Various claims have been filed against us in the ordinary course of business, including claims by offshore workers alleging personal injuries. With respect to each claim or exposure, we have made an assessment, in accordance with GAAP, of the probability that the resolution of the matter would ultimately result in a loss. When we determine that an unfavorable resolution of a matter is probable and such amount of loss can be determined, we record a liability for the amount of the estimated loss at the time that both of these criteria are met. Our management believes that we have recorded adequate accruals for any liabilities that may reasonably be expected to result from these claims.

Asbestos Litigation. We are one of several unrelated defendants in lawsuits filed in Louisiana state courts alleging that defendants manufactured, distributed or utilized drilling mud containing asbestos and, in our case, allowed such drilling mud to have been utilized aboard our drilling rigs. The plaintiffs seek, among other things, an award of unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. The manufacture and use of asbestos-containing drilling mud had already ceased before we acquired any of the drilling rigs addressed in these lawsuits. We believe that we are not liable for the damages asserted in the lawsuits pursuant to the terms of our 1989 asset purchase agreement with Diamond M Corporation. We are unable to estimate our potential exposure, if any, to these lawsuits at this time but do not believe that our ultimate liability, if any, resulting from this litigation will have a material effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, including negative cash flows.

Non-Income Tax and Related Claims. We have received assessments related to, or otherwise have exposure to, non-income tax items such as sales-and-use tax, value-added tax, ad valorem tax, custom duties, and other similar taxes in various taxing jurisdictions. We have determined that we have a probable loss for these taxes and the related penalties and interest and, accordingly, have recorded a $16.1 million and $12.3 million liability at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. We intend to defend these matters vigorously; however, the ultimate outcome of these assessments and exposures could result in additional taxes, interest and penalties for which the fully assessed amounts would have a material adverse effect on our financial statements

Other Litigation. We have been named in various other claims, lawsuits or threatened actions that are incidental to the ordinary course of our business, including a claim by one of our customers in Brazil, Petróleo Brasileiro S.A., or Petrobras, that it will seek to recover from its contractors, including us, any taxes, penalties, interest and fees that it must pay to the Brazilian tax authorities for our applicable portion of withholding taxes related to Petrobras’ charter agreements with its contractors. We intend to defend these matters vigorously; however, litigation is inherently unpredictable, and the ultimate outcome or effect of any claim, lawsuit or action cannot be predicted with certainty. As a result, there can be no assurance as to the ultimate outcome of any litigation matter. Any claims against us, whether meritorious or not, could cause us to incur significant costs and expenses and require significant amounts of management and operational time and resources. In the opinion of our management, no such pending or known threatened claims, actions or proceedings against us are expected to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Personal Injury Claims. Under our current insurance policies, our deductibles for marine liability insurance coverage with respect to personal injury claims not related to named windstorms in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, which primarily result from Jones Act liability in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, are $5.0 million for the first occurrence and vary in amounts ranging between $5.0 million and, if aggregate claims exceed certain thresholds, up to $100.0 million for each subsequent occurrence, depending on the nature, severity and frequency of claims that might arise during the policy year. Our deductibles for personal injury claims arising due to named windstorms in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico are $25.0 million for the first occurrence and vary in amounts ranging between $25.0 million and, if

aggregate claims exceed certain thresholds, up to $100.0 million for each subsequent occurrence, depending on the nature, severity and frequency of claims that might arise during the policy year.

The Jones Act is a federal law that permits seamen to seek compensation for certain injuries during the course of their employment on a vessel and governs the liability of vessel operators and marine employers for the work-related injury or death of an employee. We engage outside consultants to assist us in estimating our aggregate liability for personal injury claims based on our historical losses and utilizing various actuarial models. We allocate a portion of the aggregate liability to “Accrued liabilities” based on an estimate of claims expected to be paid within the next twelve months with the residual recorded as “Other liabilities.” At December 31, 2019, our estimated liability for personal injury claims was $17.4 million, of which $6.4 million and $11.0 million were recorded in “Accrued liabilities” and “Other liabilities,” respectively, in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. At December 31, 2018, our estimated liability for personal injury claims was $27.9 million, of which $5.2 million and $22.7 million were recorded in “Accrued liabilities” and “Other liabilities,” respectively, in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The eventual settlement or adjudication of these claims could differ materially from our estimated amounts due to uncertainties such as:

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the severity of personal injuries claimed;

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significant changes in the volume of personal injury claims;

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the unpredictability of legal jurisdictions where the claims will ultimately be litigated;

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inconsistent court decisions; and

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the risks and lack of predictability inherent in personal injury litigation.

Purchase Obligations. At December 31, 2019, we had no purchase obligations for major rig upgrades or any other significant obligations, except for those related to our direct rig operations, which arise during the normal course of business.

Services Agreement. In February 2016, we entered into a ten-year agreement with a subsidiary of Baker Hughes Company (formerly named Baker Hughes, a GE company), or Baker Hughes, to provide services with respect to certain blowout preventer and related well control equipment, or Well Control Equipment, on our drillships. Such services include management of maintenance, certification and reliability with respect to such equipment. Future commitments under the contractual services agreements are estimated to be approximately $39 million per year or an estimated $250 million in the aggregate over the remaining term of the agreements.

In addition, we lease Well Control Equipment for our drillships under ten-year operating leases. See Note 11.

Letters of Credit and Other. We were contingently liable as of December 31, 2019 in the amount of $37.1 million under certain tax, performance, supersedeas, VAT and customs bonds and letters of credit. Agreements relating to approximately $28.5 million of customs, tax, VAT and supersedeas bonds can require collateral at any time, while the remaining agreements, aggregating $8.6 million, cannot require collateral except in events of default. As of December 31, 2019, we had not been required to make any collateral deposits with respect to these agreements. However, in January 2020, we were required to issue a $6.0 million financial letter of credit as collateral in support of our outstanding surety bonds.