This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including statements regarding our future operating results and financial position, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are generally accompanied by words such as “may,” “should,” “expect,” “believe,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “goal,” “project,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Any forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K speak only as of the date on which we make them and are based upon our historical performance and on current plans, estimates and expectations. Except as required by law, we have no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events. Forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K include, but are not limited to, statements about:

We caution you that the foregoing list may not contain all of the forward-looking statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

This Annual Report on Form 10-K includes market and industry data and certain other statistical information based on third-party sources including independent industry publications, government publications and other published independent sources. Although we believe these third-party sources are reliable as of their respective dates, we have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of this information. Some data is also based on our own good faith estimates, which are supported by our management’s knowledge of and experience in the markets and businesses in which we operate.

As used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, capacity in the hydraulic fracturing business refers to the total number of hydraulic horsepower, regardless of whether such hydraulic horsepower is active and deployed, active and not deployed or inactive. While the equipment and amount of hydraulic horsepower required for a customer project varies, we

As used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, references to cannibalization of parked equipment refer to the removal of parts and components (such as the engine or transmission of a fracturing pump) from an idle hydraulic fracturing fleet in order to service an active hydraulic fracturing fleet.

NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. is an industry-leadinga predominately U.S. land focused oilfield focused service company, with a diverse set of well completion and production services across a variety of active and demanding basins. We provide our services through our operating subsidiaries to exploration and production (“E&P”) customers. Our integrated solutions approach is focused on delivering efficiency, and our ongoing commitment to innovation helps our customers capitalize on technological advancements. NexTier is differentiated through four points of distinction, including safety performance, efficiency, partnership and innovation.

We were formed under the name Keane Group, Inc. as a Delaware corporation on October 13, 2016, to be a holding corporation as part of an organizational restructuring of Keane Group Holdings, LLC, which was formed March 1, 2011, and its subsidiaries, for the purpose of facilitating the initial public offering of shares of common stock of the Company in 2017. On January 25, 2017, we consummated an initial public offering (“IPO”). To effectuate the IPO, we completed a series of transactions reorganizing our business, resulting in the Company being a holding company with no material assets other than its ownership of Keane Group. In connection with the restructuring, the Keane Group entities became wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company.

In continuation of our growth through acquisition strategy, - which, since 2013 has notably resulted in the growth of the location and scale of our operational footprint, expansion of our customer base, addition of wireline operations, increase in our pumping capacity and expansion of our hydraulic fracturing operations by more than an additional 1,040,000 hydraulic horsepower, - on October 31, 2019, we completed a merger transaction with C&J Energy Services, Inc., a publicly traded Delaware corporation. Pursuant to this transaction, C&J was ultimately merged with and into one of our wholly owned merger subsidiary, with our subsidiary continuing as the surviving entity. On the effective date of the C&J Merger, we changed our name to “NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc.”

FollowingIn March of 2020, we divested the C&J Merger, welegal entities and the majority of the assets that comprised our Well Support Services segment. We are currently organized into threetwo reportable segments, consisting of:

Our completion services are designed in partnership with our customers to enhance both initial production rates and estimated ultimate recovery from new and existing wells. The core services provided through our Completion Services segment are hydraulic fracturing, wireline and pumping services. We utilize our in-house capabilities, including our R&T department and data control instruments business, to offer a technologically advanced and efficiency focused range of completion techniques. The majority of revenue for this segment is generated by our fracturing business.

In addition, we offer wireline and pumping services unbundled fromthat are not integrated with our fracturing services. We are one of the leading providers of perforating, pumpdown, pipe recovery, pressure pumping, and wellsite make-up and pressure testing services. We are highly experienced in safely servicing deep, high-pressure, high-temperature wells in some of the most active onshore basins in the United States and provide premium perforating services for both wireline and tubing-conveyed applications.States. Our in-house manufacturing capabilities through our R&T department allow us to manage costs and lead times with regard to hardware and perforating guns, switches and accessories, providing us with a competitive advantage and enabling higher returns.

As part of our integration under the NexTier name, introspection by the resulting management team refined our business mission as one to responsibly grow and continuously improve our business in a way that maximizes shareholder value by taking care of our people, our customers, our communities and the environment. Our principal business objective is helpingto deliver integrated, environmentally conscious completion services and power solutions that help enable our customers win byto safely unlocking affordable, reliable and plentifulaffordably unlock sources of energy. We believe that by successfully deploying this strategy, we can deliver industry leading returns and increase shareholder value. We maintain a strict focus on health, safety and environmental stewardship and cost-effective customer-centric solutions. We expect to achieve this objective through:

Our customers primarily include major integrated and large independent oil and natural gas E&P companies. For the year ended December 31, 2020, we had two customer who individually represented more than 10% of our consolidated revenue. These two customers collectively represented 29% of our consolidated revenue and 11% of our total accounts receivable for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. For the year ended December 31, 2019, we had four customers who individually represented more than 10% of our consolidated revenue. These four customers collectively represented 55% of our consolidated revenue and 21% of our total accounts receivable for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. For the year ended December 31, 2018, we had three customers who individually represented more than 10% of our consolidated revenue. These three customers collectively represented 39% of our consolidated revenue and 45% of our total accounts receivable for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. For the year ended December 31, 2017, no customer individually represented more than 10% of our consolidated revenue.

We believe the principalHistorically, our core competitive factors in the markets we serve arehave been our multi-basin service capability and close proximity to our customers, technical expertise, equipment reliability, work force competency, efficiency, safety record, reputation, experience and prices. Additionally, projects are often awarded on a bid basis, which tendsWhile these factors continue to create a highly competitive environment. dominate, we believe that our customers have begun to look beyond these core requirements to prefer suppliers that can provided integrated solutions that align the incentives of operators and service providers.

While we seek to be competitive in our pricing, we believe many of our customers electhave elected to work with us based on our customer-tailored partnership approach, our safety record, the performance and competency of our crews and the quality of our equipment and our services. We seek to differentiate ourselves from our competitors by delivering the highest-quality services and equipment possible, coupled with superior execution and operating efficiency, resulting in cost effective operations and a safe working environment. NexTier has also been developing and building its digital program for some time. We believe our digital program, continued investment in diesel substitution (such as duel fuel capabilities), and our integrated natural gas treatment and delivery solution are important to achieving emissions reductions initiatives, both for us and our customers, and provide a competitive differentiating factor.

We purchase a wide variety of raw materials, parts and components that are manufactured and supplied for our operations. We are not dependent on any single source of supply for those parts, supplies or materials. To date, we have generally been able to obtain the equipment, parts and supplies necessary to support our operations on a

For the year ended December 31, 2019,2020, purchases from oneour largest supplier represented approximately 5% to 10% of the Company’s overall purchases.

We own a number of patents and have pending certain patent applications covering various products and services. We are also licensed to utilize technology covered by patents owned by others. Furthermore, we believe the information regarding our customer and supplier relationships are valuable proprietary assets, and we have pending applications and registered trademarks for various names under which our entities conduct business or provide products or services. We do not own or license any patents, trademarks or other intellectual property that we believe to be material to the success of our business.

Our results of operations have historically reflected seasonal tendencies, generally in the first and fourth quarters, related to the conclusion and restart of our customers’ annual capital expenditure budgets, the holidays and inclement winter weather, during which we may experience declines in our operating results. Our operations in North Dakota and Pennsylvania are particularly affected by seasonality due to inclement winter weather. During the spring and summer months, our operations in certain areas may be impacted by transportation restrictions due to the work-site conditions caused by the spring thaws or tropical weather systems.

As of December 31, 2019,2020, we had 6,5251,969 employees, of which, approximately 77%73% were compensated on an hourly basis. This was approximately a 70% decrease from the 6,525 employees we had on December 31, 2019, and reflects the Company’s ongoing initiative to streamline its cost structure to ensure the Company has the most appropriate model in place to navigate the current market conditions stemming from, among other things, the impacts of COVID-19 and the resulting unforeseeable business circumstances, and to position the Company for success as the market recovers.

Our operations are subject to stringent and complex federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations relating to the oil and natural gas industry, including the discharge of materials into the environment or otherwise relating to health and safety or the protection of the environment. Numerous governmental agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”), issue regulations to implement and enforce these laws, which often require costly compliance measures. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the assessment of substantial administrative, civil and criminal penalties, expenditures associated with exposure to hazardous materials, remediation of contamination, property damage and personal injuries, imposition of bond requirements, and restricting permits or other authorizations, as well as the issuance of injunctions limiting or prohibiting our activities. In addition, some laws and regulations relating to protection of the environment may, in certain circumstances, impose strict liability for environmental contamination, rendering a person liable for environmental damages and clean-up costs without regard to negligence or fault on the part of that person. Strict compliance with these regulatory requirements increases our cost of doing business and consequently affects our profitability. However, environmental laws and regulations have been subject to frequent changes over the years, and the imposition of more stringent requirements, including those that result in any limitation, suspension or moratorium on the services we provide, whether or not short-term in nature, by federal, state, regional or local governmental authority, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA” or the “Superfund law”), and comparable state laws impose liability on certain classes of persons that are considered to be responsible for the release of hazardous or other state-regulated substances into the environment. These persons include the current owner or operator of the site and the owner or operator of the site at the time of the release and the parties that disposed or arranged for the disposal or treatment of hazardous or other state-regulated substances that have been released at the site. Under CERCLA, these persons may be subject to strict liability, joint and several liability, or both, for the costs of investigating and cleaning up hazardous substances that have been released into the environment, damages to natural resources and human health without regard to fault. In addition, companies that incur a CERCLA liability frequently confront claims by neighboring landowners and other third parties for personal injury and property damage allegedly caused by the release of hazardous or other regulated substances or pollutants into the environment.

