Quarterlytics / Energy / Oil & Gas Exploration & Production / Precision Drilling Corporation

Precision Drilling Corporation

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Employees 5001-10,000
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FY2001 Annual Report · Precision Drilling Corporation
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ANNUAL REPORT

2 l 0 l 0 l 1

Precision

Drilling

D E D I C AT E D D E C I S I V E D I S C I P L I N E D  

I N   O U R   C H A N G I N G   W O R L D

Dedicated t o   p r o v i d i n g
Solutions

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1
2
4
11
12

16

20

24

28
30

35
71
74

Company Profile
Financial Performance Summary
Report to Stakeholders
Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Contract Drilling Group
An  inside  look  at  how  a  new  Precision-built  slant  drilling  rig  speeds
operations on the Athabasca oil sands. 
Rental and Production Group
No  matter  the  size  or  turnaround  time,  our  industrial  maintenance  arm
delivers.
Technology Services Group
Precision  combines  downhole  logging  technology  and  the  fine  art  of
formation evaluation to increase recoverable oil reserves in Venezuela.
Integrated Services
Precision’s first multi-well drilling project in Mexico showcases our world of
integrated services.
Corporate Governance
Corporate Involvement
At Precision, we care – whether as a partner in a new First Nations drilling
partnership, a leader in promoting health, safety and the environment, or a
supporter of community needs.
Financial Reporting
Supplementary Information
Shareholder Information

For a more detailed description of our businesses please refer to our Annual Information
Form which can be accessed through the internet at: www.precisiondrilling.com 
For a hard copy, contact Precision’s Investor Relations department.

CANADA

U. S. A.

North America

MEXICO

P recision Drilling Corporation (Precision or the Corporation) is a rapidly-growing

international oil and gas service company focused on providing a comprehensive range of

services, new and innovative technology, and superior customer service to the energy industry

around the world.

Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, we have built on our success as a leader in the Canadian drilling service industry

to  include  operations  on  six  continents. We  have  established  international  regional  centers  serving  the  United  States  (US),  Latin

America, Europe/Africa, Middle East, and Asia/Pacific. 

Through  our  Contract  Drilling  Group, Technology  Services  Group  and  Rental  and  Production  Group,  we  provide  customers  access  to  a

growing fleet of drilling and service rigs; drilling and completion services; controlled pressure drilling; sophisticated downhole completion tools;

logging-while-drilling systems; directional drilling services; drill bit and tool manufacturing; gas compression packaging; drilling, completion

and production rental equipment; and industrial maintenance services.

We have been successful because we consistently perform for our customers. In a world that is constantly changing, we are committed to meeting

their needs with a unique product mix, exceptional people, responsive and flexible service, and the dedication, decisiveness and discipline they

expect from working partners.

Worldwide

T O   T H E   E N E R G Y   I N D U S T R Y

LITHUANIA

U. K.

GERMANY

AUSTRIA

HUNGARY

FRANCE

KAZAKHSTAN

PORTUGAL

GREECE

TURKEY

TURKMENISTAN

Europe/Africa

TUNISIA

SYRIA IRAQ

Middle East

EGYPT

U. A. E.

SAUDI ARABIA

OMAN

YEMEN

NIGERIA

R U S S I A

C H I N A

BANGLADESH

INDIA

VENEZUELA
Latin America

COLOMBIA

BOLIVIA

ARGENTINA

Asia/Pacific

VIETNAM

MALAYSIA

I N D O N E S I A

AUSTRALIA

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

1

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE SUMMARY 
(Stated in thousands of dollars, except per share amounts 

which are presented on a diluted basis)

Years ended December 31,

Revenue
Operating earnings (1)
Cash flow (2)

Per share

Earnings before goodwill amortization

Per share

Net earnings

Per share

Shareholders’ equity

Per share

Net capital expenditures (3)
Long-term debt (4)

Number of shares outstanding, end of year (000’s)

(1) Refer to explanation on page 39 of this annual report
(2) Funds provided by operations
(3) Excludes business acquisitions
(4) Excludes current portion of long-term debt

2001

2000

$ 1,953,563

$ 1,355,453

384,377

465,673

8.59

260,845

297,873

5.91

219,829

154,321

4.06

3.06

188,044

131,560

3.47

2.61

1,417,604

1,206,895

26.16

340,691

496,200

53,176

23.93

180,484

548,096

52,283

01/00
%
Change

00/99
%

1999 Change

44

47

56

45

42

33

43

33

17

9

89

(9)

2

$ 734,740

117,494

101,479

2.24

50,081

1.11

34,250

0.76

908,795

20.07

41,148

226,815

47,163

84

122

194

164

208

176

284

243

33

19

339

142

11

Share Performance TSE
Down 27% over 2000

Share Performance NYSE
Down 31% over 2000

Value of Shares Outstanding
Down 26% over 2000
$ Millions

PD
TSE 300

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

PD
S&P 500
OSX

250

200

150

100

50

2,941

2,183

1,745

1,411

1,068

793

270

134

114

94

95

96

97

98

99

99

00

01

97

98

99

99

00

01

94

95

96

97

98

99

99

00

01

April 30

Dec. 31

April 30

Dec. 31

April 30

Dec. 31

2 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

QUARTERLY RESULTS SUMMARY
(Stated in thousands of dollars, except per share amounts 

which are presented on a diluted basis) 

Year ended December 31, 2001

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Year

Revenue
Operating earnings (1)
Cash flow (2)

Per share

Earnings before goodwill amortization

Per share

Net earnings

Per share

$ 613,655
163,238
170,345
3.12
90,040
1.65
82,090
1.50

$ 409,917
54,835
92,066
1.68
37,302
0.68
29,372
0.54

$ 474,016
92,680
109,978
2.05
50,902
0.95
42,962
0.80

$ 455,975 $ 1,953,563
384,377
465,673
8.59
219,829
4.06
188,044
3.47

73,624
93,284
1.74
41,585
0.77
33,620
0.63

Year ended December 31, 2000

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Year

Revenue
Operating earnings (1)
Cash flow (2)

Per share

Earnings before goodwill amortization

Per share

Net earnings

Per share

(1) Refer to explanation on page 39 of this annual report
(2) Funds provided by operations

$ 384,400
93,847
107,148
2.20
49,573
1.02
45,291
0.93

$ 223,812
24,131
35,096
0.68
11,136
0.21
6,835
0.13

$ 303,354
48,141
56,092
1.12
23,453
0.47
16,903
0.34

$ 443,887 $ 1,355,453
260,845
297,873
5.91
154,321
3.06
131,560
2.61

94,726
99,537
1.87
70,159
1.32
62,531
1.18

Revenue
Up 44% over 2000
$ Millions

Cash Flow per Share
Up 45% over 2000
Dollars per share diluted

Net Earnings per Share
Up 33% over 2000
Dollars per share diluted

1,954

1,356

10

8

6

4

8.59

6.75

5.91

3.47

2.73

2.61

1,013

694

735

455

98

179

163

2.48

2.25

2.24

1.68

1.61

2
1.00

1.38

1.25

0.76

1.00

1.00

0.49

94

95

96

97

98

99

99

00

01

94

95

96

97

98

99

99

00

01

94

95

96

97

98

99

99

00

01

April 30

Dec. 31

April 30

Dec. 31

April 30

Dec. 31

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

3

TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS,

EMPLOYEES,

CUSTOMERS, ASSOCIATES

AND FRIENDS

Disciplined i n   p l a n n i n g
Steady
Our  world  is  changing,  and  2001  will  no  doubt  go  down  in  history  as  a  benchmark  year  for  testing  the  ability  of 

companies  throughout  North  America  and  around  the  world  to  adapt  to  the  challenges  of  a  new  political  and 

economic climate.

The aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11 continues to be felt as both businesses and individuals

adjust their priorities. We have already seen the devastating immediate effects of this tragedy on the airline, hospitality and tourism

industries, and the long-term effects are still unfolding throughout all other commercial sectors, including the energy industry. 

Whether or not North America was in a recession before this event, it is clear that an economic downturn was well underway by the

end of the year. The oilfield service sector was not immune to this reality.

Despite  a  difficult  end  to  the  year,  at  Precision  we  are  proud  to  report  record  results,  and  to  be  facing  a  future  bright  with

opportunities. We believe our steady growth is a direct result of our ability to do what we say we will do and to act in a way that is

dedicated, decisive and disciplined – in our changing world.

A RECORD YEAR 

Our  Corporation  again  achieved  record  revenue  in  2001,  which  rose  to  almost  $2  billion  compared  to  $1.4  billion  in  2000.  Net

earnings in 2001 were also at record levels, increasing to $3.47 per share, compared to $2.61 in 2000. However, we were not unaffected

by the general economic roller-coaster ride of the third and fourth quarters.

4 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

During  our  first  and  second  quarters,  record  drilling  activity  and  geographic  diversification  helped  us  realize

revenue increases of 60% and 83%, respectively, over the previous year. Third quarter revenues continued to be strong,

increasing  56%  over  the  third  quarter  of  2000,  with  a  significant  portion  of  that  growth  stemming  from  the  success  of  our

integrated services project in the Burgos Basin of northern Mexico. At that time, we were already predicting a slowdown in the fourth

quarter due to the decline in commodity prices and a slowing world economy. 

In the fourth quarter, revenue increased a marginal 3% over the final quarter of 2000, while net earnings declined to $34 million from

$63 million in the previous year. It should be noted that the fourth quarter of 2000 included a one-time tax reduction resulting from

Canadian federal tax changes. On a normalized basis, the decrease over fourth quarter 2000 earnings would only have been $9 million,

or 21%. Operating earnings dropped to $74 million, 22% below the same period in 2000.

Growth

T O   A C H I E V E   O U R   F I N A N C I A L   G O A L S

Overall, cash flow and net earnings for the fiscal year 2001 were $466 million and $188 million, respectively, up from $298 million

and $132 million in 2000. Our domestic revenue grew by 28% to $1.4 billion, while international revenue grew by 116%, to $541

million compared to $250 million in 2000. 

We continued to invest in the future and in the enormous potential of the global marketplace by expanding our geographic footprint

and  our  technology  offerings.  The  opening  of  five  regional  centers  reflects  our  commitment  to  global  expansion  and  forms  the

foundation  of  Precision’s  delivery  systems  for  the  new  technologies  now  under  development.  Our  commitment  to  technology  is

reflected in our investment of $32 million as we intensified our research and engineering efforts. Another $407 million was spent on

capital expenditures and business acquisitions.

DISCIPLINED GROWTH

In 2001, as part of our planned long-term growth strategy, we focused on consolidation of previous acquisitions and development of

initiatives  launched  in  2000.  In  particular,  we  took  steps  to  translate  the  skills  and  services  we  have  acquired  as  Canada’s  premier

drilling contractor into increasing our role as a global supplier of energy-related products and services.

As  announced  at  the  end  of  2000,  we  opened  regional  centers  in  five  strategic  geographic  areas  around  the  world.  Initial  costs 

for  establishing  these  centers  had  a  negative  impact  on  our  bottom  line.  However,  by  broadening  our  global  footprint  and

incorporating local infrastructure to support Precision’s numerous product lines, we are now well positioned to better serve our existing

customers as well as develop new business and customer relationships within the global marketplace, while facilitating the rollout of

our new technologies.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

5

Part of this strategy involved bringing a number of Precision’s services under

one  global  umbrella.  Internationally,  the  new  Technology  Services  Group  (TSG)

includes  the  following  business  units:  Computalog,  Northland  Energy  Corporation,  Polar

Completions  Engineering  Inc.,  United  Diamond  Ltd.,  and  Fleet  Cementers,  Inc.  Through  TSG,

customers now have a single point of access to a wide range of products, technology and services, including

polycrystalline  diamond  compact  drill  bits,  wireline  services,  directional  drilling  services,  sophisticated

downhole  tools,  measurement-while-drilling  (MWD)  tools,  well  cementing  and  stimulation  services,  and

controlled pressure drilling systems.

We  also  fine-tuned  the  aggressive  research  and  engineering  program  begun  in  2000  to  support  both  our

domestic and international markets by enhancing current product offerings and bringing new technology to

market, such as our pioneering logging-while-drilling (LWD) and rotary steerable tools.

The year 2001 had its share of challenges. The rollout of new technology from our research and development

facility in Houston was delayed due to a flood in the building during a tropical storm in the summer of 2001,

and to a longer-than-expected testing process for proving the new tools. Despite these setbacks, we still expect

to halve the traditional development time for a similar new tool rollout and testing process. We anticipate a

2002 release of a revolutionary new generation of LWD tools designed and expected to exceed all industry

standards for temperature, pressure and flow rate performance, as well as system reliability. Dependable LWD

measurements are critical in hostile, high-cost drilling environments, such as those encountered in deepwater

exploration.

DECISIVE RESULTS

Once again, the Contract Drilling Group (CDG) posted a record year by drilling the most wells in Canada

in 2001. The first quarter was our busiest ever across all product lines, particularly in North America. The

record  high  continued  into  the  traditionally-slow  second  quarter.  As  the  second  quarter  drew  to  a  close,

however, there were already signs of the softening North American markets. 

Internationally, activity remained strong in both TSG and in CDG with the latter active in Venezuela, Oman,

Brazil, Argentina and Mexico.

As the year progressed, we realized significant returns in new and developing areas of our business. Our joint

venture project in the Burgos Basin in northern Mexico is an outstanding example of how our wide range of

vertically-integrated  services  and  technological  know-how  can  be  successfully  applied  in  a  new  geographic

region. 

6 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

7

The Burgos project – a 240 gas well project valued at US $270 million – showcases Precision’s ability

to handle a large-scale project, from establishing the complex local infrastructure to supplying the rigs and a

complete range of associated services and products. As project manager and lead contractor, we kept this high-profile

project ahead of schedule through all the key milestones in 2001.

Overall,  Precision’s  advanced  drilling  technology  continues  to  play  a  significant  role  in  our  success.  For  example,  our  Canadian-

designed and built Super Single™ rig, which enhances drilling efficiency and mobilization, was key in securing the Burgos project. As

well, some of the biggest energy companies in Canada have made us their partners of choice for developing and constructing new

drilling  technologies  –  such  as  our  work  with  Petro-Canada  on  a  new  generation  of  slant  drilling  rig  for  ongoing  use  in  the

development of Canada’s oil sands.

In the United States, we demonstrated our expertise in open hole and cased hole services as demand for those services continued to

rise.  A  recovering  market  for  controlled  pressure  drilling  and  well  testing  allowed  Northland  Energy  to  substantially  increase  its

activities in the United States. Northland’s performance was also enhanced by stronger internal processes and synergies resulting from

its consolidation with Norward Energy and Entest.

The continued consolidation of Challenger/Silverline allowed us to provide the kind of effective, affordable services that has led to our

domination of the slickline market in Canada. 

Within the Rental and Production Group, CEDA International Corporation experienced phenomenal success. CEDA continued to

expand its turnkey maintenance and turnaround services, and is poised to take advantage of the billion-dollar-market for those services

in the United States. CEDA’s international role has also grown, with work performed in Norway, Germany, France and Trinidad. 

DEDICATED TO RESPONSIBLE PERFORMANCE

A strong balance sheet, a proven track record, and a focused, consistent strategy of growth are all vital components of success in

these changing times. But an organization’s true worth is reflected in its people, in the care it takes to provide a safe and healthy

work environment, and in the way it supports the communities it serves.

At Precision, we are committed to our people – not only ensuring they receive the practical hands-on training required for a career in

the oil and gas industry, but by educating them in one of our top priorities: safety. 

We continually invest more in our safety staff, employee programs and safety equipment. Safety is not about cost reduction. It is about

making sure that our workers have the necessary knowledge, skills and equipment to perform their jobs safely under any conditions –

anywhere in the world.

8 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

In  2001,  we  launched  a  corporate-wide  initiative  to  standardize  the  compilation  and  reporting  of

safety statistics across our business units. This gives management improved insight into our overall corporate

performance, as well as a better tool to measure our success against meaningful goals and objectives. We were able to

report our first-ever corporate-wide statistical safety performance, which analyzed over 24 million hours of work. A lost time

performance  of  1.35  accidents  per  200,000  man  hours  serves  as  our  measurement  bar  for  future  improvements  –  another  step  in

consolidating the management of a diverse group of companies.

We are proud of having safety practices that often exceed government requirements and standards. We take our commitment seriously,

and we work closely with our customers, vendors and trade associations to enhance safety throughout our industry.

We also work closely with our customers to make sure our equipment and our working approach meets their standards for care of the

environment.  In  2001,  our  Contract  Drilling  Group  initiated  an  external  audit  of  its  environmental  systems  that  was  aimed  at

identifying opportunities for improvement and for developing processes and management systems that will enhance reporting and

monitoring of activities at a corporate level. 

We  also  continued  to  work  closely  with  the  people  in  the  communities  we  serve,  to  help  them  realize  a  better  quality  of  life.  In

December  2001,  we  were  proud  to  join  hands  with  four  east-central  Alberta  First  Nations  to  create  Four  Lakes  Precision  Drilling

Limited Partnership – the first drilling partnership to be created by Alberta’s aboriginal communities, with a four-year drilling contract

guaranteed by Alberta Energy Company.

Through the work of our donations committee, we helped meet the medical, education, social and athletic needs of the public in 2001

by donating to more than 150 individual groups or organizations.

LOOKING FORWARD

The  new  year  began  as  a  challenging  one  for  our  industry.  Analysts  forecast  activity  will  decline  between  20%  to  30%  in  North

America throughout 2002, but will rebound significantly in 2003.

We know market conditions will be tough, but we have been through tough times before. In preparation, we have streamlined parts

of our infrastructure and reallocated people and equipment internationally. Our management focus will be on doing what it takes to

prosper.

We have also refocused on another of our top priorities – nurturing customer relationships – because success is built over the long-

term.  Our  diverse  service  offerings,  coupled  with  our  customers’  large  land  base,  means  we  are  able  to  discover  and  realize  new

opportunities to our mutual benefit. 

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

9

Global opportunities exist and we are well positioned to take advantage of them, although this may

take some time to develop. 

The United States has one of the most mature hydrocarbon basins in the world and will be severely challenged to sustain

deliverability of gas to meet the current demand of 50 plus billion cubic feet per day. Decline rates of newly tied-in wells are

approaching the 30% level. In addition, advanced technology like high horsepower fracs and controlled pressure drilling techniques

that produce less reservoir damage, will not significantly enhance gas supply. An additional reality is that the US economy is already

showing signs of recovery with forecasts of growth in Gross Domestic Product in both 2002 and 2003. These fundamentals suggest

there is no $2.00 or even $3.00 gas in the lower 48 states left to be discovered. This is positive news for the oilfield service sector as

we can expect heightened activity.

North American energy companies must develop gas prospects in new areas such as, northern Alaska, the Ladyfern area of British

Columbia, the northern Mackenzie Delta and the East Coast. Additionally, over the long term, we must apply emerging technologies

for extracting coal bed methane and encourage the acceptance of transportation of liquid natural gas from areas outside North America.

However, in the near term, these prospects will do little to add to the gas supply to allow North America to handle the challenge of a

potential critical gas shortage. Further south, resource-rich Mexico continues to be a net importer of energy and struggles to meet its

own energy requirements, so we should not expect any surplus capacity from this country.

