Gain on Extinguishment of Long-term Debt
The $9.2 million gain on extinguishment of long-term debt in 2020 was associated with our repurchase of a portion of our convertible senior notes due 2022 and 2023.
Other Income and Expenses
Other expense, net was $1.5 million in 2021 compared to other income, net of $4.7 million in 2020. The change was primarily due foreign currency losses due to a weakening of the British pound in 2021 compared to foreign currency gains due to a strengthening of the British pound in 2020.
Cash Flows
Helix generated operating cash flows of $140.1 million in 2021 compared to $98.8 million in 2020. The increase in operating cash flows in 2021 was due to improvements in working capital, lower regulatory certification costs and the receipt of tax refunds of $18.9 million related to the CARES Act, offset in part by lower earnings in 2021. Regulatory certification costs, which are considered as part of Helix’s capital spending program but are classified in operating cash flows, were $9.6 million in 2021 compared to $19.3 million in 2020.
Capital expenditures declined to $8.3 million in 2021 compared to $20.2 million in 2020 primarily due to completion of the Q7000, which commenced operations early 2020, and reductions in capital spending as part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Free cash flow was $131.8 million in 2021 compared to $79.5 million in 2020 due to higher operating cash flows and lower capital expenditures in 2021. (Free cash flow is a non-GAAP measure. See reconciliation below.)
Financial Condition and Liquidity
Cash and cash equivalents were $253.5 million at December 31, 2021 and excluded $73.6 million of restricted cash, which primarily relates to cash pledged as collateral on a short-term project-related letter of credit. Available capacity under our ABL facility was $51.1 million at December 31, 2021. Long-term debt was $305.0 million at December 31, 2021. Negative net debt at December 31, 2021 was $22.1 million.
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Conference Call Information
Further details are provided in the presentation for Helix’s quarterly teleconference to review its fourth quarter and full year 2021 results (see the “For the Investor” page of Helix’s website, www.helixesg.com). The teleconference, scheduled for Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. Central Time, will be audio webcast live from the “For the Investor” page of Helix’s website. Investors and other interested parties wishing to participate in the teleconference may join by dialing 800-748-8543 for participants in the United States and 212-231-2912 for international participants. The passcode is “Staffeldt.” A replay of the webcast will be available on the “For the Investor” page of Helix’s website by selecting the “Audio Archives” link beginning approximately two hours after the completion of the event.
About Helix
Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is an international offshore energy services company that provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry, with a focus on well intervention and robotics operations. For more information about Helix, please visit our website at www.helixesg.com.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Management evaluates performance and financial condition using certain non-GAAP measures, primarily EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, net debt, net debt to book capitalization and free cash flow. We define EBITDA as earnings before income taxes, net interest expense, gain or loss on extinguishment of long-term debt, net other income or expense, and depreciation and amortization expense. Non-cash impairment losses on goodwill and other long-lived assets and gains and losses on equity investments are also added back if applicable. To arrive at our measure of Adjusted EBITDA, we exclude the gain or loss on disposition of assets and the general