The federal Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (“RCRA”), and analogous state laws generally excludes oil and gas exploration and production wastes (e.g., drilling fluids, produced waters) from regulation as hazardous wastes. However, these wastes remain subject to potential regulation as solid wastes under RCRA and as hazardous waste under other state and local laws. Wastes from some of our operations (such as, but not limited to, our chemical development, blending and distribution operations, as well as some maintenance and manufacturing operations) are or may be regulated under RCRA and

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (the “Clean Water Act”), and comparable state statutes impose restrictions and strict controls regarding the discharge of pollutants into state waters or waters of the United States.States or state waters. The discharge of pollutants into jurisdictional waters is prohibited unless the discharge is permitted by the EPA or applicable state agencies. The Clean Water Act also prohibits the discharge of dredge and fill material into regulated waters, including jurisdictional wetlands, unless authorized by an appropriately issued permit. CWAClean Water Act program predictability and consistency have been uncertain for several years due to regulatory changes concerning clarity as to the scope of ‘waters of the United States’ federally regulated under the Act and litigation over those changes. The process for obtaining permits required by the Clean Water Act and analogous state laws has the potential to delay the development of natural gas and oil projects. Also, spill prevention, control and countermeasure regulations imposed under federal law require appropriate containment berms and similar structures to help prevent the contamination of navigable waters in the event of a petroleum hydrocarbon tank spill, rupture or leak.

In addition, the Clean Water Act and analogous state laws require individual permits or coverage under general permits for discharges of storm water runoff from certain types of facilities. Moreover, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA”) imposes a variety of requirements on responsible parties related to the prevention of oil spills and liability for damages, including natural resource damages, resulting from such spills in waters of the United States. A responsible party includes the owner or operator of an onshore facility. The Clean Water Act and analogous state laws provide for administrative, civil and criminal penalties for unauthorized discharges and, together with the OPA, impose rigorous requirements for spill prevention and response planning, as well as substantial potential liability for the costs of removal, remediation, and damages in connection with any unauthorized discharges.

From time to time, releases of materials or wastes have occurred at locations we own or at which we have operations. These properties and the materials or wastes released thereon may be subject to CERCLA, RCRA, the federal Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act (the “SDWA”) and analogous state laws. Under these laws or other laws and regulations, we have been and may be required to remove or remediate these materials or wastes and make expenditures associated with personal injury or property damage. At this time, with respect to any properties where materials or wastes may have been released, it is not possible to estimate the potential costs that may arise from unknown, latent liability risks.

There has been increasing public controversy regarding hydraulic fracturing and its use of fracturing fluids, including potential impacts of the process on drinking water supplies, on the use of water and the potential for impacts to surface water, groundwater and the general environment. Companion bills entitled the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act (“FRAC Act”) were first introduced in the United States Congress in 2009 and successor bills have been reintroduced in the House of Representatives on multiple occasions, most recently in July 2019. The 116th Congress did not act on that legislation before the session adjourned on January 3, 2021; it is possible that a version of the FRAC Act could be introduced for consideration by the 117th Congress. If the FRAC Act and other similar legislation were to pass, the legislation could significantly alter regulatory oversight of hydraulic fracturing. Currently, unless the fracturing fluid used in the hydraulic fracturing process contains diesel fuel, hydraulic fracturing operations are exempt from permitting under the Underground Injection Control (“UIC”) program established by the SDWA, but are subject to regulation by state oil and gas commissions. The FRAC Act would remove this exemption and subject hydraulic fracturing operations to permitting requirements under the UIC program. The FRAC Act and other similar bills propose to also require

If the FRAC Act or similar legislation becomes law, or the Department of the Interior or another federal agency asserts jurisdiction over certain aspects of hydraulic fracturing operations, additional regulatory requirements could be established at the federal level that could lead to operational delays or increased operating costs, making it more difficult to perform hydraulic fracturing and increasing the costs of compliance and doing business for us and our customers. States in which we operate have considered and may again consider legislation that could impose additional regulations and/or restrictions on hydraulic fracturing operations. At this time, it is not possible to estimate the potential impact on our business of these state actions or the enactment of additional federal or state legislation or regulations affecting hydraulic fracturing.

In addition, at the direction of Congress, the EPA undertook a study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water and groundwater and issued its report in December 2016. The EPA report states that there is scientific evidence that hydraulic fracturing activities can impact drinking water resources under some circumstances and identifies certain conditions in which the EPA believes the impact of such activities on drinking water and groundwater can be more frequent or severe. The EPA study could spur further initiatives to regulate hydraulic fracturing under the SDWA or otherwise. Similarly, other federal and state studies may recommend additional requirements or restrictions on hydraulic fracturing operations.

Any regulation that restricts the ability to dispose of produced waters or increases the cost of doing business could cause curtailed or decreased demand for our services and have a material adverse effect on our business. Local governments also may seek to adopt ordinances within their jurisdictions regulating the time, place and manner of drilling activities in general or hydraulic fracturing activities in particular or prohibit the performance of well drilling in general or hydraulic fracturing in particular. We believe that we follow applicable standard industry practices and legal requirements for groundwater protection in our hydraulic fracturing activities. If new federal, state or local laws or regulations that significantly restrict hydraulic fracturing are adopted, such legal requirements could result in delays, eliminate certain drilling and injection activities and make it more difficult or costly to perform hydraulic fracturing. Any such regulations limiting or prohibiting hydraulic fracturing could result in decreased oil and natural gas exploration and production activities and, therefore, adversely affect demand for our services and our business.

The federal Clean Air Act and comparable state laws regulate emissions of various air pollutants through air emissions permitting programs and the imposition of other requirements. In addition, the EPA has developed and continues to develop stringent regulations governing emissions of toxic air pollutants from specified sources. We are or may be required to obtain federal and state permits in connection with certain operations conducted in our manufacturing and maintenance facilities. These permits impose certain conditions and restrictions on our operations, some of which require significant expenditures for filtering or other emissions control devices at each of our manufacturing and maintenance facilities. Changes in these requirements, or in the permits we operate under, could increase our costs or limit certain activities. Many of these regulatory requirements, including New Source Performance Standards and Maximum Achievable Control Technology standards, have been made more stringent over time as a result of stricter national ambient air quality standards (“NAAQS”) and other air quality protection goals adopted by the EPA. State implementation of the revised NAAQS could result in stricter permitting requirements, delay or prohibit our ability to obtain such permits, and result in increased expenditures for pollution control equipment, the costs of which could be significant.

Exploration and production activities on federal lands may be subject to review under the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”). NEPA requires federal agencies, including the Department of the Interior, to evaluate major agency actions that have the potential to significantly impact the environment. In the course of such evaluations, an agency will prepare an environmental assessment of the potential direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of a proposed project and, if necessary, will prepare a more detailed environmental impact statement that may be made available for public review and comment. All of our activities and our customers’ current E&P activities, as well as proposed exploration and development plans, on federal lands require governmental permits that are subject to the requirements of NEPA. The NEPA review process has the potential to delay the permitting and subsequent development of oil and natural gas projects.

Various state and federal statutes prohibit certain actions that adversely affect endangered or threatened species and their habitat, migratory birds, wetlands and natural resources. These statutes include the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Clean Water Act and CERCLA. Government entities or private parties may act to prevent oil and gas exploration activities or seek damages where harm to species, habitat or natural resources may result from the filling of jurisdictional streams or wetlands, the construction of oil and gas facilities or the release of oil, wastes, hazardous substances or other regulated materials. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must also designate the species’ critical habitat and suitable habitat as part of the effort to ensure survival of the species. A critical habitat or suitable habitat designation could result in further material restrictions to land use and may materially delay or prohibit land access for oil and natural gas development. If our customers were to have areas within their business and operations designated as critical or suitable habitat or a protected species, it could decrease demand for our services and have a material adverse effect on our business. At this time, it is not possible to estimate the potential impact on our business of these speculative federal, state or private actions or the enactment of additional federal or state legislation or regulations with respect to these matters.