Outside North America, where oil is the dominant hydrocarbon sought and developed, we see tremendous opportunities for Precision’s

services. Our global operations are poised to take advantage of the less volatile international markets. Our success will grow with our

ability to penetrate new markets and introduce our new technologies. This, in turn, will strengthen our international revenue stream

and reduce our dependence on the cyclical North American markets.

Dedicated people, superior assets, leading-edge technology and a global presence – this is the formula for success upon which Precision

is  being built and upon which we will continue to flourish.

We thank our shareholders for their continued support of the efforts of our Board of Directors and our entire Precision team. We are

ready to take on the challenges of our changing world – and we are confident it will be an exciting and rewarding journey.

HANK B. SWARTOUT

Chairman of the Board, 

President and Chief Executive Officer 

March 14, 2002

10 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

DISCLOSURE REGARDING 
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained in this annual report, including statements which may contain words such as “could”, “should”,

“expect”,“believe”,“will” and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking

statements including, but not limited to, statements as to: future capital expenditures, including the amount and nature thereof; oil

and gas prices and demand; expansion and other development trends of the oil and gas industry; business strategy; expansion and

growth  of  the  Corporation’s  business  and  operations,  including  the  Corporation’s  market  share  and  position  in  the  domestic  and

international drilling markets; and other such matters.

These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Corporation in light of its experience and its perception

of  historical  trends,  current  conditions  and  expected  future  developments  as  well  as  other  factors  it  believes  are  appropriate  in  the

circumstances. However, whether actual results, performance or achievements will conform with the Corporation’s expectations and

predictions is subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially

from the Corporation’s expectations, including: fluctuations in the price and demand of oil and gas; fluctuations in the level of oil and

gas  exploration  and  development  activities;  fluctuations  in  the  demand  for  well  servicing,  contract  drilling  and  ancillary  oilfield

services; the existence of competitors, technological changes and developments in the oil and gas industry; the ability of oil and gas

companies to raise capital; the effects of severe weather conditions on operations and facilities; the existence of operating risks inherent

in the well servicing, contract drilling and ancillary oilfield services; political circumstances impeding the progress of work in any of

the  countries  in  which  the  Corporation  does  business;  identifying  and  acquiring  suitable  acquisition  targets  on  reasonable  terms;

general economic, market or business conditions, including stock market volatility; changes in laws or regulations, including taxation,

environmental  and  currency  regulations;  the  lack  of  availability  of  qualified  personnel  or  management;  and  other  unforeseen

conditions which could impact on the use of services supplied by the Corporation.

Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this report are qualified by these cautionary statements and there can be

no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by the Corporation will be realized or, even if substantially realized,

that they will have the expected consequences to or effects on the Corporation or its business or operations. The Corporation assumes

no  obligation  to  update  publicly  any  such  forward-looking  statements,  whether  as  a  result  of  new  information,  future  events  or

otherwise.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

11

CONTRACT
DRILLING
GROUP

Decisive i n   p r o v i d i n g

S o l u t i o n s  

The Contract Drilling Group is made up of seven business units: 

Columbia Oilfield Supply Ltd. 
Live Well Service
LRG Catering Ltd. 
Precision Drilling
Precision Drilling International 
Precision Well Servicing 
Rostel Industries Ltd.

Together, these business units give our customers access to 248 drilling rigs, 257 service rigs, and 24
rig assist snubbing units. They also provide the complete range of support services needed to ensure a
successful  drilling  venture,  from  on-site  camps  and  catering,  to  procurement  and  distribution  of
oilfield supplies, and manufacture, repair and sale of drilling equipment.

12 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

t h a t   w o r k

T O   M E E T   O U R   C U S T O M E R S ’   N E E D S

T A K I N G   D R I L L I N G   T E C H N O L O G Y  

I N   N E W   D I R E C T I O N S  

The Challenge:  Petro-Canada, a leading Canadian energy company, wants to start the first phase of its commercial

steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) project on the northern Alberta oil sands. They need a slant

rig with a central system and pulldowns.

Our Response: 

Precision is eager to help. We are Petro-Canada’s alliance drilling partner in the Western Canadian

Sedimentary Basin and also have extensive experience in oil sands drilling. Before the contract is

even finalized, we work with our client on ways to adapt our Super Single ™ slant rig to meet the

particular challenges of the SAGD project. 

The Result:

A meticulous planning process and a collaborative customer approach enable us to build a new slant

rig and to complete the first phase of drilling in September 2001 – coming in under budget and

four months ahead of schedule.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

13

HOW WE DID IT

Oil sands drilling poses particular challenges. At Petro-Canada’s project near the northern community of Fort

McKay, the oil sands are too deep for surface mining, too shallow for conventional drilling, and have to be developed

in-situ (in place) to be commercial. The unique properties of bitumen present complications: over-warming the unstable oil

sands can result in significant wellbore problems.

Slant drilling has solved many of the problems associated with oil sands drilling at shallow depths, with Precision as the pioneer in the

development of slant drilling rig technology. 

LEADING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY 

Slant technology differs from conventional directional drilling by allowing wells to spud at an angle to give a short, more direct route

to the target. It can be faster and more productive than conventional directional drilling and helps minimize environmental impact

because multiple wells are developed from one pad location. 

Precision’s Super Single™ rig, developed in the early 1990s, has evolved over several generations to offer such benefits as fast and

simple movement between sites, remote control features that minimize manual labour, control processes that alleviate safety concerns,

and the ability to drill a number of different kinds of wells.

However, Petro-Canada was looking for a slant rig with a central system – one where auxiliary drilling equipment stays in one spot

and only the floor and derrick move quickly between wells.

BUILDING THE SOLUTION

Precision’s involvement began in 1999, when Petro-Canada contacted our marketing department in Calgary to discuss the particular

challenges of their SAGD commercial project. 

Working collaboratively with the client, the marketing team looked at existing conventional pad rigs and Super Single™ rigs that had

been adapted to provide some of the features required. They then prepared two estimates: one based on a day rate for an existing rig,

and one for a day rate of a new rig that could be developed to meet all the customer’s requirements.

In  early  2000,  the  client  gave  Precision  the  go-ahead  to  build  a  new  custom-designed  slant  rig  from  the  latest  Super  Single™  rig

generation. Precision’s operations and engineering team finalized the “want list” of features with the client and put together a capital

cost for its development. Marketing and accounting hammered out the commercial terms of the project and prepared a letter of intent

in preparation for working out a more detailed contract with the client’s drilling operations group and legal counsel for both sides.

Meanwhile, Precision Drilling’s Operations Support Centre (OSC #1) had already begun sourcing equipment and components needed

for the rig, an effort that involved our Technical Support Centre; Columbia Oilfield Supply, our purchasing arm; and Rostel Industries,

our machine shop in Calgary. All four groups worked at securing supplies from internal and external sources.

Our accounting team also became involved, using our Authorization for Expenditure System for cost tracking and control. This high-

end accounting software tracks, associates and allocates costs with every component, professional service and man hours involved in

the project.

14 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

With formalization of the contract in July 2000, the rig building process went into full swing. Our

operations team took the lead role, with support from Precision’s engineering team, one of the few in-house

engineering  groups  found  in  the  Canadian  drilling  service  industry. They  helped  to  address  specific  concerns  of

Petro-Canada, such as configuration of the rig on the pad to minimize environmental impact.

Special features of the new rig included a differential pressure torque monitoring system, rig floor winches configured to apply pull

down force, a central system and service utility connections that are separate from the rig module, rig moves optimized with computer-

assisted design modeling, and a central mud system that accepts specialized cooling and solids control equipment.

Throughout  the  process,  Petro-Canada  was  continuously  involved  with  our  operations  group  so  both  sides  could  stay  on  top  of

developments.

As the rig neared completion, a superintendent was assigned by our operations group. In turn, the superintendent designated a rig

manager. Together, they worked with personnel and began recruiting out of Edmonton to fill the 16 positions needed to operate the

rig. The right balance was struck between people with slant rig expertise and those without. New workers completed a thorough  two-

and-a-half day training course, which emphasized safety.

GETTING DOWN TO WORK

Ready in mid-December of 2000, almost two months before its first use by Petro-Canada, the new rig was launched at a ceremony

with the customer and other involved stakeholders at Precision’s OSC #1 in Calgary. 

When another energy company asked if they could use the rig on their oil sands project while their own Precision-built version of the

rig was under construction, Petro-Canada agreed. The rig was moved to location between Christmas and the New Year, and drilling

operations began on two wells, christening the rig in the field and proving its success.

Petro-Canada started its own operating phase, with the first well being drilled on February 17, 2001. The learning curve was minimal

and, within a month, the fifth well was drilled as fast as those that followed. 

Throughout  work  in  the  field,  Precision  Drilling  used  an  on-site  electronic  drilling  recorder  to  capture  the  operations  daily  log,

streamline  the  process  and  reduce  paperwork. This  allowed  our  billing  team  to  download  the  daily  log  from  their  computer  and

generate invoice and payroll requirements.

No significant operating problems arose with this project due to two key ingredients: a customer that kept Precision involved and

informed at every stage of the project, and comprehensive planning for use of equipment and people by both parties. 

The results of the collaborative approach speak for themselves. By September 22, 2001 Precision had drilled the last of Petro-Canada’s

25 well pairs – or the equivalent of 50 horizontal wells – coming in under budget and four months ahead of the planned February

2002 completion date. 

To complete the story, Petro-Canada then called upon Precision Well Servicing to provide a fit for purpose slant service rig to facilitate

well servicing requirements.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

15

RENTAL AND
PRODUCTION
GROUP

Responsive in supplying

Comprehen

CEDA International Corporation, profiled in the following story, is one of three business units

that make up Precision’s Rental and Production Group:

CEDA International Corporation
Energy Industries Inc. 
Montero Oilfield Services Ltd. 

Through  Energy  Industries  Inc.,  we  have  set  the  industry  standard  for  excellence  in  packaging
tailor-made portable gas compressor units for the energy industry in Canada. New well production
in  combination  with  declining  reservoir  pressures  and  production  rates  have  almost  doubled  the
demand for gas compression over the past decade – and Energy Industries is kept busy putting its
field engineering to use in building well-engineered and easily-serviced compression packages.

Montero Oilfield Services Ltd. – comprised of Ducharme, Big D and Smoky Oilfield Rentals – is
Canada’s  largest  oilfield  rental  services  company.  Servicing  customer  rental  needs  at  the  wellsite,
Montero  provides  wellsite  trailers,  including  custom-built  trailers;  downhole  equipment  such  as
drillpipe; and surface oilfield equipment, including blowout preventers for drilling and patented
vapour tight separators used for various completion and production purposes. 

16 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

sive services

W H E R E V E R   T H E Y   A R E   N E E D E D

O P E N I N G   D O O R S   W I T H   T U R N K E Y   S E R V I C E S

The Challenge:  A major refinery seeks a general contractor to provide maintenance services in a tight time frame

during the annual turnaround of their extraction and circulating unit (CU2) facility in Alaska. 

Our Response: 

The  only  Canadian  industrial  maintenance  and  turnaround  company  that  offers  refineries  one-

stop,  turnkey  solutions,  CEDA  International  Corporation  wins  the  contract  in  November  2000.

During six months of careful planning, CEDA works with the client and calls on internal resources

from across North America to ensure the right people are at the right location at the right time.

The Result:

Working two, 12-hour shifts for five days, the vertically-integrated CEDA teams complete the April

2001 turnaround on time, on budget and to the highest safety standards.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

17

HOW WE DID IT

Time is money in the refinery business, and any facility shutdown is a major cost and production concern. For

many  facilities,  shutdown  for  annual  maintenance  and  turnaround  can  gobble  up  between  three  or  four  weeks  of

valuable time – and is often handled by a general contractor who hires outside resources for different parts of the job and

then coordinates their independent schedules and agendas.

In this instance, the narrow turnaround time would minimize our customer’s exposure to downtime, but would tax the resources of

any traditional general contractor.

CEDA provided the ideal, one-stop solution. While we can supply any of the maintenance and turnaround services needed, we are the

only company in Canada and one of only two in North America that can supply them all internally – including waste minimization

using a mobile filter press, bundle extraction services, bolting services, bundle washing services with water recycling, chemical cleaning,

vacuum services, scaffold services and rigging personnel, and safety.

When our Alaskan customer hired us, they hired a team of specialist groups that arrived with the same attitude and understanding.

Because all are part of the CEDA organization, communication is not an issue, redundant administrative staffing is eliminated and

teamwork is established from the beginning.

MOBILIZING RESOURCES

The idea of having one company provide turnkey, total turnaround services was first presented to our customer by CEDA’s division

manager in Bellingham, Washington. The idea was accepted, and our Bellingham group took the lead role in coordinating planning

for the project.

Teamwork was crucial and began six months before any of the actual work on site. The team in Bellingham had the expertise to handle

the mechanical work though help was needed for bundle washing and chemical cleaning. It was decided those tasks would be managed

by CEDA’s chemical cleaning and special services groups in Edmonton. Team leaders were assigned to all three areas of work, and cost

estimates put together.

Next, the right resources and personnel had to be selected from across Canada and the US. Most came from our northern groups, but

the chemical cleaning team pulled in a chemical supervisor out of Sarnia, Ontario, and one out of Houston because of their availability

and experience. In total, 100 people were needed and we concentrated on giving our customer the best of the best.

As with any large project, flexibility was needed to overcome hurdles. With this project’s tight time frame, no one could show up a day

late. Equipment could not be delayed even by an hour. 

A $250,000 mobilization effort was launched. All information related to equipment and personnel was fed to the Bellingham team,

which coordinated scheduling with the help of a planner in Edmonton. A total package detailing the necessary people, resources, costs

and timing was presented to the client, and a contract issued. 

All personnel were allocated two months ahead of the actual job, but adjustments had to be made up to the date of some flights, as

other jobs and priorities were balanced with the needs of our client. 

18 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

Movement of equipment was handled in two ways. The Bellingham office arranged a barge out of

Seattle  for  equipment  that  could  be  spared  from  other  duties  for  up  to  30  days.  Specialized  equipment

arranged through our Edmonton office travelled by commercial freightliner to accommodate tighter time frames on

other jobs before and after the Alaskan project.

STAYING ACCOUNTABLE

Before on-site work began, staff from Bellingham and Edmonton’s special services team travelled to Alaska to discuss plans and talk to

the  customer’s  shutdown  manager  to  ensure  everyone  was  familiar  with  the  project.  Because  of  the  tight  time  frame  and  high

expectations associated with the project, CEDA’s operations manager in Minnesota – to whom the Bellingham group reports – flew

in to lend support during actual execution of the project.

Once CEDA’s crew arrived on site, we worked closely with our customer on the progress of the job. Our administrative staff provided

daily updates to the customer that listed costs, daily living expenses, and cost accounting functions.

Every shift began with a “tool box talk” with the Bellingham division manager going over any risks, reviewing experiences from the

previous shift, and discussing what to look forward to in the upcoming shift, with an emphasis on safety. A safety management team

was brought on site to monitor the general well-being of all personnel and provide training and daily site inspections, while making

sure all of CEDA’s safe work practices and procedures were implemented. In the five days, there was only one trip to the first aid box

for a small bandage.

We said we could do it in five days – and we did, thanks to our ability to bring all the services into the plant under one coordinated

management structure. Hats off to all the CEDA and customer personnel involved!

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

19

TECHNOLOGY
SERVICES GROUP

I n n o v a t i v e i n   d e l i v e r i n g

Outstand

In  2001,  a  number  of  Precision’s  oilfield  specialty  services  were  branded  internationally  under  the
Technology Services Group (TSG) umbrella to give our customers one-stop, global access to a wide
range of products and services. The group is comprised of:

Advantage Engineering Services, Inc.
Challenger/Silverline
Computalog Drilling Services
Computalog Wireline Services
Fleet Cementers, Inc.
Northland Energy Corporation 
Plains Perforating Ltd.
Polar Completions Engineering, Inc.
United Diamond Ltd. 

Together, these business units offer our customers a powerful range of services and products, including
polycrystalline  diamond  compact  drill  bits,  wireline  and  directional  drilling  services,  sophisticated
downhole completion equipment, MWD/LWD systems, well cementing, stimulation services, well testing
and controlled pressure drilling systems.

Regional centers have been set up to make it easier and more efficient for our clients to access TSG
services in Canada, US, Latin America, Europe/Africa, Middle East and Asia/Pacific.

20 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

ing  results

T H R O U G H   O U R   T E C H N O L O G Y   A N D   E X P E R T I S E

L O G G I N G   N E W   P O T E N T I A L  

I N   V E N E Z U E L A

The Challenge:  Venezuela’s national oil and gas company wants to monitor the fluid contact levels and determine

the bypass development potential of a number of its wells in the San Tomé area of eastern Venezuela.

Our Response: 

Computalog  Wireline  Services,  a  member  of  Precision’s  Technology  Services  Group,  applies

Precision’s logging and evaluation expertise to the project. Using our sophisticated Pulsed Neutron
Decay - Spectrum (PND®-S) tool, Computalog determines that an upper zone previously thought
to be in the gas cap shows potential for oil production.

The Result:

After  discussion  and  reevaluation  of  the  interpretation,  our  customer  selects  the  well  for

recompletion in October 2001. Computalog’s findings are confirmed. The well produces 470 barrels

of light oil per day with a very low gas-to-oil ratio – and extends our customer’s field, adding 1.2

million barrels of oil in reserves.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

21

HOW WE DID IT

It is often said that log interpretation is both an art and a science. In this case, Computalog brought some of

both to the table – in the form of its highly-skilled evaluation team and our cutting edge PND®-S technology. 

The highly-skilled evaluation team of our Venezuelan customer had delineated dozens of wells within the field for potential

recompletion. Oil was expected from the lower sands, but the well in question had an upper zone in an area thought to be within the

gas cap.

Computalog’s evaluation of the PND®-S data indicated other results when the well was logged in September 2000.

A SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGY

Pulsed neutron decay tools utilize a neutron generator to produce pulses of high energy neutrons. The neutrons emitted by the tool

interact with the formation to produce gamma rays, which are measured and interpreted to determine formation lithology, porosity

and fluid types. 

Computalog’s PND®-S tool is unique in its approach to formation evaluation, but it is the expertise of our log analysts that transform
the data into relevant information allowing Computalog to stand out within a highly competitive industry. They are experts in a wide

range of logging services including open and cased hole logging, production logging and pressure testing.

GAINING TRUST 

In the case of this particular well in the San Tomé field, use of our PND®-S tool was suggested by our Technical Support Engineer in
El Tigre, one of our Venezuelan operations bases. After initial discussions with the customer, we recommended use of the PND®-S
technology on a number of wells in the area because it supplied the kind of information needed to better delineate the field.

Computalog’s district manager was informed of the upcoming job and when the customer called to commence work, a crew of three
was  ready  to  move  with  a  unit  which  had  the  PND®-S  tool.  Before  work  on  this  job  commenced,  the  crew  got  together  for  a
Computalog standard: a pre-job meeting where safety issues associated with the job were identified and discussed. 

On-site collection of the log data took only eight hours, with a copy of the digitally formatted raw data sent to both our office in El

Tigre and the customer. It was then up to Computalog’s log analyst to run that data through our special interpretation program and

analyze the results, a process which took many more hours. Documentation was prepared and both our marketing representative and

log analyst made a presentation to the client, along with their conclusion.

