Impairments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Impairments

Impairments

Note 7—Impairments

Definite-lived intangible assets—During the nine months ended September 30, 2012, we determined that the customer relationships intangible asset associated with our drilling management services reporting unit was impaired due to the declining market outlook for these services in the shallow waters of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico as well as the increased regulatory environment for obtaining drilling permits and the diminishing demand for our drilling management services.  We estimated the fair value of the customer relationships intangible asset using the multiperiod excess earnings method, a valuation methodology that applies the income approach.  Our valuation required us to project the future performance of the drilling management services reporting unit based on significant unobservable inputs, representing a Level 3 fair value measurement, including assumptions for future commodity prices, projected demand for our services, rig availability and dayrates.  As a result of our valuation, we determined that the carrying amount of the customer relationships intangible asset exceeded its fair value, and we recognized a loss on impairment of $53 million ($37 million, or $0.10 per diluted share from continuing operations, net of tax) in the nine months ended September 30, 2012.

Goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets—As a result of our annual impairment test, performed as of October 1, 2011, we determined that the goodwill associated with our contract drilling services reporting unit was impaired due to a decline in projected cash flows and market valuations for this reporting unit.  In the year ended December 31, 2011, we recognized a loss on impairment, representing our best estimate, in the amount of $5.2 billion ($16.15 per diluted share from continuing operations), which had no tax effect.  In the nine months ended September 30, 2012, we completed our analysis and recognized an incremental adjustment to our original estimate in the amount of $118 million ($0.33 per diluted share from continuing operations), which had no tax effect.  We estimated the implied fair value of the goodwill using a variety of valuation methods, including cost, income, and market approaches.  Our valuation required us to project the future performance of our contract drilling services reporting unit based on significant unobservable inputs, representing a Level 3 fair value measurement, including assumptions for future commodity prices, projected demand for our services, rig availability and dayrates.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2012, we determined that the trade name intangible asset associated with our drilling management services reporting unit was impaired due to the declining market outlook for these services in the shallow waters of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico as well as the increased regulatory environment for obtaining drilling permits and the diminishing demand for drilling management services.  We estimated the fair value of the trade name intangible asset using the relief from royalty method, a valuation methodology that applies the income approach.  Our valuation required us to project the future performance of the drilling management services reporting unit based on significant unobservable inputs, representing a Level 3 fair value measurement, including assumptions for future commodity prices, projected demand for drilling management services, rig availability and dayrates.  As a result of our valuation, we determined that the carrying amount of the trade name intangible asset exceeded its fair value, and we recognized a loss on impairment of $39 million ($25 million, or $0.07 per diluted share from continuing operations, net of tax) in the nine months ended September 30, 2012.