More stringent laws and regulations relating to climate change may be adopted in the future and could cause us to incur additional operating costs or reduce the demand for our services. The EPA has determined that emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases (“GHGs”) present an endangerment to the environment because emissions of such gases are, according to the EPA and many scientists, contributing to the warming of the earth’s atmosphere and other climatic changes. Based on these findings, EPA has adopted regulations that restrict emissions of GHGs under existing provisions of the CAA, including rules that require preconstruction and operating permit reviews for GHG emissions from certain large stationary sources.

The EPA has proposed and finalized a number of rules requiring various industry sectors to track and report, and, in some cases, control greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA has also adopted rules requiring the monitoring and reporting of GHG emissions from specified GHG sources, including, among others, certain oil and natural gas production facilities, on an annual basis. Implementation and status of 2016 final rules that establish new air emission controls for emissions of methane from certain equipment and processes in the oil and natural gas source category, including production, processing transmission and storage activities. The EPA’s final rule package included first-time standards to address emissions of methane from equipment and processes across the source category, including hydraulically fractured oil and natural gas well completions. However, regulatory developments to ease or rescind these rules have created uncertainty as to their impact on the oil and gas industry.

The trajectory of future greenhouse regulations remains unsettled. In March 2014, the White House announced its intention to consider further regulation of methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. It is unclear whether Congress will take further action on greenhouse gases, for example, to further regulate greenhouse gas emissions or alternatively to statutorily limit the EPA’s authority over greenhouse gases. However, almost one-half of the states have established or joined GHG cap and trade programs. Most of these cap and trade programs work by requiring major sources of emissions or major producers of fuels to acquire and surrender emission allowances. The number of allowances available for purchase is reduced each year in an effort to achieve the overall greenhouse gas emission reduction goal. Restrictions on emissions of methane or carbon dioxide that may be imposed in various states could adversely affect the oil and natural gas industry and, therefore, could reduce the demand for our products and services.

Recently, activists concerned about the potential effects of climate change have directed their attention at sources of funding for fossil-fuel energy companies, which has resulted in certain financial institutions, funds and other sources of capital restricting or eliminating their investment in oil and natural gas activities. Ultimately, this could make it more difficult to secure funding for exploration and production activities, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Moreover, incentives to conserve energy or use alternative energy sources as a means of addressing climate change could reduce demand for the oil and natural gas our customers produce. Finally, it should be noted that many scientists have concluded that increasing concentrations of GHGs in the earth’s atmosphere may produce climatic changes that have significant physical effects, such as increased frequency and severity of storms, droughts, and floods and other climatic events; if any such effects were to occur, they could have an adverse effect on our assets and operations.

Climate change regulation may also impact our business positively by increasing demand for natural gas for use in producing electricity and as a transportation fuel. Currently, our operations are not materially adversely impacted by existing state and local climate change initiatives. At this time, we cannot accurately estimate how potential future laws or regulations addressing greenhouse gas emissions would impact our business.

We are subject to the requirements of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, which is administered and enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, commonly referred to as OSHA, and of comparable state laws that regulate the protection of the health and safety of workers. In addition, the OSHA hazard communication standard requires that information be maintained about hazardous materials used or produced in operations and that this information be provided to employees, state and local government authorities and the public. We believe that our operations are in substantial compliance with the OSHA requirements, including general industry standards, record keeping requirements and monitoring of occupational exposure to regulated substances. OSHA continues to evaluate worker safety and to propose new regulations, such as but not limited to, the new rule regarding respirable silica sand, which requires the oil and gas industry to implement engineering controls and work practices to limit exposures below the new limits by June 23, 2021.

Among the services we provide, we operate as a motor carrier and therefore are subject to regulation by the United States Department of Transportation (“DOT”) and various state agencies. These regulatory authorities exercise broad powers, governing activities such as the authorization to engage in motor carrier operations; regulatory safety; hazardous materials labeling, placarding and marking; financial reporting; and certain mergers, consolidations and acquisitions. There are additional regulations specifically relating to the trucking industry, including testing and specification of equipment and product handling requirements. The trucking industry is subject to possible regulatory and legislative changes that may affect the economics of the industry by requiring changes in operating practices or by changing the demand for common or contract carrier services or the cost of providing truckload services. Some of these possible changes include increasingly stringent environmental regulations, changes in the hours of service regulations which govern the amount of time a driver may drive in any specific period and requiring onboard black box recorder devices or limits on vehicle weight and size, and setting minimum training standards for new drivers seeking a commercial driver’s license. Certain motor vehicle operators are required to register with the DOT. This registration requires an acceptable operating record. The DOT periodically conducts compliance reviews and may revoke registration privileges based on certain safety performance criteria, and a revocation could result in a suspension of operations.

Interstate motor carrier operations are subject to safety requirements prescribed by DOT. To a large degree, intrastate motor carrier operations are subject to safety regulations that mirror federal regulations. Such matters as weight and dimensiondimensions of equipment are also subject to federal and state regulations. DOT regulations also mandate drug testing of drivers. From time to time, various legislative proposals are introduced, including proposals to increase federal, state or local taxes, including taxes on motor fuels, which may increase our costs or adversely

In addition, someSome of our operations utilize equipment that contains sealed, low-grade radioactive sources. Our activities involving the use of radioactive materials are regulated by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission

We seek to minimize the possibility of a pollution event through equipment and job design, as well as through training of employees. We also maintain a pollution risk management program that is activated in the event a pollution event occurs. This program includes an internal emergency response plan that provides specific procedures for our employees to follow in the event of a chemical release or spill. In addition, we have contracted with several third-party emergency responders in our various operating areas that are available on a 24-hour basis to handle the remediation and clean-up of any chemical release or spill. We carry insurance designed to respond to fortuitous environmental pollution events. This insurance portfolio has been structured in an effort to address pollution incidents that result in bodily injury or property damage and any ensuing clean up required at our owned facilities, as a result of the mobilization and utilization of our fleets, as well as any environmental claims resulting from our operations.

We also seek to manage environmental liability risks through provisions in our contracts with our customers that generally allocate risks relating to surface activities associated with the hydraulic fracturing process, other than water disposal, to us and risks relating to “down-hole” liabilities to our customers. Our customers are responsible for the disposal of the fracturing fluid that flows back out of the well as waste water, for which they use a controlled flow-back process. We are not involved in that process or the disposal of the resulting fluid. Our contracts generally require our customers to indemnify us against pollution and environmental damages originating below the surface of the ground or arising out of water disposal, or otherwise caused by the customer, other contractors or other third parties. In turn, we generally indemnify our customers for pollution and environmental damages originating at or above the surface caused solely by us. We seek to maintain consistent risk-allocation and indemnification provisions in our customer agreements to the extent possible. Some of our contracts, however, contain less explicit indemnification provisions, which typically provide that each party will indemnify the other against liabilities to third parties resulting from the indemnifying party’s actions, except to the extent such liability results from the indemnified party’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or intentional act.

Overall, we do not anticipate that compliance with existing environmental laws and regulations will have a material effect on our financial condition or results of operations. It is possible, however, that substantial costs for compliance or penalties for non-compliance may be incurred in the future. Moreover, it is possible that other developments, such as the adoption of stricter environmental laws, regulations, and enforcement policies, could result in additional costs or liabilities that we cannot currently quantify.

Our operations are subject to hazards inherent in the oil and natural gas industry, including blowouts, explosions, cratering, fires, oil spills, surface and underground pollution and contamination, hazardous material spills, loss of well control, damage to or loss of the wellbore, formation or underground reservoir, damage or loss from the use of explosives and radioactive materials, and damage or loss from inclement weather or natural disasters. These conditions can cause personal injury or loss of life, damage to or destruction of property, equipment, the environment and wildlife, and interruption or suspension of operations, among other adverse effects. In addition, claims for loss of oil and natural gas production and damage to formations can occur in the well services industry.

We carry a variety of insurance coverages for our operations, and we are partially self-insured for certain claims, in amounts that we believe to be customary and reasonable. However, our insurance may not be sufficient to cover any particular loss or may not cover all losses. Historically, insurance rates have been subject to various market fluctuations that may result in less coverage, increased premium costs, or higher deductibles or self-insured retentions.

Our Annual reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are made available free of charge on our internet web site at www.nextierofs.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after we have electronically filed the material with, or furnished it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The SEC maintains an internet site that contains our reports, proxy and information statements and our other SEC filings. The address of that web site is https://www.sec.gov/.

We webcast our earnings calls and certain events we participate in or host with members of the investment community on our investor relations website at https://investors.nextierofs.com/ir-home. Additionally, we provide notifications of news or announcements regarding our financial performance, including SEC filings, investor events, press and earnings releases and blogs as part of our investor relations website. We have used, and intend to continue to use, our investor relations website as means of disclosing material information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation Fair Disclosure. Further corporate governance information, including our certificate of incorporation, bylaws, governance guidelines, board committee charters and code of business conduct and ethics, is also available on our investor relations website under the heading “Corporate Governance.” The contents of our websites are not intended to be incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K or in any other report or document we file with the SEC, and any references to our websites are intended to be inactive textual references only.