Our customer was understandably cautious. If a well is perforated into an oil-producing zone and mixes with gas, the well can be

damaged  and  cause  costly  repairs.  When  the  well  under  question  was  selected  as  a  candidate  for  workover  in  October  2001,  the

customer’s reservoir engineers wanted to take another look at the interpretation.

After reworking the original data and interpretation, our Computalog log analyst verified that the first interpretation was correct. Our

Computalog team returned to the client with the same conclusion. We showed oil where their field delineation expected gas.

The  client  decided  to  perforate  the  well,  taking  a  calculated  risk  that  paid  off  and  added  a  million  barrels  to  their  oil  reserves.

Computalog  confirmed the customer’s faith in our tools and expertise and earned more work in a pivotal oil-producing region of the

world.

22 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

EXPANDING OUR EXPERTISE IN VENEZUELA 

Computalog has a decade of experience under its belt in Venezuela, one of the international regions where almost

all members of our TSG group are active. In addition to providing onshore services in the eastern part of the country,

Computalog has performed cased hole services and production logging since 1997 on Lake Maracaibo in western Venezuela.

This huge body of water – 175 km long, 124 km wide and 50 m deep – is dotted by 21,000 wells, 13,000 of which are active. A field

that has been active since before World War II, Lake Maracaibo offers plenty of opportunity for use of all Computalog services – from

new well completion, evaluation of production problems, and casing inspection services to production and PND logging. 

It also presents a unique offshore environment, which has necessitated some changes to the way we usually work. Most of our work

is performed on one of two Precision barges that are towed to location by a tugboat. A one-way trip can be as long as 12 hours,

depending on the location and weather.

Use of a barge means our operators must determine and mark with buoys a pattern for the anchors needed to best situate the barge

in front of the well. Divers are sent down to ensure the anchor area is clear of hazards. The wireline equipment and lubricator is rigged

up inside scaffolding that is erected over the wellhead. Computalog’s own crew perform any of the numerous intervention services,

but local contractors are used for tugboat, diving and scaffolding services.

The ability of Computalog, and the rest of TSG, to adapt to this environment and to apply the tools and expertise we have developed

onshore, is part of our overall success story. We have earned our customers’ confidence because we are responsive to their needs, and

ready to work with them to realize new or previously-untapped production potential.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

23

INTEGRATED
SERVICES

Integrated t o   g i v e

One stop a

TURNING LEARNING CURVES INTO NEW MARKETS

An integral part of achieving success in the international market is learning through experience.

In undertaking the multi-well integrated services project highlighted in this following story, Precision added to its

expertise.  For  example,  the  geology  in  the  Burgos  Basin  is  different  than  that  experienced  in  the  Western

Canadian Sedimentary Basin. The rock fractures more easily and the reservoir pressure is higher. The window

for  successfully  operating  between  these  two  conditions  is  narrower  than  Precision  has  been  used  to  –  and  we

quickly learned to fine tune our equipment and procedures accordingly.

The  climate  is  also  different,  with  massive  rains  from  September  to  November  which  present  a  serious  flood

potential and lead to road washouts. We learned how to move rigs around flooded areas, and to plan those moves

to better suit the season.

We also benefited from learning a new culture and making new contacts among subcontractors and local specialists.

While it is difficult to put a bottom-line value on such lessons, they help open the doors in a country that currently

produces four billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, but that needs to produce a projected 10 billion cubic feet

of gas per day to keep pace with future demand.

In  September  2001,  Petróleos  Mexicanas  (PEMEX)  awarded  a  second  contract  to  Precision,  this  time  for  an

integrated multi-well contract for controlled pressure drilling and separation services in the southern region of Mexico.

A third was awarded in October for directional drilling services, logging-while-drilling and drill bits.

We  look  forward  to  applying  our  unique  brand  of  Canadian  expertise  and  technology,  as  well  as  our  lessons

learned, in this and other new ventures around the world. 

24 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

ccess to excellence

O N   S I X   C O N T I N E N T S

P U T

T

I N G  

I

T

  A L

L

T O G E

T H E R  

I N   M E X I C O

The Challenge:  PEMEX,  Mexico’s  national  oil  and  gas  company,  tenders  an  integrated  servicing  project  worth

approximately US $270 million for the drilling of 240 wells in the gas-rich Burgos Basin by June 2003.

Our Response: 

In our first venture into the Mexican market, Precision joins forces with BJ Services Company and draws

on a number of Precision’s internal, vertically-integrated service groups to win the contract in March

2001.  As  lead  contractor,  we  are  responsible  for  providing  our  own  drilling  rigs,  directional  drilling

services, logging and completion products and services, slickline wireline services, production testing –

and non-core services such as civil construction and pipeline tie-ins.

The Result:

After setting up a complete Mexican infrastructure for our operations, including the formation of several

new companies, Precision spuds its first well ahead of schedule on May 12, 2001. We continued to meet

and surpass every contract drilling milestone to the end of 2001, with more than 90 wells drilled.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

25

 
HOW WE DID IT

Our advanced drilling technology was Precision’s calling card in this success story.

When  PEMEX  attended  the  National  Petroleum  Show  held  in  conjunction  with  the  World  Petroleum  Congress  in

Calgary in June 2000, they were impressed by Precision’s Super Single™ rig. Field tours hosted by Precision intensified their

interest in how quickly shallow wells could be drilled in Canada – and led to Precision’s inclusion on the tender call for their Burgos

project.

Such technology was important to PEMEX in drilling the shallow reserves of the Burgos Basin, which covers more than 50,000 square

km in northern Mexico and has natural gas potential estimated as high as 75 trillion cubic feet. Many of the existing rigs in Mexico

are designed for much deeper drilling.

Our  technology  may  have  engaged  PEMEX’s  interest,  but  it  was  our  depth  of  services  and  attention  to  detail  that  secured  us  the

business. 

A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION

There  were  six  core  services  which  PEMEX  expected  of  its  lead  contractor:  drilling  rigs,  directional  drilling,  wireline  logging,

cementing, fracturing and coil tubing. By forming a joint company with BJ Services Company, who was already active in Mexico, the

new venture was able to supply all of the required services.

However, what we provided – under a tight time frame and despite language and other cultural hurdles – went far beyond those core

services. 

As  lead  contractor  and  project  manager,  Precision  was  also  responsible  for  subcontracting  civil  construction  of  roads  and  drilling

locations,  permitting,  pipeline  installation,  well  construction,  completions,  well  stimulation  and  pipeline  tie-ins.  Between  the

awarding of the contract in March and the spudding of the first well less than two months later, our Precision team hit the ground

running.

Precision’s Technology Services Group provided coordination for the project, splitting a long list of tasks among their staff in Calgary

and around the world. Several new companies were incorporated, and all administrative functions set up, to create the framework for

Precision to provide turnkey services in Mexico to complete the project. 

Before drilling could start, office space had to be located and refurbished. A workforce made up of approximately 80% nationals was

hired, including local project management personnel and 160 rig workers. In total, the project directly employs approximately 300

people and a similar number of people though subcontractors.

Supply  agreements  for  casing,  line  pipe,  wellheads  and  other  materials  for  drilling  were  arranged  and  finalized  by TSG  staff  and

corporate legal counsel in Calgary.  A Calgary firm was also contracted to supply drilling fluids. They responded by building a liquid

mud plant from scratch in Mexico.

CALLING ON A WORLD OF RESOURCES

With pre-drilling and infrastructure work going on in the background, a number of Precision businesses were called upon to supply

products and services: Precision Drilling International for rigs; Computalog for directional drilling services, open hole logging, cased

hole logging and completion services; Challenger/Silverline for slickline wireline services; Northland for production testing; United

Diamond for polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) drill bits; and Polar Completions for completion products.

26 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

The  Canadian  operations  teams  of  each  business  unit  coordinated  mobilization,  logistics  and

documentation  with  their  Precision  counterparts  in  Mexico,  keeping  in  touch  with  daily  conference  call

meetings.

Precision rigs were moved out of both Canada and Venezuela, including the first two Super Single™ rigs ever used in Mexico;

wireline trucks came from Canada; and directional drilling equipment was manufactured and shipped out of Edmonton. Additional

equipment was made available through the purchase of testing assets in Mexico which are now part of Northland. 

Meanwhile, the dedicated health, safety and environment specialists within TSG were overcoming challenges of their own. Prior to

coming under the TSG umbrella, each of the Precision business units involved had their own health, safety and environment standards.

All had to be organized into one communications and management structure where a uniform set of Precision standards could be

implemented.  Since  this  was  Precision’s  first  foray  into  Mexico,  our  team  had  to  develop  strategies  that  accommodated  Mexican

legislation, a different social culture, and differing corporate cultures both within and outside of our operations. 

Following the recruitment of the local workforce, Precision’s health, safety and environment personnel were dispatched from both

Canada  and  South  America  to  coordinate  and  deliver  orientation  and  training  programs  to  over  160  new  employees  –  all  staged

through an eight week period. 

SURPASSING EXPECTATIONS

The  Precision  team  set  an  early  start  for  the  drilling  work  so  they  could  gain  knowledge  of  the  local  environment  and  drilling

conditions and achieve optimal efficiency as soon as possible.

The first well was spudded on May 12, 2001, five days ahead of schedule. By the end of July 2001, five rigs were operating. We were

able to put our new knowledge to work quickly to maximize our performance. 

In  Mexico,  the  historical  average  move  time  for  PEMEX  operated  rigs  is  approximately  five  days.  Adapting  the  technology  and

expertise that has made us the leader in Canada for number of wells drilled, the move time for our rigs averaged between 24 and 36

hours, and was sometimes as fast as 12 hours.

It was a new experience for our customer, who had never seen a rig release, move and spud a new well in the space of one day. In fact,

we actually found wells were being drilled so quickly, a backlog had developed on completion work.The completions group rose to

the challenge and are now keeping pace with the drillers. Our target is to drill the wells, complete and tie them in within 30 days.

By the end of August 2001, we surpassed the contract drilling milestone of 35 wells by three, and by the next milestone at the end of

November 2001, we were nine wells ahead of the target of 67.

As 2002 began, we were still ahead of target and discussing with PEMEX the possibility of bringing in even more than 240 wells by

the June 2003 contract end date.

Precision proved it has the core strengths, depth of resources and comprehensive expertise needed to make an international project of

this scale a success. More than that, we demonstrated the philosophy behind our corporate culture – doing what we say we will do in

a way that is dedicated, decisive and disciplined.

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27

CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE

Committed t o   s e e i n g

Precision 

P recision’s Board of Directors is comprised of seven senior business executives with a wealth of experience and knowledge.

They  provide  a  beacon  of  sound  judgement,  integrity,  creative  vision  and  independent  thought  that  helps  guide  our

Corporation toward its full potential.

They are committed to seeing our Corporation grow and succeed. During 2001, there were 11 Board meetings, with two directors

attending  all  meetings  and  five  directors  attending  10  of  the  meetings.  Four  Compensation  Committee  meetings,  one  Corporate

Governance Committee meeting and four Audit Committee meetings were also held, with full attendance by all respective committee

members.

All Directors attended the 2001 strategy session in Banff, Alberta, Canada. This session is held annually so Directors can meet with

senior and executive management to gain a fuller appreciation of planning priorities and provide constructive feedback.

Our Directors take their work on behalf of the Corporation seriously, as is shown below by their adherence to guidelines defined in

The Toronto Stock Exchange Report on Corporate Governance. 

1. The Board explicitly assumes responsibility for the stewardship of the Corporation; has established a formal strategic planning

process; identifies and considers risks in the operations of the business of the Corporation; annually reviews the adequacy of the

Corporation's succession plan; has established a written disclosure policy pertaining to dealing with the media and with respect

to all continuous disclosure and public reporting requirements; and the Board and its committees monitor the integrity of the

Corporation's internal control and management information systems.

28 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

2. Five of the seven directors of the Corporation are independent and unrelated.

3. The Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors, comprised of non-management, unrelated directors,

is responsible for the appointment and assessment of Directors. The Corporate Governance Committee also has a mandate to

periodically  review  the  effectiveness  of  the  Board  and  its  Committees,  provide  education  and  orientation  for  new  Board

members, which has been formalized by the adoption of a Director's manual to assist in this process and to assess the size and

composition of the Board to determine whether it has all of the necessary constituents for effective decision making. The Board

has instituted a policy of term limits of 15 years and an age limit of 70 years.

4. The  Compensation  Committee  of  the  Board  of  Directors  has  a  mandate  to  review  and  recommend  to  the  Board  the

remuneration for Directors.

grow and succeed

W I T H   E F F E C T I V E ,   I N D E P E N D E N T   G U I D A N C E

5. The  Audit,  Compensation  and  Corporate  Governance  Committees  of  the  Board  are  comprised  solely  of  non-management

members, with the majority of committee members being unrelated and each of those committees has a specifically defined

mandate.

6. The Board has defined limits to Management's responsibilities by developing mandates for the various Board committees.

7. The  Board  does  not  have  a  Chair  separate  from  Management,  however  the  Board  is  confident  that  it  has  in  place  proper

procedures to enable it to function independently of Management and individual Directors can engage outside advisors with

the authorization of the Corporate Governance Committee of the Board. 

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

29

CORPORATE INVOLVEMENT
– PARTNERSHIPS

Committed t o   p r o v i d i n g

Industry 

W O R K I N G   T O G E T H E R   T O   R E A L I Z E   O P P O R T U N I T I E S

The Opportunity:

In late 2000, discussions between stakeholders in the Cold Lake area of east-central Alberta sparks an

idea for a new joint venture between four Alberta First Nations communities, Precision and Alberta

Energy Company (AEC).

Our Response:

Committed to supporting economic development within Alberta’s aboriginal communities, Precision

Drilling agrees to provide operational support for the new venture, and build a $4.6 million Super

Single™ rig. AEC guarantees a four-year drilling contract for that rig.

The Result:

In December 2001, a rig launch and celebration are held in Cold Lake to mark the creation of Four

Lakes Precision Drilling Limited Partnership, the first drilling partnership to be created by Alberta’s

aboriginal communities.

HOW WE DID IT

At Precision, we believe community involvement is a natural outgrowth of our leadership role in the energy industry. Within Canada

and around the world, we work with local contractors and suppliers whenever possible, and encourage the hiring of local people to

complete our workforce.

30 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

We  are  a  particularly  strong  supporter  of  developing  business  and  employment  opportunities  for

western Canada’s aboriginal communities, many of which are situated on the energy-rich Western Canadian

Sedimentary Basin, the Athabasca oil sands and the Mackenzie Delta. 

For  example,  in  2001  we  became  associated  with  Mackenzie  Delta  Integrated  Oilfield  Services,  a  company  half-owned  by  the

Inuvialiut and involving a conglomerate of other companies active in energy development in the region. We have a similar  association

with Dempster Energy Services, which involves two Yukon First Nations – the Vuntut Gwich’in and the Nacho Nyak Dun.

JOINING HANDS

Our Alberta partnership began when a suggestion was made by AEC to the Treaty 6 group of four First Nations that a federal

government grant program could be used to help fund economic partnerships with the private sector. The Treaty 6 group,

comprised of the Four Lakes bands of Cold Lake, Frog Lake, Heart Lake and Kehewin Cree Nation, selected Precision as its drilling

partner of choice to form a 50/50 drilling rig partnership and create a unique working relationship.

leadership

I N   T H E   W O R K P L A C E   A N D   T H E   C O M M U N I T Y

Precision  handled  the  negotiations  that  led  to  the  signing  of  the  four-year  contract  drilling  commitment  by  AEC  which  would

underwrite the capital costs of Precision’s new Super Single™ rig. The agreements were finalized in the summer of 2001 leading to

the formation of the Four Lakes Precision Drilling Limited Partnership in November 2001. Precision also created a new position of

community relations manager to build and maintain positive relationships with aboriginal groups.

As part of the operating agreement, up to half of the drilling crew would be made up of members of the four First Nations, with

Precision Drilling providing additional rig personnel and training. The new Super Single™ rig was commissioned for service in a

ceremony at the Cold Lake First Nation area office on December 1, 2001, and spudded its first well four days later.

First  Nations  employees  undergo  the  same  comprehensive  workplace  and  safety  training  given  to  any  Precision  Drilling  employee.

Potential first-time oilfield workers attend a Precision, 2.5 day orientation course that provides an insider’s look at what it is like to work

on a rig and introduces the role safety plays in the petroleum industry. 

Within  the  new  Four  Lakes  partnership,  Precision  Drilling  will  continue  to  take  a  leadership  role  in  working  to  protect  people,

property and the environment.

We look forward to the opportunities the Four Lakes partnership presents for increased productivity and profitability for all the parties

involved.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

31

CORPORATE INVOLVEMENT
– HEALTH, SAFETY 
AND ENVIRONMENT
– COMMUNITY

MAKING SAFETY A PRIORITY

At Precision, safety is always a part of everything we do. We are committed to conducting our operations in a manner

that protects people, property and the environment and to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all employees.

While  we  have  a  dedicated  team  of  health,  safety  and  environment  experts,  we  believe  safety  is  everybody’s

responsibility. A target of zero incidents can only be realized if every Precision employee – from senior management

to workers starting their first day on the job – accept the need for and practice safe behaviors both on and off the job.

In 2001, several initiatives were launched to give both management and employees more tools for achieving excellence

in health, safety and environmental practices.

IMPROVING ACCOUNTABILITY 

A new system for tracking and reporting incidents was introduced on a corporate level, providing a uniform means of

gathering and interpreting statistics from Precision’s individual business units. This has enhanced management’s ability

to monitor and measure performance on a monthly basis, set corporate goals and objectives, identify areas of concern

and allocate resources where needed.

With  more  than  24  million  man  hours  logged,  Precision’s  overall  lost  time  due  to  accidents  for  2001  was  1.35

accidents per 200,000 man hours, well below industry averages.

In the Contract Drilling Group, Precision directed resources toward the development of new training programs. A

manager of field training was hired and course material brought together, beginning with a two day Health, Safety

and Environment Excellence Course dealing with the communication and leadership principles needed to lead our

programs. More than 200 supervisors, beginning with our Vice Presidents and Senior Managers, were trained in 2001.

Practical driver and loader training programs were developed to provide skills to those individuals supervising and

operating our vehicles and loaders. The Corporation conducted a two-day observation and communication training

program to assist supervisors in identifying at risk behaviors and encouraging safety. 

32 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

N
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S
Y
R
A
G
L
A
C
E
H
T

I

I

F
O
N
O
S
S
M
R
E
P
E
H
T
H
T
I
W
D
E
T
N
R
P
E
R

I

N
E
D
Y
R
D
T
R
A
U
T
S

:

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E
H
P
A
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G
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P

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
L E N D I N G   A   H E L P I N G   H A N D

At Precision, we believe in contributing not only to the economic well-being of the communities we serve, but also to their

quality of life.

In 2001, our donations committee disbursed funding to more than 150 groups or organizations that fell within 12 major

categories: rural and urban community; international aid; women’s groups; youth; aboriginal; medical; disabilities; the

arts; the homeless; education; the environment and political.

To  celebrate  our  continuing  success  and  recognize  our  Alberta  roots,  Precision  also  made  a  special  contribution  of

$500,000 towards development of the new Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary. Our donation of $100,000 for each

of the next five years will be used primarily to build indoor and outdoor creative play spaces and quiet spaces for the

children, families and staff.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

33

The Technology Services Group – which has rigorous training, management and emergency response

systems in place for the handling of hazardous materials associated with its activities – focused considerable

effort  in  2001  in  developing  health,  safety  and  environment  systems  to  support  Precision’s  new  regional  centers

around the world. Dedicated health, safety and environment managers were put in place to help develop, implement and

monitor standards in each of the regions. 

