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Transocean Ltd.

For the period ended Dec 31, 2025. Filed Feb 23, 2026.

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About this filing

A company's yearly report to the SEC, with audited financial statements. It is the fullest account a company gives of its business, its finances and the risks it sees.

FY2025 · Filed Feb 23, 2026

RIG$5.17-1.3%Stored close · as of Nov 9, 2026

Extracted filing text, with the paragraph anchors used by the comparison.

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Contents

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Risks related to our business

Our business depends on the level of activity in the offshore oil and gas industry, which is significantly affected by volatile oil and gas prices and other factors.

Our business, and demand for our services, depends on oil and gas exploration, development and production in offshore areas where we are capable of operating. Our customers’ expenditure levels for these activities are directly affected by trends in the price of oil and, to a lesser extent, natural gas. Oil and gas prices are extremely volatile and are affected by many factors, including the following:

◾worldwide demand for oil and gas, including economic activity in the U.S., other large energy-consuming markets and in developing and emerging markets;
◾the ability of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (“OPEC”) to set and maintain, or to be influenced to set and maintain, production levels, productive spare capacity and pricing among its members, including the ability of OPEC to successfully coordinate and enforce production quotas;
◾the level of production in non-OPEC countries;
◾inventory levels, and the cost and availability of storage and transportation of oil, gas and their related products;
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◾the policies, laws and regulations of various governments regarding exploration and development of their oil and gas reserves and environmental matters, including those addressing alternative energy sources and the risks of global climate change;
◾international sanctions on oil-producing countries, or the lifting of such sanctions;
◾advances in exploration, development and production technology;
◾the development, exploitation and market acceptance of alternative energy sources;
◾the further development of shale technology to exploit oil and gas reserves;
◾the discovery rate of new oil and gas reserves and the rate of decline of existing oil and gas reserves;
◾accidents, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters and other similar incidents relating to the oil and gas industry; and
◾the worldwide security and political environment, including uncertainty or instability resulting from an escalation or outbreak of armed hostilities, civil unrest, acts of terrorism, public health threats or other crises.

Demand for our services is particularly sensitive to the level of exploration, development and production activity of, and the corresponding capital spending by, energy companies, including national energy companies. Prolonged reductions in oil and natural gas prices could depress the immediate levels of exploration, development and production activity. Perceptions of longer-term lower oil and natural gas prices by energy companies, or a perception that the demand for hydrocarbons will significantly decrease in the medium to long term, could similarly reduce or defer major expenditures given the long-term nature of many large-scale development projects and capital reinvestment policies. Lower levels of activity result in a corresponding decline in the demand for our services, which could have a material adverse effect on our revenue and profitability. Oil and gas prices and market expectations of potential changes in these prices significantly affect this level of activity. However, increases in near-term commodity prices do not necessarily translate into increased offshore drilling activity since customers’ expectations of longer-term future commodity prices and expectations regarding future demand for hydrocarbons typically have a greater impact on demand for our rigs. Consistent with this dynamic, customers may delay or cancel many exploration and development programs, resulting in reduced demand for our services. Also, increased competition for customers’ drilling budgets could come from, among other areas, land-based energy markets and renewable energy projects worldwide. The availability of quality drilling prospects, exploration success, relative production costs, the stage of reservoir development and political and regulatory environments also affect customers’ drilling campaigns. Worldwide military, political and economic events have often contributed to oil and gas price volatility and are likely to do so in the future.

The offshore drilling industry is highly competitive and cyclical, with intense price competition.

The offshore contract drilling industry is highly competitive with numerous industry participants, none of which has a dominant market share. Drilling contracts are traditionally awarded on a competitive bid basis. Although rig availability, service quality and technical capability are drivers of customer contract awards, bid pricing and intense price competition are often key determinants for which a qualified contractor is awarded a job.