An investment in our securities involves a variety of risks. In addition to the other information included or incorporated by reference in this annual report, the following risk factors should be carefully considered, as they could have a significant adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. These risks could cause our future results to differ materially from historical results and from guidance we may provide regarding our expectations of future financial performance. These risk factors do not identify all risks that we face; our operations could also be affected by factors, events, or uncertainties that are not presently known to us or that we currently do not consider to present significantmaterial risks to our operations. In addition, the global economic and political climate amplifies many of these risks. All forward-looking statements made by us or on our behalf are qualified by the risks described below.

Our business is cyclical, and we depend on the willingness of our customers to make expenditures to explore for, develop and produce oil and natural gas from onshore unconventional resources located predominantly in the United States (“U.S.”). onshore unconventional resources. The willingness of our customers to undertake these activities depends largely upon prevailing industry and financial market conditions that are influenced by numerous factors over which we have no control, including:

TheAs we have experienced since late March of 2020, the volatility of the oil and natural gas industry and the resulting impact on exploration and production activity could adversely impact the level of drilling and completion activity by some of our customers. This volatility may result in a decline in the demand for our services or adversely affect the price of our services. In addition, material declines in oil and natural gas prices, or drilling or completion activity in the U.S. oil and natural gas shale regions, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects, results of operations and cash flows. Furthermore, a decrease in the development of oil and natural gas reserves in the U.S. may also have an adverse impact on our business, even in an environment of strong oil and natural gas prices.

The demand for our services is substantially influenced by current and anticipated crude oil and natural gas commodity prices, the related level of drilling and completion activity and general production spending in the areas in which we have operations. Volatility or weakness in crude oil and natural gas commodity prices (or the perception that crude oil and natural gas commodity prices will decrease) affects the operational and capital spending patterns of our customers, and the products and services we provide are, to a substantial extent, deferrable in the event oil and natural gas companies reduce capital expenditures. During periods of declining oil and natural gas prices or when pricing remains depressed, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, our customer base may experience significant declines in drilling, completion and production activities, which in turn may result in reduced utilization and increased competition and pricing pressure to varying degrees across our service lines and operating areas.

Historically, prices for crude oil and natural gas have been extremely volatile, and these prices are expected to experience continued volatility. For example, since 2014,2015, crude oil prices have ranged from a high of $107.95$77.41 per barrel in 20142018 to a low of $44.48($36.98) per barrel in late December 2018.2020. During 2019,2020, NYMEX crude oil prices ranged from approximately $46.31$(36.98) to $66.24$63.27 per barrel, with natural gas prices ranging from $1.75$1.33 per million British thermal units (“MMbtu”) to $4.25$3.14 per MMbtu. Continued price volatility for oil and natural gas is expected during 2020.2021.

Worldwide military, political and economic events, including initiatives by OPEC,OPEC+, affect both the demand for, and the supply of, oil and natural gas. Weather conditions, governmental regulation (both in the United States and elsewhere), levels of consumer demand, commercial development of economically viable alternative energy sources (such as wind, solar, geothermal, tidal, fuel cells and biofuels), fuel conservation measures, the availability of pipeline capacity and other factors that will be beyond our control may also affect the supply of, demand for, and price of oil and natural gas. This, in turn, could result in lower demand for our services and cause lower pricing and utilization levels for our services.

Our business could be materially adversely affected by adverse weather conditions. Our operations and the operations of our customers may be adversely affected by seasonal weather conditions, severe weather events and natural disasters. For example, periods of drought, hurricanes, tropical storms, heavy snow, ice or rain may result in customer delays and other disruptions to our services, including availability of key products such as sand and water. Repercussions of adverse weather conditions may include:

The oilfield services industry is highly competitive. The principal competitive tactics in our markets are generally price, technical expertise, the availability and condition of equipment, work force capability, safety record, reputation and experience. Furthermore, as a result of this competition, available equipment in the markets in which one or more of our product lines competes at times may exceed the demand for such equipment. This excess supply of equipment may result from many factors, including without limitation, a low commodity price environment, increase in the construction of new equipment, or reactivation and improvement of existing equipment. Excess capacity may result in (1) substantial competition for a diminishing amount of demand and/or (2) significant price competition, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

The oilfield services industry is highly fragmented and includes several large companies that compete in many of the markets we serve, as well as numerous small companies that compete with us on a local basis. Some of our competitors may have greater resources and/or name recognition, which could allow them to better withstand industry downturns and to compete more effectively on the basis of technology, geographic scope, retained skilled personnel and economies of scale. In addition, our industry has experienced recent consolidation through mergers and acquisitions, which could lead to increased resources and capabilities for our competitors. There may also be new companies that enter our business, or re-enter our business with significantly reduced indebtedness following emergence from bankruptcy, or our existing and potential future customers may develop their own oilfield solutions. Our operations may be adversely affected if our current competitors or new market entrants introduce new products, technology or services with better features, performance, prices or other characteristics than our products and services or expand in service areas where we operate.

We periodically seek to increase prices of our services to offset rising costs and to generate higher returns for our stockholders. Because we operate in a very competitive industry, however, we are not always successful in raising or maintaining our existing prices. Even if we are able to increase our prices, we may not be able to do so at a rate that is sufficient to offset rising costs without adversely affecting our activity levels. The inability to maintain our pricing and to increase our pricing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations. In addition, we may be unable to replace dedicated contracts that were terminated early, extend expiring contracts or obtain new contracts in the spot market, and the rates and other material terms under any new or extended contracts may be on substantially less favorable rates and terms.

Accordingly, high competition and excess equipment in the market can cause us to have difficulty maintaining pricing, utilization and profit margins and, at times, result in operating losses. We cannot predict the

Risks inherent to our industry can cause personal injury, loss of life, suspension of or impact upon operations, damage to geological formations, damage to facilities, business interruption and damage to, or destruction of, property, equipment and the environment. Such risks may include, but are not limited to:

Catastrophic or significantly adverse events can occur at well sites where we conduct our operations, including blow outs resulting in explosions, fires, personal injuries, property damage, pollution, clean-up responsibility and regulatory responsibility. In response, we typically requireseek indemnities, releases and limitations on liability in our contracts with our customers, together with liability insurance coverage, to protect us from potential liability related to such occurrences. However, it is possible that customers or insurers could seek to avoid such provisions (or compliance with such provisions) or be financially unable to meet their obligations, or a court may decline to enforce such provisions. Damages that are not indemnified or released could greatly exceed available insurance coverage and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects and results of operations.

Catastrophic or significantly adverse events can also occur at our facilities and during transport of our equipment, commodities and personnel to well sites. Our safety procedures may not always prevent such damages. Our insurance coverage or coverage of applicable vendors and service providers may be inadequate to cover our liabilities. In addition, we may not be able to maintain adequate insurance in the future at rates we consider reasonable and commercially justifiable or on terms as favorable as our current arrangements. The occurrence of a significant uninsured claim, a claim in excess of the insurance coverage limits maintained by us or a claim at a time when we are not able to obtain liability insurance could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct normal business operations and on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In addition, our services could become a source of spills or releases of fluids, including chemicals used during activities, at the site where such services are performed, or could result in the discharge of such fluids into underground formations that were not targeted for fracturing or activities, such as potable aquifers. These risks could expose us to substantial liability for personal injury, wrongful death, property damage, loss of oil and natural gas production, pollution and other environmental damages and could result in a variety of claims, losses and remedial obligations that could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations. The existence, frequency and severity of such incidents could affect operating costs, insurability, reputation and relationships with customers, employees and regulators. Any litigation or claims, even if fully indemnified or insured, could negatively affect our reputation with our customers and the public and make it more difficult for us to compete effectively or obtain adequate insurance in the future.

Our activities are subject to a wide range of national, state and local environmental, occupational health and safety laws and regulations. In addition, customers maintain their own compliance and reporting requirements. Failure to comply with these environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, or failure to comply with our customers’ compliance or reporting requirements, could tarnish our reputation for safety and quality and have a material adverse effect on our competitive position. In particular, our customers may elect not to purchase our services if they view our environmental or safety record as unsatisfactory, which could cause us to lose customers and substantial revenue.

We typically enter into agreements with our customers governing the provision of our services, which usually include certain indemnification provisions for losses resulting from operations. Such agreements may require each party to indemnify the other against certain claims regardless of the negligence or other fault of the indemnified party; however, many states place limitations on contractual indemnity agreements, particularly agreements that indemnify a party against the consequences of its own negligence. Furthermore, certain states, including Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas and Wyoming, have enacted statutes generally referred to as “oilfield anti-indemnity acts” expressly prohibiting certain indemnity agreements contained in or related to oilfield services agreements. Such oilfield anti-indemnity acts, whether enacted/amended in the future or currently in existence, may restrict or void a party’s indemnification of us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects and results of operations.