The Rental and Production Group has health, safety and environmental policies and procedures implemented to meet the complexities

of  its  various  operations.  CEDA  recently  introduced  a  Field  Level  Risk  Assessment  system  to  complement  its  existing  Job  Safety

Assessments. This program addresses hazards presented by the location of the work and allows for controls to be put in place for each

hazard identified – whether that means barricading holes, controlling dust or bringing in a special piece of equipment.

TAKING CARE OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Protecting  the  environment  by  working  to  reduce,  mitigate  or  eliminate  potentially  harmful  effects  from  any  of  our  activities  or

operations is a key part of Precision’s health, safety and environment management system.

On the contract drilling side, most of our operations are carried out on wellsite leases which are under the control of our clients. We

make it part of our job to be familiar with their environmental policies and practices, and those of the regulatory authorities, as we

work together to minimize the impact on the environment.

Although the major liability for environmental spills remains with the well operator, we also incorporate environmental protection in

our equipment design and operation practices wherever possible. 

In 2001, the Contract Drilling Group initiated an external audit of Precision’s environmental practices to help identify opportunities

for improvement of processes and management systems. Reporting and monitoring was reorganized to provide a corporate focal point

and better access to information for management.

Precision’s other groups also have comprehensive systems for achieving high standards in environmental performance. The Technology

Services Group has operations and facilities worldwide. Where community resources exist, comprehensive recycling programs, which

help  manage  waste  oil  and  filters,  glycol,  solvents,  metals,  aerosols  and  other  potentially  hazardous  materials,  are  established  and

implemented. In parts of the world where these community resources are under-developed, or do not exist, TSG works closely with

their customers and the multinational waste management contractors to find innovative solutions to hazardous materials management.

In the Rental and Production Group, CEDA is heavily involved in setting and following high environmental standards. The chemicals

used by CEDA are all environmentally friendly and can be disposed of safely. Because CEDA’s units work on client sites where small

spills may occur, they have developed a solid reputation for comprehensive and quick emergency response procedures. In fact, CEDA’s

experts have been called upon to provide clean-up services for others in the industry.

All groups report to Precision’s management on their environmental performance, and management regularly reports environmental

practices and serious incidents to our Board of Directors. 

34 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

F I N A N C I A L   R E P O R T I N G

39 Management’s Discussion and Analysis
51 Management’s Report to the Shareholders
52
53

Auditors’ Report
Consolidated Financial Statements

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

35

NAME OF BUSINESS

Columbia Oilfield Supply Ltd.

Live Well Service

LRG Catering Ltd.

LOCATION

Canada

Canada

Canada

CONTRACT DRILLING GROUP

Precision Drilling 

Canada, US

Precision Drilling International

International

Precision Well Servicing

Rostel Industries Ltd.

Canada

Canada

Advantage Engineering Services, Inc.

US

Computalog 

Fleet Cementers, Inc.

TECHNOLOGY SERVICES GROUP

Northland Energy Corporation

Plains Perforating Ltd.
Challenger/Silverline

Canada, US,
International

US

Canada, US,
International

Canada 

Polar Completions Engineering Inc.

Canada 

United Diamond Ltd.

Canada, US,
International

CEDA International Corporation

Canada, US

RENTAL AND PRODUCTION GROUP

Energy Industries Inc.

Montero Oilfield Services Ltd.

Canada

Canada

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

NATURE OF BUSINESS

EMPLOYEES

Warehouse and distribution facility 40,000 square feet

Procurement and distribution of oilfield supplies

24 snubbing units, 41% of industry

Hydraulic well assist snubbing

74 oilfield camps

Camp and catering

233 drilling rigs, 35% of industry in Canada

Contract drilling

15 drilling rigs

Contract drilling

257 service rigs, 28% of the industry

Contract service rigs

Yard and shop facility, 48,000 square feet 

Manufacture, repair and sale of drilling equipment

30,000 square feet research and test facility

MWD/LWD tool and equipment
research and engineering

40 open hole units, 168 cased hole units, 23 slickline 
units, 2 barges with cased hole skids, 105 drilling systems

Open and cased hole wireline services, 
directional drilling services

14 cement units, 12 acid units, 4 frac units,
2 nitrogen units, 6 coiled tubing units

Oil and gas well pumping service, cementing, 
acidizing fracturing, nitrogen, 
coiled tubing well servicing

196 testing systems, 41 RBOP™, 24 UBD systems

Well testing and control pressure drilling services

25 cased hole units, 10 slickline units, 7 combination units

Yard and manufacturing facility, 55,000 square feet

Cased hole logging and perforating, Slickline and
mechanical, High pressure and H2S Pressure 
Control and Specialty Slickline services

Design, manufacture and servicing of 
downhole completion and production equipment

Manufacturing and operations support of 200 jobs/month 

Design, manufacture , sales and rental 
of PDC drill bits

144 vacuum trucks, 72 high pressure units, 
12 bundle blasters 

90,000 square feet of production capacity

Industrial maintenance and turnaround services

Packaging, sales, lease, rental and servicing
of natural gas compression

300 trailers, 10,000 joints of specialty drill stem, 
4,000 tools, 3,600 surface units

Wellsite trailers, downhole drilling equipment, 
surface oilfield equipment

39

75

211

3,162

525

1,372

89

48

1,721

125

585

179

105

30

996

259

136

TOTAL AT DECEMBER 31, 2001

9,657

Crude Oil Prices
WTI Calendar year average – US$/Bbl

Natural Gas Prices
AECO Calendar year average – Cdn.$/MMbtu

5.58

5.64

30.39

25.93

22.00

20.61

18.40

17.16

19.30

14.40

2.95

2.01

1.87

1.83

1.39

1.16

94

95

96

97

98

99

00

01

94

95

96

97

98

99

00

01

2001 Revenue
Total: $1,953.6 Million

2000 Revenue
Total: $1,355.5 Million

Technology Services Group     34%
Rental & Production Group  14%
Contract Drilling Group       52%

Technology Services Group     27%
Rental & Production Group  18%
Contract Drilling Group       55%

PP&E and Intangibles
$ Millions

Cash Flow
$ Millions

1492.6

1287.9

761.6

683.5

643.7

465.7

289.5

297.9

328.5

64.8

66.8

82.0

95.8

101.5

76.2

16.3

28.3

28.2

94

95

96

97

98

99

99

00

01

94

95

96

97

98

99

99

00

01

April 30

Dec. 31

April 30

Dec. 31

38 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

The  Management’s  Discussion  and  Analysis  focuses  on  key  statistics  from  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements,  and  pertains  to

known  risks  and  uncertainties  relating  to  the  oilfield  and  industrial  service  sectors. This  discussion  should  not  be  considered  all-

inclusive,  as  it  excludes  changes  that  may  occur  in  general  economic,  political  and  environmental  conditions.  Additionally,  other

elements may or may not occur which could affect the Corporation in the future. In order to obtain the best overall perspective, this

discussion  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  the  material  contained  in  other  parts  of  this  annual  report,  including  the  audited

Consolidated Financial Statements and the related notes. The effects on the Consolidated Financial Statements arising from differences

in  generally  accepted  accounting  principles  between  Canada  and  the  United  States  are  described  in  Note  13  to  the  Consolidated

Financial Statements.

HIGHLIGHTS (1)

(Stated in thousands of dollars, except per share amounts, which are presented on a diluted basis.)

Years ended December 31,

Financial Results
Revenue

Increase (decrease)

Operating earnings (2)

Increase (decrease)

Earnings before goodwill amortization

Increase (decrease)

Earnings before goodwill amortization per share

Increase (decrease)

Net earnings

Increase (decrease)

Net earnings per share

Increase (decrease)

Cash flow (3)

Increase (decrease)

Cash flow per share

Increase (decrease)

Financial Position
Working capital
Long-term debt(4)
Long-term debt to long-term debt plus equity(4)

% of
Revenue

2001

% of
Revenue

2000

% of
Revenue

1999

$ 1,953,563

$ 1,355,453

44%

384,377

47%

219,829

42%

4.06

33%

20%

11%

84%

260,845

122%

154,321

208%

3.06

176%

$ 734,740

(10%)

19%

117,494

16%

11%

7%

(35%)

50,081

(46%)

1.11

(49%) 

188,044

10%

131,560

10%

34,250

5%

43%

3.47

33%

284%

2.61

243%

(56%)

0.76

(59%)

465,673

24%

297,873

22%

101,479

14%

56%

8.59
45%

215,919

496,200

0.26

194%

5.91
164%

157,736

548,096

0.31

(40%)

2.24
(43%)

162,867

226,815

0.20

(1) Quarterly financial information for the two year period ended December 31, 2001 is presented on page 3 of this annual report
(2) Operating earnings is not a recognized measure under Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Management believes that in addition
to net earnings, operating earnings is a useful supplemental measure as it provides an indication of the results generated by the Corporation's principle 
business  activities  prior  to  consideration  of  how  those  activities  are  financed  or  how  the  results  are  taxed  in  various  jurisdictions.  Investors  should  be 
cautioned,  however,  that  operating  earnings  should  not  be  construed  as  an  alternative  to  net  earnings  determined  in  accordance  with  GAAP  as  an
indicator of Precision's performance. Precision's method of calculating operating earnings may differ from other companies and, accordingly, operating
earnings may not be comparable to measures used by other companies.

(3) Funds provided by operations
(4) Excluding current portion of long-term debt

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

39

SUMMARY INCOME STATEMENT

(Stated in thousands of dollars)

Years ended December 31, 

Operating earnings:

Contract Drilling Group

Technology Services Group

Rental and Production Group 

Corporate and other

Interest, net

Dividend income

Gain on disposal of investments and subsidiary 

Reduction of carrying amount of investments

Reduction of carrying amount of property, plant and equipment

Earnings before income taxes, goodwill amortization and non-controlling interest
Income taxes

Earnings before goodwill amortization and non-controlling interest

Goodwill amortization, net of tax

Earnings before non-controlling interest

Non-controlling interest

Net earnings

2001

2000

1999

$ 298,100

$ 212,633

$

97,864

65,309

51,678

(30,710)

384,377

43,582

(1,106)

(1,805)

–

–

343,706
123,009

220,697

31,785

188,912

868

30,620

43,289

(25,697)

260,845

28,713

–

(40)

–

–

232,172
77,851

154,321

22,761

131,560

–

6,796

19,705

(6,871)

117,494

16,544

(1,443)

(24,875)

13,101

10,200

103,967
53,886

50,081

15,831

34,250

–

$ 188,044

$ 131,560

$

34,250

Precision achieved record results in 2001 in a business environment characterized by extremes. Revenue of almost $2.0 billion, net

earnings of $188.0 million and earnings per share of $3.47 all represented new highs for the Corporation. Early in the year, the oil

and gas sector was riding a wave of optimism as natural gas prices were at all time highs and oil prices were very strong relative to

historical averages. This strength was depleted with the downturn in North American and world economic activity, which saw the

economic output of many countries approach or reach recessionary levels. Natural gas markets in North America were also negatively

affected by an abnormally warm winter, reducing the demand for heating fuel. All this was exacerbated by the events of September 11.

The highly unusual situation of reduced drilling activity in Canada in the fourth quarter relative to the third quarter is symptomatic

of the changed business environment.

Overall, annual oilfield activity levels were at all time highs in 2001 with 17,933(1) and 36,990(2) wells being drilled in Canada and the

US respectively. International activity, which is primarily oil related and comprised of larger projects, remained constant. Throughout

the year, Precision continued to concentrate on the execution of its strategic plan, the key elements of which are strengthening the

Canadian and US businesses through efficient integration of acquisitions, investment in equipment and people, geographic expansion

and technological advancement of our suite of services. 

In 2000 and early 2001, the Corporation made a number of acquisitions to further its objectives. During the second quarter of 2000,

the  industrial  plant  maintenance  group  strengthened  its  operations  in  the  growing  northern  Alberta  oil  sands  operations  with  the

acquisition of the assets of JJay Exchanger Industries Ltd., an established business in plant maintenance and shutdown work. The

acquisition of Plains Energy Services Ltd. (Plains) and CenAlta Energy Services Inc. (CenAlta) in July and October 2000, respectively,

enhanced  the  Corporation’s  capabilities  in  coiled  tubing  drilling  and  added  equipment  and  people  to  many  other  service  lines,

particularly well servicing. Through these acquisitions, Precision created the largest and most diversified fleet of service rigs in the

Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.

(1) Source: Canadian Association of Oilfield Drilling Contractors
(2) Source: Oil and Gas Journal, January 28, 2002 Estimated US wells drilled during 2001

40 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

Also in October 2000, the Corporation acquired the global directional drilling and electromagnetic (EM) measurement-while-drilling

(MWD) assets of Geoservices S.A. (Geoservices) of Paris, France and an exclusive worldwide license to its EM-MWD technology.

Finally in January 2001, Precision acquired BecField Drilling Services Ltd. (BecField), which has established operations in Europe and

the Middle East providing directional drilling and MWD services.

The  Corporation’s  2001  capital  spending  program  was  also  its  most  extensive  ever  with  $371.7  million  being  spent  in  the  year.

Equipment was added in all segments to meet new contract commitments and supply new international operations. In addition, the

fleet of service delivery equipment (trucks and on board computer systems, repair facilities) in the Technology Services Group was

upgraded in anticipation of rolling out new tools developed by the Corporation’s research and engineering efforts.

Geographic expansion has continued at a steady pace with revenue from non-Canadian sources increasing 116% over 2000 to $541.2

million in 2001. Revenue generated by international operations increased to 28% of total revenue in 2001 from 18% in 2000. An

important element of the geographic expansion and emergence of Precision as a full service provider is the integrated services project

for Petróleos Mexicanas (PEMEX) in the Burgos Basin located in northern Mexico. This 240 well project started, and is expected to

be completed, ahead of schedule.

The research and engineering program undertaken by the Technology Services Group intensified in 2001 as spending increased to

$32.4 million from $20.3 million in 2000. While the testing phase of the development process has taken longer than anticipated, the

research  and  engineering  team  has  substantially  improved  upon  the  timeframe  required  for  this  type  of  work.  Certain  tools  are

currently  in  production  with  additional  tools  joining  them  shortly  in  the  manufacturing  facilities.  Many  of  the  long  lead  time

components  have  been  acquired  to  facilitate  the  manufacturing  effort,  which  is  anticipated  to  result  in  measurement-while-

drilling/logging-while-drilling (MWD/LWD) systems being available to field operations by the end of 2002.

This has all been accomplished while maintaining the Corporation’s strong financial position. Working capital has increased to $215.9

million at December 31, 2001 from $157.7 million at the same time last year. The ratio of long-term debt to long-term debt plus

equity has declined to 0.26 from 0.31 and the net reduction in long-term debt excluding current portion was $51.9 million during

the year.

Precision’s operations are managed in three industry segments. The Contract Drilling Group includes drilling rigs, service rigs and

hydraulic well assist snubbing units, procurement and distribution of oilfield supplies, camp and catering services, and manufacture,

sale and repair of drilling equipment. The Technology Services Group includes wireline, directional drilling, MWD/LWD services, well

testing,  pumping  services  for  cementing,  fracturing  and  well  stimulation,  the  design,  manufacture  and  marketing  of  downhole

completion tools and the design, manufacture and marketing of polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) drill bits. The Rental and

Production Group includes oilfield equipment rental services, industrial process services and compression equipment packaging, rental,

sales and service. 

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

41

CONTRACT DRILLING GROUP

(Stated in thousands of dollars, except per day/hour amounts)

Years ended December 31,

Revenue

Expenses:

Operating

General and administrative

Depreciation and amortization

2001

$ 1,010,020

% of
Revenue

2000

$

743,544

% of
Revenue

% of
Revenue

1999

$ 429,848

603,285

33,124

75,511

59.7

3.3

7.5

440,300

32,417

58,194

59.2

4.4

7.8

272,589

19,359

40,036

63.4

4.5

9.3

22.8

Operating earnings

$

298,100

29.5

$

212,633

28.6

$

97,864

Number of drilling rigs (end of year)

Drilling operating days

Revenue per operating day

Number of service rigs (end of year)

Service rig operating hours
Revenue per operating hour

2001 Compared to 2000

2001

248

47,142

16,097

257

492,480
427

$

$

%
Increase

1.6

8.7

15.3

$

2000

244

43,376

13,961

257

–

121.3
12.4

222,539
380

$

%
Increase

10.9

43.8

13.8

238.2

108.3
11.8

1999

220

30,172

$

12,266

76

106,846
340

$

The Contract Drilling Group saw revenue increase by 36% in 2001 over 2000. This increase was the net result of improved pricing

and an increased fleet size with acquisitions completed in the second half of 2000 offset by marginally lower equipment utilization.

Price increases realized during the buoyant first half of 2001 were for the most part maintained throughout the remainder of the year.

Operating earnings increased by $85.5 million or 40%, however, as a percentage of revenue remained relatively consistent at 30% in

2001  compared  to  29%  in  2000. This  latter  comparison  is  influenced  by  the  mix  of  business  within  the  segment.  Well  servicing

operations generate less operating margin than contract drilling rigs. Although well service rig hours experienced 121% growth and

drilling rig operating days a mere 9%, overall operating earnings as a percentage of revenue increased due to strong pricing for drilling

rigs in Canada and internationally. Cost structures in both businesses have been developed to be as variable as possible with activity

levels allowing the Corporation to respond quickly to sudden changes in our cyclical industry.  During 2001, Canadian rig labour rates

were increased approximately 10%.

Within the Contract Drilling Group, 88% of revenue is generated in Canada. Canadian equipment utilization for 2001 as a percentage

of available days was nominally less than last year due to a highly unusual decline in demand during the fourth quarter. Both drilling

and service rig operations managed to build and hold pricing gains until late in the year. As 2001 came to a close, competitive pressure

was serving to lower customer pricing as available rig supply in the spot market was growing.

42 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

Depth

to 1,200 m

to 2,500 m

to 3,000 m

to 3,600 m

to 7,600 m

Type of Drilling Rig

Single

Super Single™

Double

Light triple

Heavy triple
Coiled tubing
Total fleet

Type of Service Rig

Single

Freestanding mobile single

Mobile single

Double

Freestanding mobile double
Mobile double

Heavy double

Slant
Swab

Total fleet

2000 Compared to 1999

2001

2000

Canada

International

Total

Canada

International Total

16

17

99

48

38
11
229

2

3

7

6

1
0
19

18

20

106

54

39
11
248

18

14

102

49

38
9
230

2001

4

23

91

60

5
48

9

16
1

257

1

3

3

4

2
1
14

19

17

105

53

40
10
244

2000

4

13

101

60

4
49

9

16
1

257

Contract  Drilling  Group  revenue  increased  by  $313.7  million  or  73%  over  1999  as  a  result  of  the  combined  impact  of  increased

utilization, pricing increases and expansion of the equipment fleet with the acquisition of Plains and CenAlta in July and October

2000 respectively. Operating earnings for the Contract Drilling Group increased to 29% of revenue from 23%. Expense increases,

primarily in employee compensation and fuel costs were more than offset by rate increases.