The offshore drilling industry is highly cyclical and is impacted by oil and natural gas price levels and volatility. Periods of high customer demand, limited rig supply and high dayrates have been followed by periods of low customer demand, excess rig supply and low dayrates. Changes in commodity prices can have a dramatic effect on rig demand, and periods of excess rig supply may intensify competition in the industry and result in the idling of older and less technologically advanced equipment. We have idled and stacked rigs and may in the future idle or stack additional rigs or enter into lower dayrate drilling contracts in response to market conditions. Idled or stacked rigs may remain out of service for extended periods of time. During periods of high dayrates and rig utilization rates, we and other industry participants have responded to actual or anticipated increases in customer demand by increasing the supply of rigs through ordering the construction of new units. The introduction of new units delivered without contracts, combined with an increased number of rigs in the global market completing contracts and becoming idle, may intensify price competition. During periods of low oil and natural gas price levels, new construction has resulted in an oversupply of rigs and has caused a subsequent decline in dayrates and rig utilization rates, sometimes for extended periods of time. In an oversupplied market, we may have limited bargaining power to negotiate on more favorable terms. Additionally, lower market dayrates and intense price competition may drive customers to seek to renegotiate existing contracts to reduce dayrates in exchange for longer contract terms. Lower dayrates and rig utilization rates could adversely affect our revenues and profitability.

As of February 19, 2026, we have three uncontracted rigs which have been out of service for greater than five years, and these rigs may remain out of service for extended periods of time. If we are unable to obtain drilling contracts for our uncontracted rigs, whether due to a prolonged offshore drilling market downturn, a delayed or muted recovery of such market or otherwise, it may have an adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows.

Our current backlog of contract drilling revenues may not be fully realized.

At February 19, 2026, our contract backlog was $6.06 billion. This amount represents the maximum contractual operating dayrate multiplied by the number of days remaining in the firm contract period, including certain performance-based provisions for which achievement is probable, excluding provisions for mobilization, demobilization, contract preparation, other incentive provisions or reimbursement revenues, which are not expected to be significant to our contract drilling revenues. The contractual operating dayrate may be higher than the actual dayrate we ultimately receive or an alternative contractual dayrate, such as waiting-on-weather rate, waiting-on-customer rate, repair rate, standby rate or force majeure rate, may apply under certain circumstances. The contractual operating dayrate may also be higher than the actual dayrate we ultimately receive due to a number of factors, including rig downtime or suspension of operations. We may receive a lower contractual operating dayrate during periods when drilling operations are necessary to extend beyond an agreed schedule, even if we are not the cause of the delay in completing drilling operations. Several factors could cause rig downtime or a

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suspension of operations, including: equipment breakdowns and other unforeseen engineering problems, labor strikes and other work stoppages, shortages of material and skilled labor, surveys by government and maritime authorities, periodic classification surveys, severe weather or harsh operating conditions, and force majeure events.

In certain drilling contracts, the dayrate may be reduced to zero if, for example, repairs extend beyond a stated period of time. Our contract backlog includes only firm commitments, which are represented by signed drilling contracts or, in some cases, other definitive agreements awaiting contract execution. We may not be able to realize the full amount of our contract backlog due to events beyond our control. In addition, some of our customers have experienced liquidity issues in the past, and these liquidity issues could be experienced again if commodity prices decline for an extended period of time. Liquidity issues and other market pressures could lead our customers to seek bankruptcy protection or to seek to repudiate, cancel or renegotiate these agreements for various reasons (see “—Our drilling contracts may be terminated due to a number of events, and, during depressed market conditions, our customers may seek to repudiate or renegotiate their contracts”). Our inability to realize the full amount of our contract backlog may have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Our operating and maintenance costs will not necessarily fluctuate in proportion to changes in our operating revenues.

Our operating and maintenance costs will not necessarily fluctuate in proportion to changes in our operating revenues and are affected by many factors, including inflation. Costs for operating a rig are generally fixed or only semi-variable regardless of the dayrate being earned. To the extent a drilling contract provides for escalations attributable to inflation in our costs, those adjustments will lag the impact of inflationary pressures and may not reflect the full impact to us of any cost inflation. As drilling contracts with such provisions expire or are terminated, there can be no assurance that future drilling contracts will contain similar provisions, which may reduce our margins in inflationary environments. In addition, should our rigs incur unplanned downtime while on contract or idle time between drilling contracts, we will not always reduce the staff on those rigs because we could use the crew to prepare the rig for its next contract. During times of reduced activity, reductions in costs may not be immediate because portions of the crew may be required to prepare rigs for stacking, after which time the crew members may be reassigned to active rigs or released. As our rigs are mobilized from one geographic location to another, the labor and other operating and maintenance costs can vary significantly. In general, labor costs increase primarily due to higher salary levels and inflation. Equipment maintenance costs fluctuate depending upon the type of activity the unit is performing and the age and condition of the equipment, and these costs could increase for short or extended periods as a result of regulatory or customer requirements that raise maintenance standards above historical levels. The amount of contract preparation and reactivation costs vary based on the scope and length of the contract preparation or reactivation project, and the recognition of such costs varies depending on the duration of the firm contractual period and other contract terms.