The oilfield services industry is subject to the introduction of new drilling and completion techniques and services using new technologies, some of which may be subject to patent or other intellectual property protections. As competitors and others use or develop new or comparable technologies in the future, we may lose market share or be placed at a competitive disadvantage. In addition, technological changes, process improvements and other factors that increase operational efficiencies could continue to result in oil and natural gas wells being completed more quickly, which could reduce the number of revenue earning days. Furthermore, we may face competitive pressure to develop, implement or acquire certain new technologies at a substantial cost. Some of our competitors have greater financial, technical and personnel resources that may allow them to enjoy technological advantages and develop and implement new products on a timely basis or at an acceptable cost. We cannot be certain that we will be able to develop and implement new technologies or products on a timely basis or at an acceptable cost. Limits on our ability to develop, acquire, effectively use and implement new and emerging technologies may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects or results of operations.

Our operations are subject to stringent federal, state, local and tribal laws and regulations relating to, among other things, protection of natural resources, clean air and drinking water, wetlands, endangered species, greenhouse gasses, areas that are not in attainment with air quality standards, the environment, health and safety, chemical use and storage, waste management, waste disposal and transportation of waste and other hazardous and nonhazardous materials. Our operations involve risks of environmental liability, including leakage from an operator’s casing during our operations or accidental spills onto or into surface or subsurface soils, surface water or groundwater. Some environmental laws and regulations may impose strict liability, joint and several liability or both. In some situations, we could be exposed to liability as a result of our conduct that was lawful at the time it occurred or the conduct of, or conditions caused by, third parties without regard to whether we caused or contributed to the conditions. Additionally, environmental concerns, including potential emissions affecting clean air, drinking water contamination and seismic activity, have prompted investigations that could lead to the enactment of regulations,

If we do not perform in accordance with government, industry, customer or our own health, safety and environmental standards (including standards put in place related to the COVID-19 pandemic), we could lose business from our customers, many of whom have an increased focus on environmental, health and safety issues.

We are subject to requirements imposed by the EPA, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, OSHA and state regulatory agencies that regulate operations to prevent air, soil and water pollution, and protect worker health and safety.

The EPA regulates air emissions from all engines, including off-road diesel engines that are used by us to power equipment in the field. Under these U.S. emission control regulations, we could be limited in the number of certain off-road diesel engines we can purchase. Further, the requirement to comply with emission control and fuel quality regulations could result in increased costs.

In addition, as part of our business, we handle, transport, and dispose of a variety of fluids and substances used by our customers in connection with their oil and natural gas exploration and production activities. We also generate and dispose of nonhazardous and hazardous wastes. The generation, handling, transportation, and disposal of these fluids, substances, and wastes are regulated by a number of laws, including CERCLA, RCRA, the Clean Water Act, the SDWA and analogous state laws. Under RCRA, the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal and cleanup of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes are regulated. RCRA currently exempts many oil and gas exploration and production wastes from classification as hazardous waste. However, these oil and gas exploration and production wastes may still be regulated under state solid waste laws and regulations, and it is possible that certain oil and natural gas exploration and production wastes now classified as non-hazardous could be classified as hazardous waste in the future.

Failure to properly handle, transport or dispose of these materials or otherwise conduct our operations in accordance with these and other environmental laws could expose us to liability for governmental penalties, third-party claims, cleanup costs associated with releases of such materials, damages to natural resources, and other damages, as well as potentially impair our ability to conduct our operations. Moreover, certain of these environmental laws impose joint and several, strict liability even though our conduct in performing such activities was lawful at the time it occurred or the conduct of, or conditions caused by, prior operators or other third-parties was the basis for such liability. In addition, environmental laws and regulations are subject to frequent change and if existing laws, regulatory requirements or enforcement policies were to change in the future, we may be required to make significant unanticipated capital and operating expenditures.

Laws and regulations protecting the environment generally have become more stringent over time, and we expect them to continue to do so. This could lead to material increases in our costs, and liability exposure, for future environmental compliance and remediation.

During recent sessions of the U.S. Congress, several pieces of legislation were introduced in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives for the purpose of amending environmental laws such as the Clean Air Act, the SDWA and the Toxic Substances Control Act with respect to activities associated with extraction and energy production industries, especially the oil and gas industry. Furthermore, various items of legislation and rulemaking have been proposed that would regulate or prevent federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing on federally owned land. Proposed rulemaking from the EPA and OSHA could increase our regulatory requirements, which could increase our costs of compliance or increase the costs of our services, thereby possibly having a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

If the EPA or another federal or state agency asserts jurisdiction over certain aspects of hydraulic fracturing operations, an additional level of regulation established at the federal or state level could lead to operational delays and increase our costs. In December 2016, the EPA issued a study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water and groundwater. The EPA report states that there is scientific evidence that hydraulic fracturing activities can impact drinking resources under some circumstances, and identifies certain conditions in which the EPA believes the impact of such activities on drinking water and groundwater can be more frequent or severe. The EPA study could spur further initiatives to regulate hydraulic fracturing under the SDWA or otherwise. Many regulatory and legislative bodies routinely evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of laws and regulations affecting the oil and gas industry. As a result, state legislatures, state regulatory agencies and local municipalities may consider legislation, regulations or ordinances, respectively, that could affect all aspects of the oil and natural gas industry and occasionally take action to restrict or further regulate hydraulic fracturing operations. At this time, it is not possible to estimate the potential impact on our business of these state and municipal actions or the enactment of additional federal or state legislation or regulations affecting hydraulic fracturing. Compliance, stricter regulations or the consequences of any failure to comply by us could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects and results of operations.

Many states in which we operate require the disclosure of some or all of the chemicals used in our hydraulic fracturing operations. Certain aspects of one or more of these chemicals may be considered proprietary by us or our chemical suppliers. Disclosure of our proprietary chemical information to third parties or to the public, even if inadvertent, could diminish the value of our trade secrets or those of our chemical suppliers and could result in competitive harm to us, which could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, prospects and results of operations.

We are also aware that some states, counties and municipalities have enacted or are considering moratoria on hydraulic fracturing. For example, New York and Vermont, states in which we have no operations, have banned or are in the process of banning the use of high-volume hydraulic fracturing. Alternatively, some municipalities are considering or have considered zoning and other ordinances, the conditions of which could impose a de facto ban on drilling and/or hydraulic fracturing operations. Further, some states, counties and municipalities are closely examining water use issues, such as permit and disposal options for processed water, which could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, prospects and results of operations, if such additional permitting requirements are imposed upon our industry. Additionally, our business could be affected by a moratorium or increased regulation of companies in our supply chain, such as sand mining by our proppant suppliers, which could limit our access to supplies and increase the costs of our raw materials. At this time, it is not possible to estimate how these various restrictions could affect our ongoing operations.

We are subject to various transportation regulations, including regulation of motor carriers by the U.S. Department of Transportation and by various federal, state and tribal agencies, whose regulations include certain permit requirements imposed by highway and safety authorities. These regulatory authorities exercise broad powers over our trucking operations, generally governing such matters as the authorization to engage in motor carrier operations, safety, equipment testing, driver requirements and specifications and insurance requirements. The trucking industry is subject to possible regulatory and legislative changes that may impact our operations, such as changes in fuel emissions limits, hours of service regulations that govern the amount of time a driver may drive or work in any specific period and limits on vehicle weight and size. As the federal government continues to develop and propose regulations relating to fuel quality, engine efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions, we may experience an increase in costs related to truck purchases and maintenance, impairment of equipment productivity, a decrease in the residual value of vehicles, unpredictable fluctuations in fuel prices and an increase in operating expenses. Increased truck traffic may contribute to deteriorating road conditions in some areas where our operations are performed. Our operations, including routing and weight restrictions, could be affected by road construction, road repairs, detours and state and local regulations and ordinances restricting access to certain roads. Proposals to increase federal, state or local taxes, including taxes on motor fuels, are also made from time to time, and any such increase would increase our operating costs. Also, state and local regulation of permitted routes and times on specific roadways could adversely affect our operations. We cannot predict whether, or in what form, any legislative or regulatory changes or municipal ordinances applicable to our logistics operations will be enacted and to what extent any such legislation or regulations could increase our costs or otherwise adversely affect our business or operations.

Our business, financial condition, prospects and results of operations could be materially adversely affected, if one or more of our significant customers ceases to engage us for our services on favorable terms or at all, or fails to pay or delays in paying us significant amounts of our outstanding receivables. Our completions business has historically had contracts with a portion of our customers that are annual to multi-year.

Additionally, the E&P industry is characterized by frequent consolidation activity. Changes in ownership of our customers may result in the loss of, or reduction in, business from those customers, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, prospects or results of operations.