TECHNOLOGY SERVICES GROUP

(Stated in thousands of dollars)

Years ended December 31,

Revenue

Expenses:

Operating

General and administrative

Depreciation and amortization

Research and engineering

Operating earnings

Wireline jobs performed

Directional wells drilled
Well testing/CPD man days (Canada only)(2)

(1) not available
(2) Controlled Pressure Drilling (CPD)

2001

$ 669,439

438,129

81,905

51,656

32,440

$

65,309

% of
Revenue

% of
2000 Revenue

% of
1999 Revenue

$ 372,425

$ 125,954

65.4

12.2

7.7

4.9

9.8

254,628

38,920

27,969

20,288

30,620

$

68.4

10.5

7.5

5.4

8.2

$

2001

37,845

1,148

60,135

%
Increase

28.6

15.1

43.9

%
Increase

2000

29,431

220.6

997

41,777

–

70.6

68.0

13.9

9.8

2.9

5.4

85,695

17,529

12,305

3,629

6,796

1999

9,179
n/a(1)
24,493

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

43

2001 Compared to 2000

In 2001, the Technology Services Group continued to make progress in pursuit of its international growth objectives. Significant effort

and investment was directed to the US wireline operation resulting in increased market share and profitability. This will provide a solid

base from which to expand our other service lines in this market. 

The  integration  of  acquisitions,  most  notably  Geoservices  and  BecField,  was  also  a  focus  in  2001.  These  additions  provided

technological advances and distribution channels with established operating structures in international markets. The integrated service

contract for PEMEX in Mexico has established the segment’s presence in that country, which has resulted in additional controlled

pressure drilling, well testing, directional drilling, MWD/LWD and drill bit contracts.

These expansion initiatives combined with increased domestic activity levels to generate an 80% increase in revenue to $669.4 million

in 2001 compared to 2000. The following chart illustrates the ongoing geographic diversification of the segment’s revenue.

REVENUE BY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION

2001: Total: $669.4 Million

2000: Total: $372.4 Million

1999: Total: $126.0 Million

Rest of world 
US
Canada

20%
31%
49%

Rest of world 
US
Canada

12%
30%
58%

Rest of world 
US
Canada

14%
24%
62%

Operating earnings increased by 113% to $65.3 million from $30.6 million in 2000. As a percentage of revenue, operating earnings

improved  slightly  from  8%  to  10%. The  operational  and  administrative  infrastructures  necessary  to  deliver  the  segment’s  services

internationally are now in place in the US, Latin America, Europe/Africa, Middle East and Asia/Pacific. This includes the equipment

and  facilities  to  repair  the  MWD/LWD  tools  being  produced  by  the  Corporation’s  research  and  engineering  staff  at  Advantage

Engineering Services, Inc.(AES). Costs for training field personnel and establishing technical support networks have also been incurred

to facilitate the rollout of the suite of new tools. 

There have been some delays in the development, testing and rollout of the new tools resulting in infrastructure costs being incurred

ahead of increased revenue generating capabilities in some regions. Work was delayed, in part, by a flash flood in our Houston research

facility shortly after it was completed and put into use.

2000 Compared to 1999

Revenue increased by $246.5 million or 196% in 2000 over 1999. The increase was the combined result of business acquisitions and

activity level increases across all services offered by the segment. Operating earnings amounted to $30.6 million or 8% of revenue in

2000.  Initiation  of  international  expansion  efforts  contributed  to  higher  expenses  in  2000  with  no  commensurate  revenue

contribution.

44 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

RENTAL AND PRODUCTION GROUP

(Stated in thousands of dollars)

Years ended December 31,

Revenue

Expenses:

Operating

General and administrative

Depreciation and amortization

Operating earnings

Equipment rental days (000’s)

Number of compressor packages sold

Plant maintenance man-days (000’s)

(1) not available

2001 Compared to 2000

% of
Revenue

2001

% of
Revenue

2000

% of
Revenue

1999

$

271,880

$

239,220

$ 178,938

192,915

12,353

14,934

51,678

$

71.0

4.5

5.5

19.0

$

170,729

11,207

13,995

43,289

71.4

4.7

5.8

133,809

10,849

14,575

18.1

$

19,705

74.8

6.1

8.1

11.0

%
Increase

37.9

(17.6)

15.0

2001

925

56

230

%
Increase

40.4

15.3

–

2000

671

68

200

1999

478

59
n/a(1)

Revenue in the Rental and Production Group increased by $32.7 million in 2001 or 14% with the majority of the increase coming

from the industrial maintenance and plant turnaround operation. This business has seen strong returns from its expansion to service

the oil sands projects in northern Alberta and from its focus on providing the full range of services to its customers. 

Operating  margins  improved  slightly  with  increased  activity  levels.  In  spite  of  strong  competitive  pressures,  the  gas  compression

business was able to maintain its revenue and operating margins.

2000 Compared to 1999

Revenue increased by $60.3 million or 34% with all product lines contributing to the increase by relatively the same percentage due

to  increased  activity  levels  in  the  western  Canadian  oilfield.  With  the  exception  of  natural  gas  compression  packaging,  operating

margins  increased  across  the  segment  in  conjunction  with  increased  demand  for  their  products  and  services. The  gas  compression

business experienced strong competitive pressures as a result of over capacity in the Canadian market.

OTHER ITEMS

2001 Compared to 2000

Corporate and Other Expenses 

Corporate  and  other  expenses  of  $30.7  million  have  increased  19%  from  $25.7  million  in  2000  following  the  growth  of  the

Corporation. In particular, the continued development of the corporate office in Houston, Texas has facilitated marketing initiatives

to support the international expansion. Corporate expenses are primarily personnel related costs, including incentive pay, which is tied

to performance. The continued strong financial performance of the Corporation has resulted in increased employee compensation

costs. 

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

45

Total general and administrative costs for the Corporation has been maintained at 8% of revenue. These costs include expenditures

required to maintain management information systems used throughout the world. With the activity growth and the international

expansion in 2001, we are upgrading the current systems and processes to meet our global requirements. Continued development of

information systems for the international operations will be a significant focus in 2002. 

Foreign Currency Translation

In accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), unrealized gains and losses related to translation of

foreign currency denominated long-term debt are deferred and amortized over the term of the debt.

Effective  January  1,  2002  the  Corporation  will  be  required  to  adopt,  on  a  retroactive  basis,  a  new  Canadian  accounting  standard

whereby unrealized gains or losses will no longer be deferred and amortized but rather expensed as incurred. If this change had been

in effect during 2001, net earnings would have been lower by $1.5 million - $0.03 per share - Diluted (2000 - $1.4 million - $0.03

per share - Diluted, in 1999, net earnings would have been higher by $1.3 million - $0.03 per share - Diluted). The new standard is

consistent with US practice.

Interest Expense

Net interest expense increased by $14.9 million or 52% in 2001 over 2000, following the increase in average net borrowings from

$455.9 million in 2000 to $637.7 million in 2001. Net borrowings at the year-end dropped to $600.1 million from $675.4 million

at year-end 2000. As a percentage of revenue, net interest expense remains at 2%. Interest coverage, defined as operating earnings (see

explanation  on  page  39)  divided  by  net  interest  expense,  remained  at  nine  times  interest  earned.  Management  continues  to  be

comfortable with this level of debt servicing cost.

Income Taxes

The Corporation’s effective tax rate was 36% of earnings before income taxes and goodwill amortization, compared to 34% in 2000.

The increase in the tax rate resulted from the impact on future tax expense of tax rate reductions in 2001 and 2000. In 2001, the

Alberta  government  enacted  a  2%  reduction  in  tax  rates  effective  April  1,  2001.  In  2000,  The  Canadian  Federal  government

substantially enacted into law a 7% corporate tax rate reduction over the period 2001 to 2004. Canadian GAAP required that the

effect of these rate reductions be reflected as a decrease of future tax expense in the year the law is passed or substantially enacted. The

impact of the Alberta tax rate reduction in 2001 was $6.0 million and in 2000 the impact of the Canadian Federal rate reduction was

$19.9 million. Excluding the impact of these rate reductions on future tax expense, the Corporation’s effective tax rate was 38% in

2001 and 42% in 2000.

Goodwill Amortization

Goodwill amortization increased by $9.0 million partially due to adding $23.9 million in goodwill from the BecField acquisition and

also  from  the  full  year  of  amortization  on  the  $268.9  million  of  goodwill  primarily  associated  with  the  acquisitions  of  Plains  and

CenAlta in 2000.

In 2001, standards under both Canadian and US GAAP were issued that eliminate the amortization of goodwill. These rules will be

adopted January 1, 2002 by the Corporation. If goodwill had not been amortized during 2001, net earnings would have been higher

by $31.8 million - $0.59 per share - Diluted (2000 - $22.8 million - $0.45 per share - Diluted, 1999 - $15.8 million - $0.35 per share

- Diluted).

46 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

2000 Compared to 1999

Corporate and Other Expenses

Corporate  and  other  expenses  of  $25.7  million  have  increased  due  to  the  increase  in  personnel  required  to  manage  the  expanded

business  including  the  establishment  of  a  corporate  office  in  Houston,  Texas.  A  significant  portion  of  corporate  employee

compensation  is  comprised  of  incentive  pay  that  is  tied  to  corporate  performance.  The  improved  financial  performance  of  the

Corporation relative to 1999 resulted in increased employee compensation expense. In addition, the Corporation’s active acquisition

program contributed to the increase in costs in 2000. There tends to be an increase in costs for a period after each acquisition until

corporate functions can be rationalized.

In total, general and administrative expense declined slightly as a percentage of revenue to 7.6% in 2000 from 8.0% in 1999.

Interest Expense

Net interest expense increased by $12.2 million or 74% in 2000 over 1999, in conjunction with the increase in net borrowings from

$236.4 million to $675.4 million. The cash component of business acquisition costs in 2000 amounted to $365.0 million while debt

assumed  in  these  transactions  totalled  $93.3  million.  As  a  percentage  of  revenue,  net  interest  expense  remained  consistent  at  2%.

Interest coverage increased from seven times interest earned in 1999 to nine times in 2000.

Income Taxes

Tax expense in 2000 is equal to 34% of earnings before income taxes and goodwill amortization, compared to 52% in 1999. Half of

this difference is due to the impact of the Canadian federal government’s plan to reduce corporate tax rates by 7% over the next four

years. Canadian GAAP required that the effect of this rate reduction on the Corporation’s future tax balances be reflected as a decrease

of future tax expense in 2000, since the rate reductions had been substantively enacted into law. The resultant reduction of tax expense

in the fourth quarter of 2000 amounted to $19.9 million. This treatment differed from US GAAP in that this adjustment was not

recognized until reduced rates were formally passed into law, which occurred in 2001.

The other primary reason for the reduced effective tax rate in 2000 relates to the Corporation’s change in method of accounting for

income taxes. Effective January 1, 2000, the Corporation retroactively adopted the liability method of accounting for income taxes

without restating prior periods in accordance with revised Canadian accounting standards. The new standard moved Canadian practice

in line with US income tax accounting methods.

Goodwill Amortization

Goodwill amortization increased by $6.9 million as a result of adding $268.9 million to goodwill during 2000, primarily from the

Plains and CenAlta acquisitions. In addition, a full year of amortization was taken on the $55.5 million of goodwill associated with

the Computalog acquisition in July 1999.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Funds from operations in 2001 were $465.7 million while capital expenditures totaled $371.7 million. The excess was primarily used

to repay long-term debt.

At December 31, 2001 the Corporation had working capital of $215.9 million. This amount is net of $80.0 million borrowed under

the Corporation’s extendable revolving unsecured facility to finance the increase in accounts receivable resulting from the increase in

activity.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

47

Maintaining a strong balance sheet has continued to remain a focus of management throughout the year. At year-end the Corporation

had long-term debt of $496.2 million and its debt to debt plus equity ratio remains conservative at 0.26. The Corporation has not

undertaken hedging activities using derivative instruments.

Strong adherence to conservative financial philosophies has put the Corporation in good stead with current lenders and the public

debt  markets.  The  Corporation  believes  that  its  strong  balance  sheet  and  unutilized  borrowing  capacity,  combined  with  funds

generated from operations, will provide sufficient capital to fund its ongoing operations and future expansion.

ACCOUNTING STANDARD CHANGES

In 2002, the Corporation will be required to adopt a new Canadian accounting standard relating to stock based compensation and

other  stock  based  payments  to  non-employees.  All  prior  grants  have  been  to  employees  and  the  Corporation  does  not  expect  the

adoption of the new standard to have a material impact on the Corporation’s financial condition or results of operations. The new

standard is to be applied prospectively for stock based payments to non-employees and to employee awards that are direct awards of

stock. For future such awards, the Corporation will be required to follow the fair value method, as prescribed in the standard and

calculate a fair value of the stock granted and record that fair value as an expense over the term of the grant.

In 2002, the Corporation will also be required to adopt new accounting standards for business combinations and goodwill and other

intangible assets. Under the new standard for business combinations, the Corporation will be required to use the purchase method to

account for all business combinations initiated after July 1, 2001 and identify, separate from goodwill, other intangible assets that arise

from contractual or legal rights or that can be separately sold. The new accounting standard substantially conforms with the accounting

policies followed by the Corporation for all prior business combinations.

Under the new standard of accounting for goodwill, goodwill is no longer amortized, but is tested for impairment at least annually.

Under the goodwill test, if the fair value of a reporting unit does not exceed its carrying value, the excess of fair value of net assets over

the fair value of a reporting unit is considered to be the implied fair value of goodwill. If the carrying value of goodwill exceeds its

implied value, the difference is recognized as an impairment loss. The Corporation is required to assess the potential impairment of

goodwill within six months of the January 1, 2002 adoption date, including an identification of business units at which goodwill will

be tested. Should that assessment result in an impairment of goodwill, the amount will be charged to retained earnings at January 1,

2002.

BUSINESS RISKS

Crude Oil and Natural Gas Prices

The price received by our customers for the crude oil and natural gas they produce has a direct impact on cash flow available for them

to finance the acquisition of services provided by the Corporation.

Prices for crude oil are established in a worldwide market in which supply and demand are subject to a vast array of economic and

political influences. This results in very volatile pricing; a prime example of which is West Texas Intermediate crude oil trading at US

$12 per barrel in late 1998 and in excess of US $40 per barrel at one point in 2000. Natural gas prices are established in a more “local”

North American market due to the requirement to transport this gaseous product in pressurized pipelines. Demand for natural gas is

seasonal and is correlated to heating and electricity generation requirements.

The Corporation manages the risk of volatile commodity prices, and thus volatile demand for its services, by striving to maintain

efficient cost structures that are scalable to activity levels. However, cost structures in CDG are more variable in nature than those

within TSG. In addition, our strong balance sheet and adherence to conservative financing practices provide the resilience to withstand

and benefit from downturns and upturns in the business cycle.

48 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

Workforce Availability

The Corporation’s ability to provide reliable services is dependent upon the availability of well trained, experienced crews to operate

our field equipment. We must also balance the requirement to maintain a skilled workforce with the need to establish cost structures

that vary with activity levels.

Within CDG, our most experienced people are retained during periods of low utilization by having them fill lower level positions on

our field crews. The Corporation has established training programs for employees new to the oilfield service sector and we work closely

with industry associations to ensure competitive compensation levels and to attract new workers to the industry as required. 

Weather

The ability to move heavy equipment in the Canadian oil and natural gas fields is dependent on weather conditions. As warm weather

returns in the spring, the winter’s frost comes out of the ground rendering many secondary roads incapable of supporting the weight

of  heavy  equipment  until  they  have  thoroughly  dried  out.  The  duration  of  this  “spring  breakup”  has  a  direct  impact  on  the

Corporation’s activity levels. In addition, many exploration and production areas in northern Canada are accessible only in winter

months when the ground is frozen hard enough to support equipment. The timing of freeze up and spring breakup affects the ability

to move equipment in and out of these areas. 

Working  with  customers,  we  strive  to  position  equipment  where  possible  such  that  it  can  be  working  on  location  during  spring

breakup, limiting the need to move equipment during this time period as much as possible. However, many uncontrollable factors

affect our ability to plan in this fashion and the spring season, which can occur any time from late March through May, is traditionally

our slowest time. 

Technology

Technological innovation by oilfield service companies has improved the profitability of the entire exploration and production sector

over the industry’s 140-year history. Recently, development of directional and horizontal drilling, controlled pressure drilling, coiled

tubing drilling, and methods of providing real time data during drilling and production operations have increased production volumes

and  the  recoverable  amount  of  discovered  reserves.  Innovations  such  as  3-D  and  4-D  seismic  have  improved  the  success  rate  of

exploration wells partially offsetting the decline in the quantity of drillable prospects.

Our ability to deliver more efficient services is critical to our continued success. The Corporation has continuously built upon its

experience  and  teamed  with  customers  to  provide  solutions  to  their  unique  problems.  Our  ability  to  design  and  build  specialized

equipment has kept us on the leading edge of technology. The success of our in-house designed and built Super Single™ rig, both in

Canada and abroad, is testimony of our dedication to these efforts.

The continued development of our TSG segment, and in particular the research and development work of AES, puts the Corporation

at  another  level  where  high-end  technological  innovation  is  paramount  to  success.  The  team  of  highly  qualified  experienced

professionals, that has been assembled and working together for almost two years in a state of the art testing facility, is equal to any in

the industry. While we have confidence in the proven track record of the AES team, there is no assurance as yet of the commercial

viability of the technology being developed.

Acquisition Integration

The Corporation has worked towards its strategic objective of becoming an integrated service provider of sufficient size to benefit from

economies of scale and to provide the foundation from which to pursue international opportunities. Business acquisitions have been

an important tool in this pursuit and will continue to be so in the future. Continued successful integration of new businesses, people

and systems is key to our future success.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

49

Foreign Operations

The Corporation is working hard to export its expertise and technologies to oil and gas producing regions around the world. With

this comes the risk of dealing with business and political systems that are much different than we are accustomed to in North America.

The  Corporation  has  hired  employees  who  have  experience  working  in  the  international  arena  and  it  is  committed  to  recruiting

resident nationals on the staffs of all of its international operations.

Foreign Currency Exchange Rates

The Corporation has two sources of foreign currency exchange risk. On international contracts, attempts are made to structure revenue

streams such that a portion sufficient to match local expenditures is denominated in the local currency, with the remainder being

denominated in US dollars. In addition, many of our business units buy a portion of their parts and supplies from suppliers in the

US. As a result, the Corporation is a net payer of US dollars but at present this exposure is not expected to be significant.

Merger and Acquisition Activity

Recent  merger  and  acquisition  activity  in  the  oil  and  gas  exploration  and  production  sector  continues  to  impact  demand  for  our

services as customers focus on reorganization activities prior to committing funds to significant drilling and maintenance projects.

Continued merger and acquisition activity could have a short-term impact on our business, but in the long-term should result in a

stronger, more active market.

OUTLOOK

Management  recognizes  that  the  short  to  medium  term  will  present  challenges  in  managing  our  businesses  through  the  trough  of

another cycle. Activity levels in North America may be down by as much as 30% relative to 2001 and we are taking the necessary steps

to manage our costs in this environment. The management team has experienced many ups and downs in our very cyclical industry

and is prepared to deal with this one.

Longer  term,  management  is  optimistic  about  the  future  based  upon  the  fundamentals  of  the  oil  and  natural  gas  exploration  and

production industry and upon our initiatives to capitalize on them.