Certain of our drilling contracts are partially receivable in local currency, and certain costs for labor, goods and services are payable by us in local currency. The amounts, if any, of local currency received under these drilling contracts may exceed our local currency needs to pay local operating and maintenance costs, leading to an accumulation of excess local currency balances. Any local currency surplus may be subject to restrictions or other difficulties in converting to U.S. dollars, our functional currency, or to other currencies of the locations where we operate, including disruptions that may occur in the currency exchange markets, whether as a result of economic policies of governments, central banks or otherwise. Excess amounts of local currency may also be exposed to the risk of currency exchange losses.

We may not be able to renew or obtain new drilling contracts for rigs whose contracts are expiring or obtain drilling contracts for our stacked and idle rigs.

The offshore drilling market in which we compete experience fluctuations in the demand for drilling services. Our ability to renew expiring drilling contracts or obtain new drilling contracts depends on the prevailing or expected market conditions. As of February 19, 2026, we have three stacked rigs. We may be unable to obtain drilling contracts for our rigs that are currently operating upon the expiration or termination of such contracts, and there may be a gap in the operation of the rigs between the current contracts and subsequent contracts. When oil and natural gas prices are low or it is expected that such prices will decrease in the future, we may be unable to obtain drilling contracts at attractive dayrates or at all. We may not be able to obtain new drilling contracts with the terms or dayrates sufficient to support a reactivation of a cold-stacked rig. Likewise, we may not be able to obtain new drilling contracts in direct continuation with existing contracts, or depending on prevailing market conditions, we may enter into drilling contracts at dayrates substantially below the existing dayrates or on terms otherwise less favorable compared to existing contract terms, which may have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

We must make substantial capital and operating expenditures to reactivate our stacked or idle fleet and to maintain our active fleet, and we may be required to make significant capital expenditures to maintain our competitiveness and to comply with laws and applicable regulations and standards of governmental authorities and organizations.

We must make substantial capital and operating expenditures to maintain our active fleet or to reactivate our stacked or idle fleet. These expenditures could increase because of changes in the cost of labor and materials, requirements of customers, the cost of replacement parts for existing rigs, the size of our fleet, the geographic location of the rigs and the length of drilling contracts. Changes in offshore drilling technology, customer requirements for new or upgraded equipment and competition within our industry may require us to make significant expenditures in order to maintain our competitiveness and fund efforts to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Changes in governmental

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regulations, including environmental requirements, and changes in safety or other equipment standards, as well as compliance with standards imposed by maritime self-regulatory organizations, may cause our expenditures to increase or require us to make additional unforeseen expenditures. As a result of these factors, we may be required to take our rigs out of service for extended periods of time, with corresponding losses of revenues, in order to make such alterations or to add such equipment. In the future, market conditions may not justify these expenditures or enable us to operate our older rigs profitably during the remainder of their economic lives.

If we are unable to fund such expenditures with our cash flows from operations or proceeds from sales of non-strategic assets, we may be required to either incur additional borrowings or raise capital through the sale of debt or equity securities, or additional financing arrangements with banks or other capital providers. Our ability to access the capital markets may be limited by our financial condition at the time, perceptions of us or our industry, by changes in laws and regulations or interpretation thereof and by adverse market conditions resulting from, among other things, general economic conditions and contingencies and uncertainties that are beyond our control. If we raise funds by issuing equity securities or other securities that are convertible into equity securities, existing shareholders may experience dilution. Our failure to obtain the funds for necessary future capital and operating expenditures could have a material adverse effect on our business and on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

We rely heavily on a relatively small number of customers and the loss of a significant customer or a dispute that leads to the loss of a customer could have an adverse effect on our business.

We engage in offshore drilling services for most of the leading integrated energy companies or their affiliates, as well as for many government-owned or government-controlled energy companies and other independent energy companies. For the year ended December 31, 2025, our most significant customers were Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (together with its affiliates, “Petrobras”), Shell plc (together with its affiliates, “Shell”) and Equinor ASA (together with its affiliates, “Equinor”), representing 22 percent, 22 percent and 12 percent, respectively, of our consolidated operating revenues. As of February 19, 2026, the customers with the most significant aggregate amount of contract backlog associated with our drilling contracts were Petrobras, Equinor, BP p.l.c., Shell, Chevron Corporation and Woodside Energy Group Ltd., representing 20 percent, 16 percent, 16 percent, 12 percent, 11 percent and 10 percent, respectively, of our total contract backlog. The loss of any of these customers or another significant customer, or a decline in payments under any of our drilling contracts, could, at least in the short term, have an adverse effect on our business.