We are subject to the risk of loss resulting from nonpayment or nonperformance by our customers, many of whose operations are concentrated solely in the domestic E&P industry which, as described above, is subject to

Our hydraulic fracturing fleets and other service-related equipment require significant capital investment in maintenance, upgrades and refurbishment to maintain their competitiveness. Our fleets and other equipment typically do not generate revenue while they are undergoing maintenance, refurbishment or upgrades. Any maintenance, upgrade or refurbishment project for our assets could increase our indebtedness or reduce cash available for other opportunities. Furthermore, such projects may require proportionally greater capital investments as a percentage of total asset value, which may make such projects difficult to finance on acceptable terms. To the extent we are unable to fund such projects, we may have less equipment available for service, or our equipment may not be attractive to potential or current customers. Additionally, increased demand, competition, environmental and safety requirements or advances in technology within our industry may require us to update or replace existing fleets or build or acquire new fleets. For example, in 2018, we purchased approximately 150,000 newbuild hydraulic horsepower, representing three additional hydraulic fracturing fleets, for approximately $129.4 million. Such demands on our capital or reductions in demand for our hydraulic fracturing fleets and other service-related equipment and the increase in cost to maintain labor necessary for such maintenance and improvement, in each case, could have a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity position, financial condition, prospects and results of operations.

The delivery of our services and products requires personnel with specialized skills and experience who can perform physically demanding work. As a result of the volatility in the energy service industry and the demanding nature of the work, workers may choose to pursue employment with our competitors or in fields that offer a less demanding work environment. In addition, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we may not have sufficient employees who are able to work at job sites, due to illness, school closures and other community response measures; and temporary closures of our facilities or the facilities of our customers and suppliers, or health and safety protocols.

Furthermore, we require full compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 and other laws concerning immigration and the hiring of legally documented workers. We recognize that foreign nationals may be a valuable source of talent, but that not all foreign nationals are authorized to work for U.S. companies immediately, without first obtaining a required work authorization from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or similar government agency. Our ability to be productive and profitable will depend upon our ability to employ and retain skilled workers. In addition, our ability to adjust our operations according to geographic demand for our services depends in part on our ability to relocate or increase the size of our skilled labor force. The demand for skilled workers in our areas of operations can be high, the supply may be limited, and we may be unable to relocate our employees from areas of lower utilization to areas of higher demand. A significant increase in the wages paid by competing employers could result in a reduction of our skilled labor force, increases in the wage rates that we must pay, or both. Furthermore, a significant decrease in the wages paid by us or our competitors as a result of reduced industry demand could result in a reduction of the available skilled labor force, and there is no assurance that the availability of skilled labor will improve following a subsequent increase in demand for our services or an increase in wage rates. If any of these events were to occur, our capacity and profitability could be diminished and our growth potential could be impaired.

We depend heavily on the efforts of executive officers, managers and other key employees to manage our operations. The unexpected loss or unavailability of key members of management or technical personnel (including due to illness related to COVID-19) may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects or results of operations.

We have established relationships with a limited number of suppliers of our raw materials (such as proppant, guar, chemicals or coiled tubing) and finished products (such as fluid-handling equipment). Raw materials essential to our business are normally readily available. However, high levels of demand for raw materials, such as gels, guar, proppant and hydrochloric acid, have triggered constraints in the supply chain of those raw materials and could dramatically increase the prices of such raw materials. Should any of our current suppliers be unable to provide the necessary raw materials or finished products or otherwise fail to deliver the products in a timely manner and in the quantities required, any resulting delays in the provision of services could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Additionally, increasing costs of certain raw materials, including guar or proppant, may negatively impact demand for our services or the profitability of our business operations. In the past, our industry faced sporadic shortages associated with hydraulic fracturing operations, such as proppant and guar, requiring work stoppages, which adversely impacted the operating results of several competitors. We may not be able to mitigate any future shortages of raw materials, including proppants.

Our services are subject to inherent risks that can cause personal injury or loss of life, damage to or destruction of property, equipment or the environment or the suspension of our operations. Our operations are subject to, and exposed to, employee/employer liabilities and risks such as wrongful termination, discrimination, labor organizing, retaliation claims and general human resource related matters. Litigation arising from operations where our facilities are located, or our services are provided, may cause us to be named as a defendant in lawsuits asserting potentially large claims including claims for exemplary damages. We maintain what we believe is customary and reasonable insurance to protect our business against these potential losses, but such insurance may not be adequate to cover our liabilities, and we are not fully insured against all risks. Further, our insurance has deductibles or self-insured retentions and contains certain coverage exclusions. The current trend in the insurance industry is towards larger deductibles and self-insured retentions. In addition, insurance may not be available in the future at rates that we consider reasonable and commercially justifiable, compelling us to have larger deductibles or self-insured retentions to effectively manage expenses. As a result, we could become subject to material uninsured liabilities or situations where we have high deductibles or self-insured retentions that expose us to liabilities that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects or results of operations.

In most states, our customers are required to obtain permits or authorizations from one or more governmental agencies or other third parties to perform drilling and completion activities, including hydraulic fracturing. Such permits or approvals are typically required by state agencies, but can also be required by federal and local governmental agencies or other third parties. The requirements for such permits or authorizations vary depending on the location where such drilling and completion activities will be conducted. As with most permitting and authorization processes, there is a degree of uncertainty as to whether a permit will be granted, the time it will take for a permit or approval to be issued and the conditions which may be imposed in connection with the granting of the permit. In some jurisdictions, such as within the jurisdiction of the Delaware River Basin Commission, certain regulatory authorities have delayed or suspended the issuance of permits or authorizations, while the potential environmental impacts associated with issuing such permits can be studied and appropriate mitigation measures evaluated. New York and Vermont, states in which we have no operations, have prohibited hydraulic fracturing statewide. In Texas, rural water districts have begun to impose restrictions on water use and may require permits for water used in drilling and completion activities. Permitting, authorization or renewal delays, the inability to obtain new permits or the revocation of current permits could cause a loss of revenue and potentially have a materially adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects or results of operations.

We are also required to obtain federal, state, local and/or third-party permits and authorizations in some jurisdictions in connection with our wireline services. These permits, when required, impose certain conditions on our operations. Any changes in these requirements could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects and results of operations.

Part of our strategy is to continue to expand our geographic scope and customer relationships, increase our access to technology and to grow our business, which is dependent on our ability to make acquisitions that result in accretive revenues and earnings. We may be unable to make accretive acquisitions or realize expected benefits of any acquisitions for any of the following reasons:

Our acquisition strategy requires that we successfully integrate acquired companies into our business practices, as well as our procurement, management and enterprise-wide information technology systems. We may not be successful in implementing our business practices at acquired companies, and our acquisitions could face difficulty in transitioning from their previous information technology systems to our own. Furthermore, unexpected costs and challenges may arise whenever businesses with different operations or management are combined. Any

If we are unable to identify, complete and integrate acquisitions, it could have a material adverse effect on our growth strategy, business, financial condition, prospects and results of operations.

Part of our strategy includes pursuing acquisitions that we believe will be accretive to our business. If we consummate an acquisition, such as the C&J Merger in 2019, the process of integrating the acquired business may be complex and time consuming, may be disruptive to the business and may cause an interruption of, or a distraction of management’s attention from, the business as a result of a number of obstacles, including, but not limited to:

Any of the foregoing obstacles, or a combination of them, could decrease gross profit margins or increase selling, general and administrative expenses in absolute terms and/or as a percentage of net sales, which could in turn negatively impact our net income and cash flows. The foregoing obstacles could prove to be especially difficult in light of the C&J Merger since we are a newly combined company in the process of integrating the legacy Keane and C&J businesses.

We may not be able to consummate acquisitions in the future on terms acceptable to us, or at all. In addition, future acquisitions are accompanied by the risk that the obligations and liabilities of an acquired company may not be adequately reflected in the historical financial statements of that company and the risk that those historical financial statements may be based on assumptions which are incorrect or inconsistent with our assumptions or approach to accounting policies. Any of these material obligations, liabilities or incorrect or inconsistent assumptions could adversely impact our results of operations, prospects and financial condition.