World economies were on the decline in the latter half of 2001 with September 11 serving to exacerbate the decline. The resulting

reduced demand for energy increased inventory levels leading to reduced commodity prices and lower cash flow for our customers.

However, both the US and the Canadian economies are beginning to show signs of recovery, which bodes well for the rest of the world

and our industry.

The  events  of  September  11  highlighted  the  importance  of  security  of  energy  sources  to  the  US  and  its  North  American  trading

partners. Canada’s reserves of natural gas and oil sands will play an important role in meeting these energy needs and Precision is the

leader  in  providing  oilfield  services  in  this  market. The  Corporation’s  expanded  presence  in  the  US  and  Mexico  will  also  generate

benefits from this focus.

Internationally,  crude  oil  remains  the  focus  of  exploration  and  production  efforts  and  activity  in  this  arena  is  forecasted  to  increase

slightly from 2001 levels. The establishment of our international operations in US, Latin America, Europe/Africa, Middle East and

Asia/Pacific are expected to enable the Corporation to participate in the strengthening market. As we have demonstrated in Mexico, our

ability to deliver a package of integrated services will be an important factor in competing in the international market place.

Finally, although delayed, it is anticipated that the Corporation’s significant research and engineering efforts will result in the 2002

release of a revolutionary new generation of LWD tools designed and expected to exceed current industry standards for temperature,

pressure and flow rate performance as well as system reliability. These tools should enable the Corporation to effectively compete in

an environment where our customers’ exploration and production programs are taking them into increasingly technically challenging

geological formations.

50 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

MANAGEMENT’S REPORT TO THE SHAREHOLDERS

T he  accompanying  consolidated  financial  statements  and  all  information  in  the  Annual  Report  are  the  responsibility  of

management. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared by management in accordance with the accounting

policies in the notes to financial statements. When necessary, management has made informed judgments and estimates in

accounting for transactions which were not complete at the balance sheet date. In the opinion of management, the financial statements

have  been  prepared  within  acceptable  limits  of  materiality,  and  are  in  accordance  with  Canadian  generally  accepted  accounting

principles (GAAP) appropriate in the circumstances. The financial information elsewhere in the Annual Report has been reviewed to

ensure consistency with that in the consolidated financial statements.

Management has prepared Management’s Discussion and Analysis (MD&A). The MD&A is based upon the Corporation’s financial

results prepared in accordance with Canadian GAAP. The MD&A compares the audited financial results for the twelve months ended

December 31, 2001 to December 31, 2000 and the twelve months ended December 31, 2000 to December 31,1999. Note 13 to the

consolidated  financial  statements  describes  the  impact  on  the  consolidated  financial  statements  of  significant  differences  between

Canadian and United States GAAP.

Management maintains appropriate systems of internal control. Policies and procedures are designed to give reasonable assurance that

transactions are properly authorized, assets are safeguarded and financial records properly maintained to provide reliable information

for the preparation of financial statements.

KPMG LLP, an independent firm of Chartered Accountants, was engaged, as approved by a vote of shareholders at the Corporation’s

most recent annual general and special meeting, to audit the consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted

auditing standards in Canada and provide an independent professional opinion.

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, which is comprised of three directors who are not employees of the Corporation, has

discussed the consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto, with management and external auditors. The consolidated

financial statements have been approved by the Board of Directors on the recommendation of the Audit Committee.

HANK B. SWARTOUT

Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer

DALE E. TREMBLAY

Senior Vice President Finance and Chief Financial Officer

February 13, 2002

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

51

AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE SHAREHOLDERS

W e have audited the consolidated balance sheets of Precision Drilling Corporation as at December 31, 2001 and 2000 and

ended  December  31,  2001.  These  consolidated  financial  statements  are  the  responsibility  of  the  Corporation’s

the consolidated statements of earnings and retained earnings and cash flow for each of the years in the three year period

management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. 

We conducted our audits in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan

and  perform  an  audit  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  whether  the  financial  statements  are  free  of  material  misstatement.  An  audit

includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes

assessing  the  accounting  principles  used  and  significant  estimates  made  by  management,  as  well  as  evaluating  the  overall  financial

statement presentation.

In our opinion, these consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Corporation

as at December 31, 2001 and 2000 and the results of its operations and its cash flow for each of the years in the three year period

ended December 31, 2001 in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles.

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

Calgary, Canada

February 13, 2002

52 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Stated in thousands of dollars)

As at December 31, 

Assets
Current assets:

Cash

Accounts receivable

Income taxes recoverable

Inventory 

Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 

Intangibles, net of accumulated amortization of $9,413 (2000 - $1,857)

Goodwill, net of accumulated amortization of $92,623 (2000 - $60,838)
Other assets 

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
Current liabilities:

Bank indebtedness

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 

Income taxes payable

Current portion of long-term debt 

Long-term debt 

Future income taxes 

Non-controlling interest

Shareholders’ equity:

Share capital 

Retained earnings

(Note 2)

(Note 3)

(Note 4)

(Note 16)

(Note 5)

(Note 5)

(Note 9)

(Note 6)

Commitments and contingencies 

(Notes 8 and 17)

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements

Approved by the Board:

2001

2000

$

13,231

$

20,702

474,528

–

111,393

599,152
1,418,609

74,004

545,377
17,171

424,817

2,050

85,688

533,257
1,212,045

75,887

550,502
16,445

$ 2,654,313

$ 2,388,136

$

85,384

$ 112,620

253,342

12,764

31,743

383,233

496,200

356,408

868

887,160

530,444

227,548

–

35,353

375,521

548,096

257,624

–

864,495

342,400

1,417,604

1,206,895

$ 2,654,313

$ 2,388,136

HANK B. SWARTOUT

Director

H. GARTH WIGGINS

Director

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

53

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS AND RETAINED EARNINGS

(Stated in thousands of dollars except per share amounts)

Years ended December 31,

Revenue

Expenses:

Operating

General and administrative

Depreciation and amortization

Research and engineering

Operating earnings

Interest:

Long-term debt

Other

Income

Dividend income

Gain on disposal of investments and subsidiary

Reduction of carrying amount of investments

Reduction of carrying amount of property, plant and equipment

Earnings before income taxes, goodwill amortization 

2001

2000

1999

$ 1,953,563

$ 1,355,453

$ 734,740

1,238,128

153,498

145,120

32,440

870,172

102,848

101,300

20,288

1,569,186

1,094,608

384,377

260,845

44,112

556

(1,086)
(1,106)

(1,805)

–

–

31,166

473

(2,926)
–

(40)

–

–

487,960

58,429

67,228

3,629

617,246

117,494

19,634

481

(3,571)
(1,443)

(24,875)

13,101

10,200

and non-controlling interest

343,706

232,172

103,967

Income taxes: 

Current

Future

Deferred (reduction)

(Note 9)

Earnings before goodwill amortization and non-controlling interest

Goodwill amortization, net of tax

Earnings before non-controlling interest

Non-controlling interest

Net earnings

Retained earnings, beginning of year

Adjustment on adoption of liability method of accounting for income taxes

25,753

97,256

–

123,009

220,697

31,785

188,912

868

188,044

342,400

–

36,252

41,599

69,299

–

–

(15,413)

77,851

154,321

22,761

131,560

–

131,560

280,872

(70,032)

53,886

50,081

15,831

34,250

–

34,250

246,622

–

Retained earnings, end of year

$

530,444

$ 342,400

$ 280,872

Earnings per share before goodwill amortization: 

(Note 10)

Basic

Diluted

Earnings per share: 

Basic

Diluted

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements

(Note 10)

$

$

$

$

4.15

4.06

3.55

3.47

$

$

$

$

3.17

3.06

2.70

2.61

$

$

$

$

1.13

1.11

0.77

0.76

54 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOW

(Stated in thousands of dollars except per share amounts)

Years ended December 31,

Cash provided by (used in):

Operations:

Net earnings

Items not affecting cash:

Depreciation and amortization

Goodwill amortization

Future income taxes

Deferred income taxes

Gain on disposal of investments and subsidiary

Amortization of deferred financing costs

Amortization of deferred foreign exchange loss (gain)

Non-controlling interest
Reduction of carrying amount of investments

Reduction of carrying amount of property, plant and equipment

Funds provided by operations

Changes in non-cash working capital balances 

(Note 16)

(Note 12)

Investments:

Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired 

Purchase of property, plant and equipment

Purchase of intangibles

Proceeds on sale of property, plant and equipment

Proceeds on disposal of investments and subsidiary

Investments

Financing:

Increase in long-term debt

Repayment of long-term debt

Deferred financing costs on long-term debt

Issuance of common shares on exercise of options

Issuance of common shares on exercise of warrants

Redemption of warrants
Change in bank indebtedness

Increase (decrease) in cash

Cash, beginning of year

Cash, end of year

Funds provided by operations per share: 

(Note 10)

Basic

Diluted

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements

2001

2000

1999

$ 188,044

$ 131,560

$

34,250

145,120

31,785

97,256

–

(1,805)

1,302

3,103

868
–

–

465,673

(33,443)

432,230

(35,557)

(366,019)

(5,673)

31,001

2,283

227

101,300

22,761

41,599

–

(40)

1,435

(742)

–
–

–

297,873

(60,988)

236,885

(364,959)

(195,377)

(5,627)

20,520

64

95

(373,738)

(545,284)

67,228

15,831

–

(15,413)

(24,875)

1,157

–

–
13,101

10,200

101,479

(62,219)

39,260

2,250

(55,751)

(366)

14,969

121,486

(3,125)

79,463

22,083

(83,437)

(38)

20,294

2,371

–
(27,236)

(65,963)

(7,471)

20,702

13,231

321,543

109,688

(118,219)

(187,860)

(1,973)

21,009

–

(18,924)
73,340

276,776

(31,623)

52,325

–

11,558

–

–
(260)

(66,874)

51,849

476

$

20,702

$

52,325

8.79

8.59

$

$

6.11

5.91

$

$

2.28

2.24

$

$

$

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

55

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Tabular amounts stated in thousands of dollars except per share amounts)

Precision Drilling Corporation (the Corporation) is a vertically integrated oilfield service company, providing oilfield and industrial

services to customers worldwide.

The financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in Canada. Management

is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent

assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported

period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

1

(a)

Significant Accounting Policies:

Principles of consolidation:

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Corporation and its subsidiaries, all of which except one,

are wholly-owned. 

(b)

Inventory:

Inventory is carried at the lower of average cost and replacement value. 

(c)

Property, plant and equipment: 

Drilling rig equipment is depreciated by the unit-of-production method based on 3,650 drilling days with a 20% salvage

value. Drill pipe and drill collars are depreciated over 1,100 drilling days and have no salvage value. Service rig equipment is

depreciated by the unit-of-production method based on 24,000 hours for single and double rigs and 48,000 hours for heavy

double rigs. Service rigs have a 20% salvage value.

Field technical equipment is depreciated by the straight-line method over periods ranging from 2 to 10 years.

Rental equipment is depreciated by the straight-line method over periods ranging from 10 to 15 years. Other equipment is

depreciated by the straight-line method over periods ranging from 3 to 10 years.

Light  duty  vehicles  are  depreciated  by  the  straight-line  method  over  4  years.  Heavy-duty  vehicles  are  depreciated  by  the

straight-line method over periods ranging from 7 to 10 years.

Buildings are depreciated by the straight-line method over periods ranging from 10 to 30 years.

(d)

Intangibles:

Intangibles, which are comprised of acquired patents, are recorded at cost and amortized by the straight-line method over

their useful lives ranging from 5 to 15 years.

(e)

Goodwill:

Goodwill  is  recorded  at  cost  and  amortized  by  the  straight-line  method  over  20  years. The  recoverability  of  goodwill  is

assessed, if indications of impairment are present, based on estimated undiscounted future cash flows.

56 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

(f)

Investments:

Investments in shares of associated companies, over which the Corporation has significant influence, are accounted for by

the  equity  method.  Other  investments  are  carried  at  cost.  If  there  are  other  than  temporary  declines  in  value,  these

investments are written down to their net realizable value.

(g)

Deferred financing costs:

Costs associated with the issuance of long-term debt are deferred and amortized by the straight-line method over the term

of the debt. The amortization is included in interest expense.

(h)

Income taxes:

Effective January 1, 2000, the Corporation adopted the liability method of accounting for future income taxes. Under the

liability  method,  future  income  tax  assets  and  liabilities  are  determined  based  on  “temporary  differences”  (differences

between the accounting basis and the tax basis of the assets and liabilities), and are measured using the currently enacted, or

substantively enacted, tax rates and laws expected to apply when these differences reverse. Income tax expense is the sum of

the Corporation’s provision for current income taxes and the difference between opening and ending balances of the future

income tax assets and liabilities.

Prior to adoption of this new accounting standard, income tax expense was determined using the deferral method. Under

this method, deferred income tax expense was determined based on “timing differences” (differences between the accounting

and tax treatment of expense or income items), and were measured using the tax rates in effect in the year the differences

originated.

The Corporation adopted the new income tax accounting standard retroactively, without restating the financial statements

of any prior period. As a result, the Corporation recorded an adjustment to retained earnings and future tax liability, formerly

the deferred tax liability, in the amount of $70.0 million as at January 1, 2000.

(i)

Revenue recognition:

Revenue  is  primarily  recognized  as  services  are  rendered  based  upon  agreed  daily,  hourly  or  job  rates. The  Corporation’s

manufacturing activities relate to equipment sale contracts which follow the percentage of completion method of revenue

recognition.

(j)

Post-employment benefits:

The Corporation entered into an employment agreement with a senior officer, which provides for certain post-employment

benefits. Costs of these benefits are charged to earnings on a straight-line basis over ten years.

(k)

Foreign currency translation:

Accounts  of  foreign  operations,  all  of  which  are  considered  financially  and  operationally  integrated,  are  translated  to

Canadian  dollars  using  average  exchange  rates  for  the  year  for  revenue  and  expenses.  Monetary  assets  and  liabilities  are

translated at the year end current exchange rate and non-monetary assets and liabilities are translated using historical rates

of exchange. Gains or losses resulting from these translation adjustments are included in net earnings.

Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at rates in effect at the time of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities

are translated at current rates. Gains and losses are included in income except gains and losses related to foreign currency

denominated long-term debt, which are deferred and amortized over the term of the debt. 

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

57

(l)

Stock-based compensation plans:

The Corporation has equity incentive plans, which are described in Note 6. No compensation expense is recognized for these

plans when stock options are issued. Any consideration received on exercise of the stock options is credited to share capital.

(m)

Research and engineering:

Research and engineering costs are charged to income as incurred. Costs associated with the development of new operating

tools  and  systems  are  expensed  during  the  period  unless  the  recovery  of  these  costs  can  be  reasonably  assured  given  the

existing and anticipated future industry conditions. Upon successful completion and field testing of the tools any deferred

costs are transferred to the related capital asset accounts.

(n)

Per share amounts:

Basic per share amounts are calculated using the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the year. Diluted per

share amounts are calculated based on the treasury stock method, which assumes that any proceeds obtained on exercise of

options would be used to purchase common shares at the average market price during the period. The weighted average

number of shares outstanding is then adjusted by the net change. 

(o)

Comparative figures:

Certain comparative figures have been reclassified to conform with the current financial statement presentation.

2

3

Inventory:

Finished goods and work in progress

Operating supplies

Manufacturing parts and materials

Property, Plant and Equipment:

2001
Rig equipment
Field technical equipment
Rental equipment
Other equipment
Vehicles
Buildings
Land

2000
Rig equipment
Field technical equipment
Rental equipment
Other equipment
Vehicles
Buildings
Land

58 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

2001

$

55,118

$

30,020

26,255

$ 111,393

$

2000
52,600

16,123

16,965

85,688

Accumulated
Cost Depreciation

Net Book
Value

$ 1,022,281
365,858
96,509
167,292
72,276
52,734
14,679
$ 1,791,629

$

848,476
306,552
86,656
112,690
67,968
44,935
14,426
$ 1,481,703

$ 215,862
31,669
28,211
71,243
15,413
10,622
–
$ 373,020

$ 163,244
20,384
23,321
41,335
13,608
7,766
–
$ 269,658

$ 806,419
334,189
68,298
96,049
56,863
42,112
14,679
$1,418,609

$ 685,232
286,168
63,335
71,355
54,360
37,169
14,426
$ 1,212,045

Effective January 1, 2001, the Corporation changed its estimated salvage value on drilling and service rigs from nil to 20%.

The impact of this change in estimate resulted in a reduction of related depreciation expense in the year ended December

31, 2001 by $10.5 million and an increase in net earnings after income taxes of $6.1 million ($0.11 per share - Diluted).

4 Other Assets:

Investments, at cost less provision for impairment
Investments, at equity
Deferred financing costs, net of accumulated amortization
Deferred foreign exchange loss, net of accumulated amortization 

5

Long-Term Debt:

Unsecured debentures – Series 1 
Unsecured debentures – Series 2 
EDC facility (US $13,194)
EDC facility (US $40,000)
Extendable revolving unsecured facility 
Equipment loans 
Capital lease obligations 

Less amounts due within one year 

2001
4,280
2,273
7,663
2,955
17,171

$

$

2000
4,125
3,183
8,927
210
16,445

$

$

2001
$ 200,000
150,000
21,025
63,740
79,781
11,114
2,283
527,943
31,743
$ 496,200

2000
$ 200,000
150,000
27,712
75,010
94,468
30,760
5,499
583,449
35,353
$ 548,096

The $200.0 million 6.85% Series 1 unsecured debentures mature June 26, 2007 and have an effective interest rate of 7.44%

after  taking  into  account  deferred  financing  costs.  The  debentures  are  redeemable  at  any  time  at  the  option  of  the

Corporation upon payment of a redemption price equal to the greater of an amount calculated with reference to the yield

on a Government of Canada bond with the same maturity, and par.

The $150.0 million 7.65% Series 2 unsecured debentures mature October 27, 2010 and have an effective interest rate of

7.71% after taking into account deferred financing costs. The debentures are redeemable at any time at the option of the

Corporation upon payment of a redemption price equal to the greater of an amount calculated with reference to the yield

on a Government of Canada bond with the same maturity, and par.

The $21.0 million unsecured term financing facility with Export Development Canada (EDC) is repayable in semi-annual

installments, matures on January 20, 2004 and bears interest at six-month US Libor plus applicable margin. The margin is

dependent upon the Corporation’s credit rating, which at December 31, 2001 resulted in a margin of 0.8%.

The  $63.7  million  unsecured  term  financing  facility  with  EDC  is  repayable  over  five  years  in  semi-annual  installments,

matures September 15, 2005 and bears interest at six-month US Libor plus applicable margin. The margin is dependent

upon the Corporation’s credit rating, which at December 31, 2001 results in a margin of 0.9%.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

59

The Corporation has an extendable revolving unsecured facility of $300.0 million (or US equivalent) with a syndicate led

by a Canadian chartered bank. Advances under the facility bear interest at the bank’s prime lending rate, US base rate, US

Libor plus applicable margin or Bankers’ Acceptance plus applicable margin. The applicable margin is dependent on the

Corporation’s credit rating, which at December 31, 2001 resulted in a margin of 0.75%. The facility is extendable annually

at the option of the lenders. Should this facility not be extended, outstanding amounts will be transferred to a two-year term

facility repayable in equal quarterly installments. As at December 31, 2001 the Corporation had drawn $159.8 million under

this  facility,  $80.0  million  of  which  has  been  included  in  bank  indebtedness  as  the  funds  were  used  to  finance  working

capital.