Our business involves numerous operating hazards, and our insurance and indemnities from our customers may not be adequate to cover potential losses from our operations.

Our operations are subject to the usual hazards inherent in the drilling of oil and gas wells, such as, blowouts, reservoir damage, loss of production, loss of well control, lost or stuck drill strings, equipment defects, craterings, fires, explosions and pollution. Contract drilling requires the use of heavy equipment and exposure to hazardous conditions, which may subject us to liability claims by employees, customers and other parties. These hazards can cause personal injury or loss of life, severe damage to or destruction of property and equipment, pollution or environmental or natural resource damage, claims by third parties or customers and suspension of operations. Our offshore fleet is also subject to hazards inherent in marine operations, either while on site or during mobilization, such as capsizing, sinking, grounding, collision, piracy, damage from severe weather and marine life infestations.

The U.S. Gulf of America, the South China Sea and the Northwest Coast of Australia are areas subject to typhoons, hurricanes or other extreme weather conditions on a relatively frequent basis, and our drilling rigs in these regions may be exposed to damage or total loss by these storms, some of which may not be covered by insurance. The occurrence of these events could result in the suspension of drilling operations, damage to or destruction of the equipment involved and injury to or death of rig personnel. Some experts believe global climate change could increase the frequency and severity of these extreme weather conditions. Operations may also be suspended because of machinery breakdowns, abnormal drilling conditions, failure of subcontractors to perform or supply goods or services, or personnel shortages. We customarily provide contract indemnity to our customers for certain claims that could be asserted by us relating to damage to or loss of our equipment, including rigs, and claims that could be asserted by us or our employees relating to personal injury or loss of life.

Damage to the environment or natural resources could also result from our operations, particularly through spillage of hydrocarbons, fuel, lubricants or other chemicals and substances used in drilling operations, or extensive uncontrolled fires. We may also be subject to property damage, environmental indemnity, well contamination and other claims by energy companies or other third parties. Drilling involves certain risks associated with the loss of control of a well, such as blowout, cratering, the cost to regain control of or redrill the well and remediation of associated pollution. Our customers may be unable or unwilling to indemnify us against such risks. In addition, a court may decide that certain indemnities in our current or future drilling contracts are not enforceable. The law generally considers contractual indemnity for criminal fines and penalties to be against public policy, and the enforceability of an indemnity as to other matters may be limited.

Our insurance policies and drilling contracts contain rights to indemnity that may not adequately cover our losses, and we do not have insurance coverage or rights to indemnity for all risks. For example, pollution and environmental risks generally are not completely insurable. We have two main types of insurance coverage: (1) hull and machinery coverage for physical damage to our property and equipment and (2) excess liability coverage, which generally covers offshore risks, such as personal injury, third-party property claims, and third-party non-crew claims, including wreck removal and pollution. We generally have no hull and machinery insurance coverage for damages caused by named storms in the U.S. Gulf of America. We maintain per occurrence deductibles that generally range up to

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$10 million for various third-party liabilities, and we self-insure up to $75 million of the $750 million excess liability coverage through our wholly owned captive insurance company. We also retain the risk for any liability that exceeds our excess liability coverage.

If a significant accident or other event occurs that is not fully covered by our insurance or by an enforceable or recoverable indemnity, the occurrence could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. The amount of our insurance may also be less than the related impact on enterprise value after a loss. Our insurance coverage will not in all situations provide sufficient funds to protect us from all liabilities that could result from our drilling operations. Our coverage includes annual aggregate policy limits, and we generally retain the risk for any losses in excess of these limits. We generally do not carry insurance for loss of revenue, and certain other claims may also not be reimbursed by insurance carriers. Any such lack of reimbursement may cause us to incur substantial costs. Additionally, we may not be able to maintain adequate insurance in the future at rates that we consider reasonable or be able to obtain insurance against certain risks, and we could decide to retain more risk in the future, resulting in higher risk of losses, which could be material.

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