The labor markets in the industries in which we operate are competitive. We must attract, train and retain a large number of qualified employees while controlling related labor costs. We face significant competition for these employees from the industries in which we operate as well as from other industries. Tighter labor markets may make it even more difficult for us to hire and retain qualified employees and control labor costs. Our ability to attract

We rely on sophisticated information technology systems and infrastructure to support our business. Any of these systems may be susceptible to outages due to fire, floods, power loss, telecommunications failures, usage errors by employees, computer viruses, cyber-attacks or other security breaches or similar events. A failure or prolonged interruption in our information technology systems, including our digital logistics platform, or difficulties encountered in upgrading our systems or implementing new systems that compromises our ability to meet our customers’ needs or impairs our ability to record, process and report accurate information, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We are in the process of integratingIn 2020, we integrated our enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) systems from each of the legacy entities to the C&J Merger that assist with the collection, storage, management and interpretation of data from our business activities to support future growth and to integrate significant processes. Our ERP system is critical to our ability to accurately maintain books and records, record transactions, provide important information to our management and prepare our consolidated financial statements. ERP system integration is complex and time-consuming and involves substantial expenditures on system software and integration activities, as well as changes to business processes and, possibly, adjustments to internal control over financial reporting. The integration of the ERP system

The oil and natural gas industry has become increasingly dependent on digital technologies to conduct certain processing activities. We use these technologies for internal purposes, including data storage (which may include personal identification information of our employees as well as our proprietary business information and that of our customers, suppliers, investors and other stakeholders), processing, and transmissions, as well as in our interactions with customers and suppliers. For example, we depend on digital technologies to perform many of our services and processes and to record operational and financial data. At the same time, cyber incidents, which could include, among other things, deliberate attacks, unintentional events, computer viruses, malicious or destructive code, ransomware, social engineering attacks (including phishing and impersonation), hacking, denial-of-service attacks and other attacks and similar disruptions from the unauthorized use of or access to computer systems, have increased. The U.S. government has issued public warnings that indicate that energy assets might be specific targets of cyber security threats. Our technologies, systems and networks, as well as those of our customers, suppliers and other business partners, may become the target of cyberattacks or information security breaches that could result in the unauthorized release, gathering, monitoring, misuse, loss or destruction of proprietary information, personal information and other data, or other disruption of our business operations. In addition, certain cyber incidents, such as unauthorized surveillance, may remain undetected for an extended period of time. Our systems and insurance coverage for protecting against cyber security risks, including cyberattacks, may not be sufficient and may not protect against or cover all of the losses we may experience as a result of the realization of such risks. In addition, these risks could harm our reputation and our relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, and other third-

Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide timely and reliable financial reports, prevent fraud and to operate successfully as a publicly traded company. Our efforts to maintain our internal controls may not be successful, and we may be unable to maintain effective controls over our financial processes and reporting in the future or to comply with our obligations under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Section 404”). For example, Section 404 requires us, among other things, to annually review and report on, and our independent registered public accounting firm to attest to, the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. This assessment includes disclosure of any deficiencies or material weaknesses identified by our management in our

We have a significant amount of indebtedness. As of December 31, 2019,2020, we had $337.6$335.5 million of debt outstanding, net of discounts and deferred financing costs (not including capitalfinance lease obligations). After giving effect to our borrowing base, we had approximately $303.8$73.5 million of availability under our 2019 ABL Facility (as defined herein).

Our debt instruments may restrict, or market or business conditions may limit, our ability to use some of our options.

The agreements governing our indebtedness contain certain operating covenants and other restrictions relating to, among other things, limitations on indebtedness (including guarantees of additional indebtedness) and liens, mergers, consolidations and dissolutions, sales of assets, investments and acquisitions, dividends and other restricted payments, repurchase of shares of capital stock and options to purchase shares of capital stock and certain transactions with affiliates. In addition, our Senior Secured Debt Facilities include certain financial covenants.

The restrictions in the agreements governing our indebtedness may prevent us from taking actions that we believe would be in the best interest of our business and may make it difficult for us to successfully execute our business strategy or effectively compete with companies that are not similarly restricted. We may also incur future debt obligations that might subject us to additional restrictive covenants that could affect our financial and operational flexibility.

Failure to comply with these financial and operating covenants could result from, among other things, changes in our results of operations, the incurrence of additional indebtedness, declines in the pricing of our services and products, difficulties in implementing cost reduction initiatives, difficulties in implementing our overall business strategy or changes in general economic conditions, which may be beyond our control. The breach of any of these covenants or restrictions could result in a default under the agreements that govern these facilities that would permit the lenders to declare all amounts outstanding thereunder to be due and payable, together with accrued and unpaid interest. If we are unable to repay such amounts, lenders having secured obligations could proceed against the collateral securing these obligations. The collateral includes the capital stock of our domestic subsidiaries and substantially all of our and our subsidiaries’ other tangible and intangible assets, subject in each case to certain exceptions. This could have serious consequences on our financial condition and results of operations and could

We have exposure to future interest rates based on the variable rate debt under the Senior Secured Debt Facilities, and to the extent we raise additional debt in the capital markets to meet maturing debt obligations, to fund our capital expenditures and working capital needs and to finance future acquisitions. Daily working capital requirements are typically financed with operational cash flow and through borrowings under our 2019 ABL Facility, if needed. The interest rate on these borrowing arrangements is generally determined from the inter-bank offering rate at the borrowing date plus a pre-set margin. Although we employ risk management techniques to hedge against interest rate volatility, significant and sustained increases in market interest rates could materially increase our financing costs and negatively impact our reported results.

In addition, in certain circumstances, our variable rate indebtedness uses the London Interbank Offer Rate (“LIBOR”) as a benchmark for establishing the interest rate. The LIBOR has been subject of national, international,

Disruptions in the capital and credit markets,markets(which have and may continue to be impact by COVID-19), in particular with respect to companies in the energy sector, could limit our ability to access these markets or may significantly increase our cost to borrow. Continued low commodity prices, among other factors, have caused some lenders to increase interest rates, enact tighter lending standards which we may not satisfy as a result of our debt level or otherwise, refuse to refinance existing debt at maturity on favorable terms, or at all, and in certain instances have reduced or ceased to provide funding to borrowers. If we are unable to access the capital and credit markets on favorable terms or at all, it could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Under U.S. federal income tax law, a corporation is generally permitted to deduct from taxable income net operating losses (“NOLs”) carried forward from prior years. As of December 31, 2019,2020, we reported consolidated federal NOL carryforwards of approximately $787.6 million$1.2 billion of which $721.3$804.6 million are pre-change NOL's subject to limitation. Our ability to utilize our NOL carryforwards to offset future taxable income and to reduce U.S. federal income tax liability is subject to certain requirements and restrictions. In general, under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), a corporation that undergoes an “ownership change” is subject to limitations on its ability to utilize its pre-change NOLs to offset future taxable income. An ownership change generally occurs if one or more shareholders (or groups of shareholders) who are each deemed to own at least 5% of our stock have aggregate increases in their ownership of such stock of more than 50 percentage points over such stockholders’ lowest ownership percentage during the testing period (generally a rolling three year period). We believe we experienced an ownership change in October 2019 as a result of the C&J Merger. We also believe we experienced an ownership change in January 2017 as a result of the implementation of the IPO. Thus our pre-change

The market price for our common stock is volatile. In addition, the market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to a number of factors, most of which we cannot control, including

In addition, the stock market often experiences extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of a particular company. These broad market fluctuations and industry factors may materially reduce the market price of our common stock, regardless of our operating performance.

We do not currently pay dividends, and our stockholders do not have contractual or other rights, to receive dividends. Our board of directors may, in its discretion, modify or repeal our dividend policy. The declaration and payment of dividends depends on various factors, including: our net income, financial condition, cash requirements, future prospects and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors.

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), our board of directors may not authorize payment of a dividend unless it is either paid out of our surplus, as calculated in accordance with the DGCL, or if we

In December 2019, our board of directors approved a capital return program under which we mayhad the authority to expend a total of up to $100 million through December 31, 2020, through stock repurchases, dividends or other capital return strategies. AsWhile, as part of the capital return program, our board of directors had approved a stock repurchase program of up to $50 million of the Company's common stock, subjectin light of events of 2020, no share repurchases or other capital return programs were made prior to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulations, stock market conditions, capital needsthe expiration of the business and other factors. Since the inception of our share repurchase program through December 31, 2019, we have made no share repurchases.capital return program. We can provide no assurance any similar programs will be implemented in the future, or that if implemented, that we will repurchase our common stock pursuant to oursuch share repurchase program or that our share repurchase program will

Although our board of directors has approved a share repurchase program,programs in the share repurchase program doespast, they generally have not obligateobligated us to repurchase any specific dollar amount or to acquire any specific number of shares. The timing and amount of repurchases, if any, willwould depend upon several factors, including market and business conditions, the trading price of our common stock and the nature of other investment opportunities. TheAny future repurchase program may be limited, suspended or discontinued at any time without prior notice. In addition, repurchases of our common stock pursuant to oura share repurchase program could cause our stock price to be higher than it would be in the absence of such a program and could potentially reduce the market liquidity for our stock. Furthermore, oura share repurchase program could diminish our cash reserves, which may impact our ability to finance future growth and to pursue possible future strategic opportunities and acquisitions. Although our share repurchase program isprograms are intended to enhance long-term stockholder value, there is no assurance that it will do so and short-term stock price fluctuations could reduce the program’s effectiveness.

We have 286,806,581284,840,314 shares of common stock authorized but unissued under our certificate of incorporation. We will be authorized to issue these shares of common stock and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to common stock for consideration and on terms and conditions established by our board of directors in its sole discretion, whether in connection with acquisitions or otherwise. WeAs of December 31, 2020, we have 14,054,98215,584,151 shares of our common stock available for award that may be issued under our equity incentive plans. Any common stock that we issue, including under our equity incentive plans or other equity incentive plans that we may adopt in the future, may result in additional dilution to our stockholders.

In the future, we may also issue our securities, including shares of our common stock, in connection with investments or acquisitions. We regularly evaluate potential acquisition opportunities, including ones that would be significant to us, and at any one time we may be participating in processes regarding several potential acquisition opportunities, including ones that would be significant to us. We cannot predict the timing of any contemplated transactions, and none are currently probable. The number of shares of our common stock issued in connection with an investment or acquisition could constitute a material portion of our then-outstanding shares of common stock. Any issuance of additional securities in connection with investments or acquisitions may result in additional dilution to our stockholders.