Equipment loans of $11.1 million bear interest at rates between 7.5% and 9.6% and are repayable in monthly installments.

These loans are secured by specific well servicing equipment.

Principal repayments over the next five years are as follows:

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

6

(a)

Share Capital:

Authorized:

$

31,743

28,426

21,311

16,153

42

unlimited number of non-voting cumulative convertible redeemable preferred shares without nominal or par value

unlimited number of common shares without nominal or par value

(b)

Issued:

Common Shares:

Balance, December 31, 1998

Issued on acquisition of Computalog

Issued on acquisition of Underbalanced

Options exercised

Balance, December 31, 1999

Issued on acquisition of Plains

Issued on acquisition of CenAlta

Issued on acquisition of AQRIT assets

Options exercised

Warrants issued on acquisition of Plains

Warrants repurchased by the Corporation

Balance, December 31, 2000

Options exercised

Warrants exercised

Balance, December 31, 2001

60 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

Issued

Number

Amount

42,078,518

$ 504,541

4,031,441

217,158

835,902

106,107

5,716

11,559

47,163,019

$ 627,923

113,882

4,025,743

48,000

932,409

6,555

202,535

2,500

21,009

52,283,053

$ 860,522

22,897

(18,924)

52,283,053

$ 864,495

855,935

37,050
53,176,038

20,294

2,371
$ 887,160

➧
➧
(c)

Warrants:

Each of the 351,604 warrants outstanding at December 31, 2000 entitled the holder thereof to acquire one common share

at an exercise price of $64.00. Holders of 37,050 warrants exercised their right to acquire common shares during the year.

The remainder of the warrants expired on December 31, 2001.

(d)

Equity Incentive Plans:

The Corporation has equity incentive plans under which a combined total of 5,236,351 options to purchase common shares

are reserved to be granted to employees and directors. Of the amount reserved, 4,406,281 options have been granted. Under

these plans, the exercise price of each option equals the fair market value of the Corporation’s common shares on the date of

the grant and an option’s maximum term is 10 years. Options vest over a period from 1 to 4 years from the date of grant as

employees or directors render continuous service to the Corporation.

A summary of the status of the equity incentive plans as at December 31, 1999, 2000 and 2001, and changes during the

periods then ended is presented below:

Outstanding at December 31, 1998

Granted
Exercised
Cancelled or expired

Outstanding at December 31, 1999

Granted
Exercised
Cancelled or expired

Outstanding at December 31, 2000

Granted
Exercised
Cancelled or expired

Outstanding at December 31, 2001

Options

Outstanding
3,370,600
1,718,540
(835,902)
(313,400)
3,939,838
1,615,474
(932,409)
(148,800)
4,474,103
1,055,350
(855,935)
(267,237)
4,406,281

Range of

Exercise Price
44.38
33.60
34.50
34.50
44.38
54.20
34.50
40.25
54.20
65.90
44.38
52.39
65.90

$ 6.50 –
13.50 –
6.50 –
7.00 –
$ 13.50 –
25.50 –
13.50 –
16.30 –
$ 13.50 –
31.05 –
13.50 –
25.50 –
$ 13.50 –

Weighted

Average

Exercise

Price
$ 15.89
28.12
13.87
24.21
$ 25.57
39.51
22.53
28.55
$ 31.18
44.03
23.71
38.63
$ 35.21

Options

Exercisable
772,000

827,097

946,087

1,217,428

The range of exercise prices for options outstanding at December 31, 2001 are as follows:

Range of Exercise Prices:
$ 13.50 - 19.99
20.00 - 29.99
30.00 - 39.99
40.00 - 49.99
50.00 - 59.99
60.00 - 65.90
$ 13.50 - 65.90

Total Options Outstanding

Exercisable Options

Weighted

Average

Weighted Remaining

Average Contractual

Exercise

Price
$ 14.46
25.66
34.35
41.59
53.63
65.84
$ 35.21

Life

(years)
2.24
1.13
2.96
4.38
5.38
4.53
3.24

Number
83,593
420,835
554,350
133,975
24,675
–
1,217,428

Weighted

Average

Exercise

Price
$ 15.11
25.36
34.33
41.59
52.98
–
$ 31.09

Number
392,543
544,448
1,978,940
1,063,950
393,900
32,500
4,406,281

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

61

7 Employee Retirement Plan:

The  Corporation  has  a  defined  contribution  retirement  plan  covering  a  significant  number  of  its  employees.  The

Corporation  matches  individual  member  contributions  up  to  5%  of  the  member’s  base  earnings.  Employer  matching

contributions under the plan totalled $6.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2001 (year ended December 31, 2000

- $4.3 million, year ended December 31, 1999 – $3.0 million).

8

COMMITMENTS:

The Corporation has commitments for operating lease agreements, primarily for vehicles and office space, in the aggregate

amount of $124.6 million. Payments over the next five years are as follows:

2002
2003
2004
2005
2006

Rent expense included in the statements of earnings for the years ended December 31 is as follows:

2001
2000
1999

9 Income Taxes:

$ 32,055
26,062
18,535
13,327
10,217

$ 16,923
12,064
5,322

The provision for income taxes differs from that which would be expected by applying statutory rates. A reconciliation of

the difference is as follows:

Earnings before income taxes and non-controlling interest
Income tax rate
Expected income tax provision
Add (deduct):

Non-deductible expenses
Utilization of prior period losses
Non-deductible amortization
Income taxed in jurisdictions with lower tax rates
Reduction of carrying amounts of investments
Other

Reduction of future tax balances due to substantively enacted 

tax rate reductions

$

2001
311,921
42%
131,007

2000
$ 209,411
45%
94,235

$

4,259
–
13,096
(18,102)
–
(1,287)
128,973

1,458
(1,828)
10,106
(5,869)
–
(317)
97,785

1999
88,136
45%
39,661

1,313
(1,657)
10,146
–
4,926
(503)
53,886

(5,964)
123,009

(19,934)
77,851

$

$

$

–
53,886

During 2001, the Province of Alberta enacted a 2% reduction in tax rates, which has been reflected as a reduction in future

tax expense in 2001. In addition, during 2000, the Federal Government of Canada introduced tax rate reductions to be

implemented  over  the  period  from  2001  to  2004. The  effect  of  the  7%  tax  rate  reduction,  from  29%  to  22%,  on  the

Corporation’s future tax balances was reflected as a reduction of future tax expense in 2000.

62 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

The  Corporation’s  operations  are  complex  and  the  computation  of  the  provision  for  income  taxes  involves  tax

interpretations,  regulations  and  legislation  that  are  continually  changing.  There  are  tax  matters  that  have  not  yet  been

confirmed by taxation authorities, however, management believes that the provision for income taxes is adequate.

The net future tax liability is comprised of the tax effect of the following temporary differences:

Liabilities:

Property, plant and equipment and intangibles

Assets held in partnership with different tax year

Deferred financing costs

Assets:

Losses carried forward

Accrued liabilities

2001

2000

$ 269,360

$ 220,364

122,124

2,805

394,289

33,449

4,432 

67,332

3,358

291,054

30,528

2,902

37,881
$ 356,408

33,430
$ 257,624

The Corporation has available losses of $128.4 million of which the benefit of $87.2 million has been recognized. These

losses expire from time to time up to 2008.

10 Per Share Amounts:

Per  share  amounts  have  been  calculated  on  the  weighted  average  number  of  common  shares  outstanding. The  weighted

average  shares  outstanding  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2001  was  52,952,879  (year  ended  December  31,  2000  –

48,722,141; year ended December 31, 1999 – 44,499,837).

Effective January 1, 2001, the Corporation adopted the treasury stock method of calculating diluted earnings per share as

recommended by the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants. The treasury stock method assumes that any proceeds

obtained upon the exercise of options would be used to purchase common shares at the average market price during the

period. The diluted shares outstanding for the year ended December 31, 2001 was 54,198,348 (year ended December 31,

2000 – 50,431,349; year ended December 31, 1999 – 45,276,180). Comparative per share - diluted amounts have been

restated to reflect this change.

11 Significant Customers:

During  the  years  ended  December  31,  2001,  2000  and  1999,  no  one  customer  accounted  for  more  than  10%  of  the

Corporation’s revenue.  

12 Business Acquisitions:

During the year ended December 31, 2001, the Corporation completed business acquisitions, the most significant of which

was the acquisition of all the issued and outstanding shares of BecField Drilling Services Ltd. (BecField) in January 2001.

BecField  provides  directional  drilling  and  measurement-while-drilling  services  through  its  technical  field  and  support

personnel to the onshore and offshore oil and gas industry. It has established operations in Europe and the Middle East.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

63

The  acquisitions  have  been  accounted  for  by  the  purchase  method  with  results  of  operations  of  the  acquired  businesses

included in the financial statements from the effective dates of acquisition. The details of the acquisitions are as follows:

Net assets acquired at assigned values:

Working capital 
Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill
Future income taxes

Consideration:
Cash 

(a) Includes cash of $1,880

(b) Includes cash of $1,115

BecField

Other

Total

2,446(a) $
5,036
23,877
–
31,359

$

1,136(b) $
4,074
2,783
(800)
7,193

$

3,582 
9,110
26,660
(800)
38,552

31,359

$

7,193

$

38,552

$

$

$

During the year ended December 31, 2000, the Corporation completed business acquisitions, the most significant of which

were:

Acquisition of all the issued and outstanding shares of Plains Energy Services Ltd. (Plains) in July 2000. Plains provides

wireline, surface control systems, well servicing and contract drilling services to the oil and gas industry and engineers,

manufactures, sells and operates specialty products, tools and equipment.

Acquisition of all the issued and outstanding shares of CenAlta Energy Services Inc. (CenAlta) in October 2000. CenAlta

provides equipment and crews for the servicing and drilling of oil and natural gas wells in western Canada.

Acquisition  of  the  global  directional  drilling  and  electromagnetic  measurement-while-drilling  business  and  associated

assets from Geoservices S.A. (Geoservices) in October 2000.

The acquisitions have been accounted for by the purchase method with results of operations of the acquired entities included

in the financial statements from the effective dates of acquisition. The details of the acquisitions are as follows:

Net assets acquired at assigned values:

Working capital 

$

11,178

$

(2,240)

$

6,717

$

18

$

15,673

Plains

CenAlta

Geoservices

Other

Total

Property, plant and equipment

122,207

219,411

Intangibles 

Goodwill 

Other assets 

Long-term debt 

Future income taxes

Consideration:

Common shares 

Warrants 

Cash

2,640

188,540

28

(42,535)

(4,755)

–

72,351

–

(50,725)

(34,262)

$ 277,303

$ 204,535

$

6,555

$ 202,535

22,897

247,851

–

2,000

$

$

$ 277,303

$ 204,535

$

20,879

64,621

–

–

–

–

92,217

–

–

92,217

92,217

13,793

3,608

7,972

–

–

–

376,290

70,869

268,863

28

(93,260)

(39,017)

$

$

$

25,391

$ 599,446

2,500

$ 211,590

–

22,891

25,391

22,897

364,959

$ 599,446

64 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

➧
➧
➧
The following proforma information provides an indication of what the Corporation’s results of operations would have been

had Plains and CenAlta been acquired effective January 1, 2000:

Revenues
Earnings before goodwill amortization
Net earnings
Earnings per share before goodwill amortization:

Basic
Diluted

Earnings per share:

Basic
Diluted

2000

$ 1,546,431
129,692
99,304

2.50
2.41

1.91
1.85

During the year ended December 31, 1999 the Corporation completed several acquisitions, the most significant of which

were:

Acquisition  of  all  the  issued  and  outstanding  shares  of  Computalog  Ltd.  (Computalog)  in  July  1999.  Computalog

provides electric wireline logging services and directional drilling services to the oil and gas industry and manufactures

and sells specialty products, tools and equipment.

Acquisition  of  all  the  issued  and  outstanding  shares  of  Underbalanced  Drilling  Systems  Ltd.  (Underbalanced)  in  July

1999. Underbalanced provides a service gas for use in underbalanced drilling applications.

The acquisitions have been accounted for by the purchase method with results of operations of the acquired entities included

in the financial statements from the effective dates of acquisition. The details of the acquisitions are as follows:

Computalog Underbalanced

Other

Total

Net assets acquired at assigned values:

Working capital
Property, plant and equipment

Intangibles

Investments

Deferred financing costs

Goodwill

Long-term debt
Deferred income taxes

Consideration:

Common Shares

Carrying amount of Computalog shares

acquired prior to April 30, 1999

Carrying amount of investment 

prior to January 1, 1999

Cash

(a)

(b)

Includes cash of $9,392

Includes cash of $100 

$

$

$

49,798 (a)
82,112

$

516

3,204

321

55,518

(52,165)
(5,663)

133,641

106,107

23,070

–

4,464

$

$

$

133,641

$

(303)(b)
6,813

336

–

–

–

(911)
–

5,935

5,716

–

–

219

5,935

$

(3)

$

10,716

–

–

–

655

(7,279)
(2)

4,087

–

– 

1,528

2,559

4,087

$

$

$

49,492

99,641

852

3,204

321

56,173

(60,355)
(5,665)

143,663

111,823

23,070

1,528

7,242

$

$

$

143,663

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

65

➧
➧
13 United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles:

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Canadian GAAP which, in the case of the Corporation

conform with United States GAAP in all material respects, except as follows:

(a)

Income taxes:

In 2000 the Corporation adopted the liability method as described in Note 1 without restatement of prior years. As a result,

the  Corporation  recorded  an  adjustment  to  retained  earnings  and  future  tax  liability  in  the  amount  of  $70.0  million  at

January 1, 2000. US GAAP required the use of the liability method prescribed in the Statement of Financial Accounting

Standards (SFAS) No. 109, which substantially conforms with the Canadian GAAP accounting standard adopted in 2000.

Application of US GAAP in years prior to 2000 would have resulted in $70.0 million of additional goodwill being recognized

at January 1, 2000 as opposed to an implementation adjustment to retained earnings allowed under Canadian GAAP. In

2000  and  2001  the  US  GAAP  financial  statements  would  reflect  an  increase  in  goodwill  of  $66.5  and  $63.0  million,

respectively, and a corresponding increase in retained earnings. An additional charge to earnings of $3.5 million would be

required related to this goodwill in each of 2000 and 2001.

Under Canadian GAAP, future tax liabilities and assets are calculated by reference to current tax legislation and proposed

legislation that is considered substantively enacted but not yet enacted into law. US GAAP requires that only enacted income

tax legislation be used for calculation of future tax amounts. In 2000 the Federal Government of Canada introduced tax rate

reductions that were substantively enacted at December 31, 2000 but that were not passed into legislation until 2001. The

resulting reduction of future tax balances recognized under Canadian GAAP in 2000 would not be recognized under US

GAAP until 2001.

(b)

Translation of foreign currency denominated debt:

Under Canadian GAAP, gains and losses on translation of foreign currency denominated debt are deferred and amortized

over the debt term. US GAAP requires that such gains and losses be included in the determination of income. Effective

January 1, 2002, Canadian GAAP has changed to conform to US GAAP with respect to the treatment of gains and losses

on translation of foreign currency denominated debt.

The application of US accounting principles would have the following impact on the consolidated financial statements:

Consolidated Statements of Earnings

Years ended December 31,

Net earnings under Canadian GAAP

Adjustments under US GAAP:

Goodwill amortization

Income tax rate

Foreign currency translation

Net income and comprehensive income under US GAAP

Earnings per share under US GAAP:

Basic

Diluted

2001

2000

1999

$

188,044

$ 131,560

$

34,250

(3,502)

19,934

(1,563)

(3,502)

(19,934)

(210)

202,913

$ 107,914

3.83

3.74

$

$

2.22

2.14

–

–

2,421

36,671

0.80

0.79

$

$

$

$

$

$

66 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

Balance Sheets

Current assets

Property, plant and equipment

Intangibles

Goodwill

Other assets

Current liabilities

Long-term debt

Future income taxes

Non-controlling interest

Shareholders’ equity

Stock Compensation

December 31, 2001

December 31, 2000

As reported

US GAAP

As reported

US GAAP

$

599,152

$

599,152

$ 533,257

$ 533,257

1,418,609

1,418,609

1,212,045

1,212,045

74,004

545,377

17,171

74,004

608,406

14,216

75,887

550,502

16,445

75,887

617,032

16,235

$ 2,654,313

$ 2,714,387

$ 2,388,136

$ 2,454,456

$

383,233

$

383,233

$ 375,521

$ 375,521

496,200

356,408

868

496,200

355,226

868

548,096

257,624

–

548,096

277,558

–

1,417,604

1,478,860

1,206,895

1,253,281

$ 2,654,313

$ 2,714,387

$ 2,388,136

$ 2,454,456

Under Canadian GAAP, no compensation cost has been recognized for stock options in the financial statements. Under US

GAAP,  the  Corporation  applied  Accounting  Principles  Board  Opinion  No.  25  in  accounting  for  stock  options  and,

accordingly,  no  compensation  cost  is  recognized  in  earnings. The  per  share  weighted  average  fair  value  of  stock  options

granted  during  the  year  ended  December  31,  2001  was  $19.87  (year  ended  December  31,  2000  –  $18.21;  year  ended

December  31,  1999  –  $8.66)  on  the  date  of  grant  using  the  Black  Scholes  option  pricing  model  with  the  following

assumptions: risk free interest rate of 5.75%, expected life of five years and expected volatility of 49% (year ended December

31, 2000 – risk free rate of 6%, expected life of five years and expected volatility of 61%; year ended December 31, 1999 –

risk free rate of 5%, expected life of five years and expected volatility of 46%).

Had the Corporation determined compensation cost based on the fair value at the date of grant for its stock options under

SFAS 123, net earnings in accordance with US GAAP would have decreased by $12.2 million to $190.7 million (basic EPS

- $3.60) for the year ended December 31, 2001, decreased by $16.8 million to $91.2 million (basic EPS - $1.87) for the

year  ended  December  21,  2000  and  decreased  by  $6.3  million  to  $27.9  million  (basic  EPS  –  $0.63)  for  the  year  ended

December 31, 1999. These pro forma earnings reflect compensation cost amortized over the option’s vesting period.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

67

14 Segmented Information:

The Corporation operates in three industry segments. The Contract Drilling Group includes drilling rigs, service rigs and

hydraulic  well  assist  snubbing  units,  procurement  and  distribution  of  oilfield  supplies,  camp  and  catering  services,  and

manufacture, sale and repair of drilling equipment. The Technology Services Group includes wireline, directional drilling,

measurement-while-drilling/logging-while-drilling services, well testing, pumping services for cementing, fracturing and well

stimulation,  the  design,  manufacture  and  marketing  of  downhole  completion  tools  and  the  design,  manufacture  and

marketing  of  polycrystalline  diamond  compact  drill  bits. The  Rental  and  Production  Group  includes  oilfield  equipment

rental services, industrial process services and compression equipment packaging, rental, sales and service. 

