural gas reserves;- weather conditions, unusual wildfires, natural disasters, and health or similar issues, such as pandemics or epidemics;- worldwide political, military, and economic conditions (including impacts from the Russia Ukraine Conflict); and - increased demand for alternative energy and electric vehicles, including government initiatives to promote the use of sustainable, renewable energy sources and public sentiment around alternatives to oil and natural gas. Reductions in capital spending or reductions in the prices we receive for our products and services provided to our customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Spending by exploration and production companies can also be impacted by conditions in the capital markets, which may be volatile at times. Limitations on the availability of capital or higher costs of capital may cause exploration and production companies to make additional reductions to their capital budgets even if oil and natural gas prices increase from current levels. In addition, the transition of the global energy sector from primarily a fossil fuel-based system to renewable energy sources could affect our customers' levels of expenditures. Any such reductions in spending could curtail drilling programs, as well as discretionary spending on well services, which may result in a reduction in the demand for certain of our products and services, the rates we can charge for and the utilization of our assets, any or all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our business has been, and in the future will likely be, affected by severe weather and unusual wildfires in areas where we operate, which could materially adversely affect our operations. In addition, the frequency and severity of these events may also materially affect our operations and financial results. Any such events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.