Provisions in our certificate of incorporation, our bylaws and our Stockholders’ Agreement, may discourage, delay or prevent a merger, acquisition or other change in control that some stockholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which our stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares of our common stock. These provisions could also limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock, possibly depressing the market price of our common stock.

In addition, these provisions may frustrate or prevent any attempts by our stockholders to replace members of our board of directors. Because our board of directors is responsible for appointing the members of our management team, these provisions could in turn affect any attempt by our stockholders to replace members of our management team. Examples of such provisions are as follows:

Our certificate of incorporation authorizes our board of directors to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock. The preferred stock may be issued in one or more series, the terms of which may be determined by our board of directors at the time of issuance or fixed by resolution without further action by the stockholders. These terms may include voting rights, preferences as to dividends and liquidation, conversion rights, redemption rights and sinking fund provisions. The issuance of preferred stock could diminish the rights of holders of our common stock, and therefore, could reduce the value of our common stock. In addition, specific rights granted to holders of preferred stock could be used to restrict our ability to merge with, or sell assets to, a third party. The ability of our board of directors to issue preferred stock could delay, discourage, prevent or make it more difficult or costly to acquire or effect a change in control, thereby preserving the current stockholders’ control.

In addition, under the agreements governing the Senior Secured Debt Facilities, a change in control may lead the lenders and/or holders to exercise remedies such as acceleration of the obligations thereunder, termination of their commitments to fund additional advances and collection against the collateral securing such obligations.

In connection with the Keane IPO, Keane entered into a Stockholders’ Agreement with Keane Investor. This stockholders’ agreement was amended and restated in conjunction with the C&J Merger (as amended and restated, the “Stockholders’ Agreement”) and provides that, except as otherwise required by applicable law, from the date on which (a) Keane Investor or, in the event a Cerberus Holder no longer holds Company shares through Keane Investor, Cerberus Holder has beneficial ownership of at least 12.5% or greater of the aggregate number of company shares then outstanding, Keane Investor or, in the event Cerberus Holder no longer holds company shares through Keane Investor, Cerberus Representative shall have the right to designate to the board of directors two individuals who satisfy the Director Requirements; and (b) Keane Investor or, in the event Cerberus Holder no longer holder company shares through Keane Investor, Cerberus Holder has beneficial ownership of less than 12.5% but at least 7.5% of the aggregate number of company shares then outstanding, Keane Investor or, in the event Cerberus Holder no longer holds company shares through Keane Investor, Cerberus Representative shall have the right to designate to the board of directors one individual who satisfies the Director Requirements. The ability of Keane Investor or a Holder to appoint one or more directors could make an acquisition of us more difficult and may prevent attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management, even if beneficial to our stockholders.

We lease office space for our principal executive headquarters, which is located at 3990 Rogerdale Rd., Houston, Texas 77042, for our research and technology facility at 10771 Westpark Dr., Houston, Texas 77042 and for our engineering and technology center at 8301 New Trails Dr., The Woodlands, Texas. We also own property for our maintenance facility at 1214 Gas Plant Rd., San Angelo, Texas 76904.

In addition, we own or lease numerous other smaller facilities and administrative offices across the geographic regions in which we operate to support our ongoing operations, including district offices, local sales offices, yard facilities and temporary facilities to house employees in regions where infrastructure is limited. Our leased properties are subject to various lease terms and expirations. We believe that our existing facilities are adequate for our operations and our locations allow us to efficiently serve our customers. However, we continue to evaluate the purchase or lease of additional properties or the consolidation of our properties, as our business requires. We do not believe that any single facility is material to our operations and, if necessary, we could readily obtain a replacement facility.

Due to the nature of our business, we are, from time to time and in the ordinary course of business, involved in routine litigation or subject to disputes or claims related to our business activities. It is our management’s opinion that although the amount of liability with respect to certain of these known legal proceedings and claims cannot be ascertained at this time, any resulting liability will not have a material adverse effect individually or in the aggregate on our financial condition, cash flows or results of operations; however, there can be no assurance as to the ultimate outcome of these matters.

In connection with the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby the following complaints have beenwere filed: (i) one putative class action complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado by a purported C&J stockholder on behalf of himself and all other C&J stockholders (excluding defendants and related or affiliated persons) against C&J and members of the C&J board of directors, (ii) two putative class action complaints were filed in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware by a purported C&J stockholder on behalf of himself and all other C&J stockholders (excluding defendants and related or affiliated persons) against C&J, members of the C&J board of directors, the Company and Merger Sub, (iii) one putative class action complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas by a purported stockholder of the Company on behalf of himself and all other stockholders of the Company (excluding defendants and related or affiliated persons) against the Company and members of its board of directors, and (iv) one putative class action was filed in the Delaware Chancery Court by a purported stockholder of the Company on behalf of himself and all other stockholders of the Company (excluding defendants and related or affiliated persons) against members of the Company's board of directors. The five stockholder actions are captioned as follows: Palumbos v. C&J Energy Services, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:19-cv-02386 (D. Colo.), Wuollet v. C&J Energy Services, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:19-cv-01411 (D. Del.), Plumley v. C&J Energy Services, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:19-cv-01446 (D. Del.), Bushansky v. Keane Group, Inc. et al., Case No. 4:19-cb-02924 (S.D. Tex) and Woods v. Keane Group, Inc., et al., Case No. 2019-0590 (Del. Chan.) (collectively, the "Stockholder Actions").

In general, the Stockholder Actions allege that the defendants violated Sections 14(a) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act, or aided and abetted in such alleged violations, because the Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC on July 16, 2019 in connection with the proposed C&J Merger allegedly omitted or misstated material information.

We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock to date. However, we anticipate that our board of directors willmay consider the payment of dividends in the future based on our levels of profitability and indebtedness. The declaration and payment of any future dividends will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon, among other things, our earnings, financial condition, capital requirements, level of indebtedness, contractual restrictions with respect to the payment of dividends and other considerations that our board of directors deems relevant. Our board of directors may decide, in its discretion, at any time, to modify or repeal the dividend policy or discontinue entirely theany payment of dividends.

The ability of our board of directors to declare a dividend is also subject to limits imposed by Delaware corporate law. Under Delaware law, our board of directors and the boards of directors of our corporate subsidiaries incorporated in Delaware may declare dividends only to the extent of our “surplus,” which is defined as total assets at fair market value minus total liabilities, minus statutory capital, or if there is no surplus, out of net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year.

On December 11, 2019, we announced that our board of directors had authorized a stock repurchase program of up to $50 million of our outstanding common stock, with the intent of returning value to our shareholders, as we continue to expect further growth and profitability.stock. The program doesdid not obligate us to purchase any particular number of shares of common stock during any period, and no shares were repurchased under the program may be modified or suspended at any time at our discretion. The duration of the stock buy-back program was throughprior to its expiration on December 31, 2020.

Our operating strategy is focused on maintaining high utilization levels of deployed equipment to maximize revenue generation while controlling costs to gain a competitive advantage and drive returns. We believe that the quality and efficiency of our service execution and aligning with customers who recognize the value that we provide through service quality and efficiency gains are central to our efforts to support equipment utilization and grow our business.

However, equipment utilization cannot be relied on as wholly indicative of our financial or operating performance due to variations in revenue and profitability from job to job, the type of service to be performed and the equipment, personnel and consumables required for the job, as well as competitive factors and market conditions in the region in which the services are performed. Given the volatile and cyclical nature of activity drivers in the U.S. onshore oilfield services industry, coupled with the varying prices we are able to charge for our services and the cost of providing those services, among other factors, operating margins can fluctuate widely depending on supply and demand at a given point in the cycle.

Historically, our utilization levels have been highly correlated to U.S. onshore spending by our customers, which is heavily driven by the price of oil and natural gas.customers. Generally, as capital spending by our customers increases, drilling, completion and production activity also increases, resulting in increased demand for our services, and therefore more days or hours worked (as the case may be). Conversely, when drilling, completion and production activity levels decline due to lower spending by our customers, we generally provide fewer services, which results in fewer days or hours worked (as the case may be). Additionally, during periods of decreased spending by our customers, we may be required to discount our rates or provide other pricing concessions to remain competitive and support deployed equipment utilization, which negatively impacts our revenue and operating margins. During periods of pricing weakness for our services, we may not be able to reduce our costs accordingly, and our ability to achieve any cost reductions from our suppliers typically lags behind the decline in pricing for our services, which could further adversely affect our results. Furthermore, when demand for our services increases following a period of low demand, our ability to capitalize on such increased demand may be delayed while we reengage and redeploy equipment and crews that have been idled during a downturn. The mix of customers that we are working for, as well as limited periods of exposure to the spot market, also impacts our deployed equipment utilization.