Rental and
Production
Group

Corporate
and Other

$

$

$

$

$

$

271,880
51,678
–
14,934
241,044
27,352

239,220
43,289
–
13,995
203,113
21,828

178,938
19,705
–
14,575
188,524
15,800

Total

$1,953,563
384,377
32,440
145,120
2,654,313
371,692

$ 1,355,453
260,845
20,288
101,300
2,388,136
201,004

2,224
(30,710)
–
3,019
62,646
18,218

264
(25,697)
–
1,142
90,336
3,210

–
(6,871)
–
312
72,438
3,509

$ 734,740
117,494
3,629
67,228
1,433,866
56,117

2001

Revenue
Operating earnings
Research and engineering
Depreciation and amortization
Assets
Capital expenditures*

2000

Revenue
Operating earnings
Research and engineering
Depreciation and amortization
Assets
Capital expenditures*

1999

Revenue
Operating earnings
Research and engineering
Depreciation and amortization
Assets
Capital expenditures*

*

excludes business acquisitions

Contract
Drilling
Group

$1,010,020
298,100
–
75,511
1,367,678
122,575

Technology
Services
Group

$ 669,439
65,309
32,440
51,656
982,945
203,547

$ 743,544
212,633
–
58,194
1,376,007
97,498

$ 372,425
30,620
20,288
27,969
718,680
78,468

$ 429,848
97,864
–
40,036
827,412
27,670

$ 125,954
6,796
3,629
12,305
345,492
9,138

68 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

The Corporation’s operations are carried on in the following geographic locations:

2001

Revenue
Assets

2000

Revenue
Assets

1999

Revenue
Assets

15 Financial Instruments:

(a)

Fair value:

Canada

International

Total

$ 1,412,370
2,178,732

$ 541,193
475,581

$1,953,563
2,654,313

$ 1,105,183
2,048,219

$ 250,270
339,917

$ 1,355,453
2,388,136

$

615,222
1,271,228

$ 119,518
162,638

$ 734,740
1,433,866

The carrying value of cash, accounts receivable and accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate their fair value due

to the relatively short period to maturity of the instruments. The fair value of long-term debt, exclusive of the unsecured

debentures, approximates its carrying value as it bears interest at floating rates. The $200 million Series 1 debentures have a

fair value of approximately $201.5 million as at December 31, 2001 (December 31, 2000 – $199.5 million) and the $150

million Series 2 unsecured debentures have a fair value of approximately $153.2 million at December 31, 2001 (December

31, 2000 - $152.6 million). As at December 31, 2001 investments have a carrying value of $6.6 million (December 31, 2000

- $7.3 million) and a fair value of approximately $7.8 million (December 31, 2000 - $12.0 million).

(b)

Credit risk:

Accounts receivable includes balances from a large number of customers. The Corporation assesses the credit worthiness of

its  customers  on  an  ongoing  basis  as  well  as  monitoring  the  amount  and  age  of  balances  outstanding.  Accordingly,  the

Corporation views the credit risks on these amounts as normal for the industry. As at December 31, 2001 the Corporation’s

allowance for doubtful accounts was $13.0 million (December 31, 2000 - $8.2 million).

(c)

Interest rate risk:

The Corporation manages its exposure to interest rate risks through a combination of fixed and floating rate borrowings. As

at December 31, 2001, 40% of its total long-term debt was in floating rate borrowings. 

(d)

Foreign currency risk:

The Corporation is exposed to foreign currency fluctuations in relation to its international operations, however, management

believes this exposure is not material to its overall operations.

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

69

16 Supplemental Cash Flow Information:

Cash interest paid
Cash income taxes paid
Components of change in non-cash working capital balances:

Accounts receivable
Inventory
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Income taxes payable

The components of accounts payable and accrued liabilities are as follows:

Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities:

Payroll
Other

17 Contingencies:

2001

45,967
11,066

$

2000

29,504
34,771

(41,608)
(24,024)
17,503
14,686
(33,443)

$ (120,686)
(6,391)
64,479
1,610
(60,988)

$

$

$

$

2001
58,228

$

1999

16,663
120,238

(48,414)
(4,927)
16,072
(24,950)
(62,219)

2000
68,903

$

$

$

$

58,117
136,997
$ 253,342

50,522
108,123
$ 227,548

The Corporation, through the performance of its services and product sales obligations, is sometimes named as a defendant

in litigation. The nature of these claims is usually related to personal injury, completed operations or product liability. The

Corporation maintains a level of insurance coverage deemed appropriate by management and for matters for which insurance

coverage can be maintained. The Corporation has no outstanding claims having a potentially material adverse effect on the

Corporation as a whole.

70 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE – SHARE TRADING SUMMARY

Canadian

2001

March 31
June 30
September 30
December 31

2000

March 31
June 30
September 30
December 31

1999

March 31
June 30
September 30
December 31

High
($)

Low
($)

Close
($)

Volume
of Shares

Value
($)

72.00
68.00
49.50
42.75
72.00

48.95
59.50
59.00
57.15
59.50

21.50
30.75
40.60
39.45
40.60

50.00
46.36
30.65
31.58
30.65

33.90
43.80
47.90
39.30
33.90

13.25
18.45
27.05
28.25
13.25

56.60
47.35
33.40
41.06
41.06

48.55
57.20
53.85
56.25
56.25

19.50
28.00
34.00
37.00
37.00

17,872,755
15,507,944
25,231,371
22,194,662
80,806,732

1,086,989,966
911,351,354
998,766,128
828,520,975
3,825,628,423

15,684,504
15,846,874
13,604,034
15,461,804
60,597,216

643,952,179
851,428,913
731,986,873
747,323,156
2,974,691,121

13,718,204
14,673,427
14,029,216
8,875,591
51,296,438

234,035,097
384,072,934
487,923,911
294,174,872
1,400,206,814

THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE – SHARE TRADING SUMMARY

US

2001

March 31
June 30
September 30
December 31

2000

March 31
June 30
September 30
December 31

1999

March 31
June 30
September 30
December 31

High
($)

Low
($)

Close
($)

Volume
of Shares

Value
($)

46.40
44.50
32.46
27.19
46.40

33.75
40.38
39.56
37.94
40.38

14.00
21.13
27.75
26.94
27.75

33.06
30.50
19.45
19.99
19.45

23.31
29.38
32.38
25.56
23.31

8.81
12.31
18.38
19.13
8.81

38.69
34.45
30.16
21.38
21.38

33.38
38.63
35.63
37.53
37.53

13.00
19.06
23.19
25.69
25.69

20,606,300
20,758,600
18,852,700
23,467,000
83,684,600

816,043,158
808,735,284
523,502,280
555,447,564
2,703,728,286

14,504,500
14,323,200
12,586,000
15,878,300
57,292,000

416,080,112
512,362,421
455,927,521
491,100,502
1,875,470,556

4,453,900
7,252,400
9,008,500
9,422,900
30,137,700

50,536,487
126,663,654
212,591,281
212,297,850
602,089,272

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

71

STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS AND RETAINED EARNINGS

($ millions except per share amounts)

Revenue
Expenses:

Operating
General and administrative
Depreciation and amortization
Research and engineering

Operating earnings
Interest, net
Dividend income
Gain on disposal of investments and subsidiary 
Reduction of carrying amount of investments
Reduction of carrying amount of property, 

plant and equipment
Forgiveness of long-term debt
Earnings before taxes, goodwill amortization 

and non-controlling interest

Income taxes
Earnings before goodwill amortization 
and non-controlling interest

Goodwill amortization
Earnings before non-controlling interest
Non-controlling interest
Net earnings
Retained earnings, beginning of period
Adjustment on adoption of liability method of 

accounting for income taxes

Adjustment on purchase and cancellation of share capital
Retained earnings, end of period

Earnings before goodwill amortization per share:

Basic ($)
Diluted ($)

Earnings per share:
Basic ($)
Diluted ($)

(1) not available

Years ended

December 31
2000

2001

1,953.6

1,355.5

1,238.1
153.5
145.1
32.5
384.4
43.6
(1.1)
(1.8)
–

–
–

343.7
123.0

220.7
31.8
188.9
0.9
188.0
342.4

–
–
530.4

4.15
4.06

3.55
3.47

870.2
102.9
101.3
20.3
260.8
28.6
–
–
–

–
–

232.2
77.9

154.3
22.7
131.6
–
131.6
280.9

(70.1)
–
342.4

3.17
3.06

2.70
2.61

1999

734.7

488.0
58.4
67.2
3.6
117.5
16.5
(1.4)
(24.9)
13.1

10.2
–

104.0
53.9

50.1
15.8
34.3
–
34.3
246.6

–
–
280.9

1.13
1.11

0.77
0.76

Years ended

April 30
1995

178.6

122.4
12.1
9.8
–
34.3
1.5
(0.7)
–
–

–
–

33.5
16.4

17.1
–
17.1
0.2
16.9
20.7

–
(0.2)
37.4

1.03
1.00

1.03
1.00

1999

693.9

450.1
51.1
61.1
–
131.6
18.9
(17.8)
(17.0)
11.0

10.2
–

126.3
58.0

68.3
14.9
53.4
–
53.4
206.9

–
–
260.3

1.62
1.60

1.27
1.25

1990

31.7

24.7
3.9
1.1
–
2.0
1.2
–
–
–

5.1
(5.2)

0.9
–

0.9
–
0.9
–
0.9
5.7

–
–
6.6

0.08
n/a(1)

0.08
n/a(1)

72 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

ADDITIONAL SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

($ millions except per share amounts)

Returns:

Return on sales(1)
Return on assets(2)
Return on equity(3)

Financial position:

Working capital
Current ratio
Property, plant, equipment and intangibles
Total assets
Long-term debt
Shareholders’ equity
Long-term debt to shareholders’ equity

Other Financial Data:

Net capital expenditures excluding business acquisitions
EBITDA (4)
EBITDA – % of revenue
Operating earnings
Operating earnings – % of revenue
Cash flow(5)
Cash flow per share ($)

Basic
Diluted

Book value per share ($)(6)
Price earnings ratio(7)
Weighted average common shares outstanding (000’s)

Years ended
December 31
2000

Years ended
April 30
1995

1999

1999

9.7%
7.5%
13.5%

157.7
1.42
1,287.9
2,388.1
548.1
1,206.9
0.45

180.5
362.1
26.7%
260.8
19.2%
297.9

6.11
5.91
24.77
20.8
48,722

4.7%
2.6%
4.2%

162.9
1.85
761.6
1,436.3
226.8
908.8
0.25

41.1
184.9
25.2%
117.5
16.0%
101.5

2.28
2.24
20.42
48.1
44,500

7.7%
9.3%
15.9%

91.2
1.54
683.5
1,247.7
215.0
768.3
0.28

88.3
192.7
27.8%
131.6
19.0%
95.8

2.27
2.25
18.26
19.8
42,086

9.5%
14.7%
29.1%

8.4
1.21
66.8
119.1
1.4
67.0
0.02

11.8
44.1
24.7%
34.3
19.2%
28.3

1.73
1.68
4.09
6.7
16,398

1990

2.8%
3.2%
7.0%

3.8
1.53
15.7
27.4
5.6
12.7
0.44

1.1
3.1
9.8%
2.0
6.2%
2.0

0.18
n/a(8)
1.14
17.4
11,218

2001

9.6%
7.4%
14.1%

215.9
1.56
1,492.6
2,654.3
496.2
1,417.6
0.35

340.7
529.5
27.1%
384.4
19.7%
465.7

8.79
8.59
26.77
11.6
52,953

(1) Return on sales was calculated by dividing net earning by total revenues
(2)  Return on assets was calculated by dividing net earnings by quarter average total assets
(3)  Return on equity was calculated by dividing net earnings by quarter average total shareholders’ equity
(4)  Earnings  before  net  interest,  taxes,  depreciation,  amortization,  non-controlling  interest,  dividend  income,  gain  on  disposal  of  investments  and 
subsidiary, reduction in carrying amounts of investments and property, plant and equipment and forgiveness of long-term debt. EBITDA is not a 
recognized measure under Canadian GAAP. Management believes that in addition to net earnings, EBITDA is a useful supplemental measure as 
it provides an indication of the results generated by the Corporation's principle business activities prior to consideration of how those activities are 
financed or how the results are taxed in various jurisdictions and prior to the impact of depreciation and amortization. Investors should be cautioned, 
however, that EBITDA should not be construed as an alternative to net earnings determined in accordance with GAAP as an indicator of Precision's 
performance. Precision's method of calculating EBITDA may differ from other companies and, accordingly, EBITDA may not be comparable to 
measures used by other companies.

(5)  Funds provided from operations excluding forgiveness of debt for 1990
(6)  Book value per share was calculated by dividing shareholders’ equity by total weighted average number of common shares outstanding
(7)  Year end closing price divided by basic earnings per share
(8)  Not available

PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT  ➧

73

SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION

HEAD OFFICE

OTHER INTERNATIONAL OFFICES

OFFICERS

Precision Drilling Corporation
4200, 150-6th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 3Y7
Telephone: (403) 716-4500
Facsimile: (403) 264-0251
Website: www.precisiondrilling.com

INTERNATIONAL CENTERS

United States
Suite 1700
363 N. Sam Houston Parkway East
Houston, Texas 77060, US 
Telephone: (281) 260-5600
Facsimile: (281) 260-5670

Latin America
Av. la Estancia
Centro Ciudad Comercial Tamanaca
Torre B, Piso 1, Oficina B105
Chuao, Caracas, Venezuela
Codigo Postal 1064
Telephone: 58-212-959-6211
Facsimile: 58-212-959-3595

Europe/Africa
Eddesser Strabe 1
31234 Edemissen, Germany
Telephone: 49-5176-9896-11
Facsimile: 49-5176-9896-12

Middle East
P.O. Box 2146 Bin Arrar Building
Floor 2, Office Number 2
Al Najda Street, Abu Dhabi, 
United Arab Emirates
Telephone: 971-2-6747-333
Facsimile: 971-2-6747-373

Asia/Pacific
Jakarta Stock Exchange Building
Tower 2, 23rd Floor, Suite 2303A 
JL. Jend. Suidirman Kav 52-53
Jakarta, 12910  Indonesia
Telephone: 62-21-515-3383
Facsimile: 62-21-515-3385

74 ➧ PRECISION DRILLING 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

Barbados
2nd Floor Trident House,
Broad Street, Bridgetown,
Barbados, West Indies
Telephone: (246) 228-4293
Facsimile: (246) 426-5992

Mexico
Manzana 7, Lote 6,
Parque Industrial del Norte,
Cd. Reynosa, Tamaulipas,
Mexico C.P. 88730
Telephone: 52-8-929-5104
Facsimile: 52-8-929-5114

Hank B. Swartout
Chairman of the Board,
President and Chief Executive Officer

Dale E. Tremblay
Senior Vice President Finance
and Chief Financial Officer

Larry J. Comeau
Senior Vice President
Technology Services Group

M.J. (Mick) McNulty
Vice President Business Development
and Treasurer

Venezuela
Avenida Intercomunal El Tigre-El Tigrito,
Al Lado de American Diesel, 
El Tigre, Estado Anzoategui, Venezuela
Telephone: 58-2832-412701
Facsimile: 58-2832-412822

R.T. (Bob) German
Vice President Finance

Jan M. Campbell
Corporate Secretary

BANKER

Royal Bank of Canada
Calgary, Alberta

LEGAL COUNSEL

Borden Ladner Gervais llp
Calgary, Alberta

AUDITORS

KPMG llp
Calgary, Alberta

DIRECTORS

W.C. (Mickey) Dunn (3)
Edmonton, Alberta

ROBERT J. S. GIBSON
Calgary, Alberta 

(1) (3)

Steven C. Grant (1) (2)
Houston, Texas

Murray K. Mullen (2)
Calgary, Alberta

Brian E. Roberts (3)(4)
Calgary, Alberta

Hank B. Swartout
Calgary, Alberta

H. Garth Wiggins (1)
Calgary, Alberta

(1) Audit Committee Member
(2) Compensation Committee Member
(3) Corporate Governance Committee Member
(4) Not standing for re-election due to term limits

STOCK EXCHANGE LISTINGS

ACCOUNT QUESTIONS

PUBLISHED INFORMATION

If you wish to receive copies of the 2001
Renewal  Annual  Information  Form,  or
additional  copies  of  this  annual  report,
please contact:

Investor Relations
Precision Drilling Corporation
4200, 150-6th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 3Y7
Telephone: 403-716-4500
Fax: 403-264-0251

ESTIMATED INTERIM RELEASE DATES

2002 First Quarter
May 2, 2002

2002 Second Quarter
August 1, 2002

2002 Third Quarter
October 31, 2002

ANNUAL MEETING

The Annual General and Special Meeting
of  the  Shareholders  of  Precision  Drilling
Corporation will be held in the McMurray
Room  of  the  Calgary  Petroleum  Club,
319-5th  Avenue  SW,  Calgary,  Alberta  at
3:30  p.m.  (Calgary  time)  on  May  15,
2002.  Shareholders  are  encouraged  to
attend  and  those  unable  to  do  so  are
requested to complete the Form of Proxy
at their earliest convenience.

Common  shares  of  Precision  Drilling
Corporation  are  listed  on  The  Toronto
Stock Exchange under the trading symbol
PD and on the New York Stock Exchange
under the trading symbol PDS.

SHARE SPLIT

In  1997,  Precision’s  Board  of  Directors
authorized  a  two  for  one  split  of  the
Corporation’s common shares. The record
date for the split was September 30, 1997.

TRADING PROFILE

Toronto
January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2001
High: 
Low: 
Volume traded – 80,806,732 

$72.00
$30.65

New York
January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2001
High:  US$46.40
US$19.45
Low: 
Volume traded – 83,684,600

INVESTOR INFORMATION

As  a  Precision  Drilling  Corporation
shareholder,  you  are  invited  to  take
advantage  of  shareholder  services  or  to
request  more  information  about  the
Corporation.

TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR

Computershare Trust 
Company of Canada
Calgary, Alberta

TRANSFER POINT

Computershare Trust 

Company, Inc.

New York, New York

Our Transfer  Agent  can  help  you  with  a
variety  of  shareholder  related  services,
including:

Change of address
Lost share certificates
Transfer of stock to another person
Estate Settlement

You can call our Transfer Agent toll free at:
1-800-558-0046.

You can write them at:
Computershare Trust 
Company of Canada
600, 530-8th Ave. SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 3S8

Or you can email them at:
caregistryinfo@computershare.com

their 

Shareholders  of  record  who  receive  more
than  one  copy  of  this  annual  report  can
contact our Transfer Agent and arrange to
consolidated.
accounts 
have 
Shareholders  who  own  Precision  shares
through a brokerage firm can contact their
broker  to  request  consolidation  of  their
accounts.

QUARTERLY UPDATES

If  you  would  like  to  receive  quarterly
registered
reports  but  are  not  a 
shareholder,  please  write  or  call  us  with
your  name  and  address.  To  receive  our
news  releases  by  fax,  please  forward  your
fax  number  to  us.  To  receive  our  news
releases by e-mail, please visit our website
at www.precisiondrilling.com and refer to
the Investor Relations section.

ONLINE INFORMATION

Anyone  with  access  to  the  Internet  can
view  this  annual  report  electronically  at
www.precisiondrilling.com

➧
➧
➧
➧
PRECISION DRILLING CORPORATION

4200, 150-6th Avenue SW

Calgary, Alberta T2P 3Y7

Telephone: (403) 716-4500

Facsimile: (403) 264-0251

Website: www.precisiondrilling.com