DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
RELATING TO THE DEBTORS’ JOINT PREPACKAGED PLAN OF
REORGANIZATION PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 11 OF THE BANKRUPTCY CODE

IF YOU ARE IN CLASS 3, CLASS 4, OR CLASS 8 YOU ARE RECEIVING THIS DOCUMENT AND
THE ACCOMPANYING MATERIALS BECAUSE YOU ARE ENTITLED TO VOTE ON THE PLAN

This disclosure statement (this “Disclosure Statement”) provides information regarding the Joint Prepacked Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of FTS International, Inc. and Its Debtor Affiliates (as may be amended, supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Plan”),² for which the Debtors will seek confirmation by the Bankruptcy Court. A copy of the Plan is attached hereto as Exhibit A and is incorporated herein by reference. The Debtors are providing the information in this Disclosure Statement to certain Holders of Claims or Interests for purposes of soliciting votes to accept or reject the Plan.

Pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Restructuring Support Agreement (the “RSA”), the Plan is currently supported by the Debtors and certain Consenting Creditors that have executed the RSA, including holders of approximately 87.56% of Debt Claims.

The consummation and effectiveness of the Plan are subject to certain material conditions precedent described herein and set forth in Article IX of the Plan. There is no assurance that the Bankruptcy Court will confirm the Plan or, if the Bankruptcy Court does confirm the Plan, that the conditions necessary for the Plan to become effective will be satisfied or, in the alternative, waived.

The Debtors urge each Holder of a Claim or Interest to consult with its own advisors with respect to any legal, financial, securities, tax, or business advice in reviewing this Disclosure Statement, the Plan, and each proposed transaction contemplated by the Plan.

The Debtors strongly encourage Holders of Claims or Interests in Class 3, Class 4, and Class 8 to read this Disclosure Statement (including the Risk Factors described in Article IX hereof) and the Plan in their entirety before voting to accept or reject the Plan. Assuming the requisite acceptances to the Plan are obtained, the Debtors will seek the Bankruptcy Court’s approval of the Plan at the Confirmation Hearing.

Special Notice Regarding Federal and State Securities Laws

The Bankruptcy Court has not reviewed this Disclosure Statement or the Plan, and the securities to be issued on or after the Effective Date will not have been the subject of a registration statement filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the United States Securities Act of 1933 as amended (the “Securities Act”) or any securities regulatory authority of any state under any state securities law (“Blue Sky Laws”). The Plan has not been approved or disapproved by the SEC or any state regulatory authority and neither the SEC nor any state regulatory authority has passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the information contained in this Disclosure Statement or the Plan. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. The Debtors are relying on section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and/or Regulation D promulgated thereunder, and similar Blue Sky Laws provisions, to exempt from registration under the Securities Act and Blue Sky Laws, the offer to certain Holders of Secured Notes of new securities prior to the Petition Date, including in connection with the solicitation of votes to accept or reject the Plan (the “Solicitation”).

After the Petition Date, the Debtors will rely on section 1145(a) of the Bankruptcy Code to the extent permitted by applicable law to exempt from registration under the Securities Act and Blue Sky Laws the offer, issuance, and distribution of New FTS Equity and Warrants under the Plan and the shares of New FTS Equity issuable upon exercise of the Warrants. Neither the Solicitation nor this Disclosure Statement constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not authorized.

This Disclosure Statement contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that any forward-looking statements in this Disclosure Statement are based on assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, but are subject to a wide range of risks, including risks associated with the following: (a) future financial results and liquidity, including the ability to finance operations in the ordinary course of business; (b) the relationships with and payment terms provided by trade creditors; (c) additional post-restructuring financing requirements; (d) future dispositions and acquisitions; (e) the effect of competitive products, services, or procuring by competitors; (f) changes to the costs of commodities and raw materials; (g) the proposed restructuring and costs associated therewith; (h) the effect of conditions in the local, national, and global economy on the Debtors; (i) the ability to obtain relief from the bankruptcy court to facilitate the smooth operation of the Debtors’ businesses under chapter 11; (j) the confirmation and consummation of the Plan; (k) the terms and conditions of the New Revolving Exit Facility, the Warrants, and the New FTS Equity to be entered into, or issued, as the case may be, pursuant to the Plan; and (l) each of the other risks identified in this Disclosure Statement. Due to these uncertainties, readers cannot be assured that any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. The Debtors are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any obligation to) update or alter any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, unless instructed to do so by the Bankruptcy Court.

You are cautioned that all forward-looking statements are necessarily speculative, and there are certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those referred to in such forward-looking statements. The liquidation analysis, financial projections, and other projections and forward-looking information contained herein and attached hereto are only estimates, and the timing and amount of actual distributions to Holders of Allowed Claims and Interests, among other things, may be affected by many factors that cannot be predicted. Any analyses, estimates, or recovery projections may or may not turn out to be accurate.

DISCLAIMER

This Disclosure Statement contains summaries of certain provisions of the Plan and certain other documents and financial information. The information included in this Disclosure Statement is provided solely for the purpose of soliciting acceptances of the Plan and should not be relied upon for any purpose other than to determine whether and how to vote on the Plan. All Holders of Claims or Interests entitled to vote to accept or reject the Plan are advised and encouraged to read this Disclosure Statement and the Plan in their entirety before voting to accept or reject the Plan. The Debtors believe that these summaries are fair and accurate. The summaries of the financial information and the documents that are attached to, or incorporated by reference in, this Disclosure Statement are qualified in their entirety by reference to such information and documents. In the event of any inconsistency or discrepancy between a description in this Disclosure Statement, on the one hand, and the terms and provisions of the Plan or the financial information and documents incorporated in this Disclosure Statement by reference, on the other hand, the Plan or the financial information and documents, as applicable, shall govern for all purposes.

Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or in accordance with applicable law, the Debtors are under no duty to update or supplement this Disclosure Statement. The Bankruptcy Court’s approval of this Disclosure Statement does not constitute a guarantee of the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein or the Bankruptcy Court’s endorsement of the merits of the Plan. The statements and financial information contained in this Disclosure Statement have been made as of the date hereof unless otherwise specified. Holders of Claims or Interests reviewing the Disclosure Statement should not assume at the time of such review that there have been no changes in the facts set forth in this Disclosure Statement since the date of this Disclosure Statement. No Holder of a Claim or Interest should rely on any information, representations, or inducements that are not contained in or are inconsistent with the information contained in this Disclosure Statement, the documents attached to this Disclosure Statement, and the Plan. This Disclosure Statement does not constitute legal, business, financial, or tax advice. Any Person or Entity desiring any such advice should consult with their own advisors. Additionally, this Disclosure Statement has not been approved or disapproved by the Bankruptcy Court, the SEC, or any securities regulatory authority of any state under Blue Sky Laws. The Debtors are soliciting acceptances to the Plan prior to commencing any cases under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.

The financial information contained in or incorporated by reference into this Disclosure Statement has not been audited, except as specifically indicated otherwise. The Debtors’ management, in consultation with the Debtors’ advisors, has prepared the financial projections attached hereto as Exhibit C and described in this Disclosure Statement (the “Financial Projections”). The Financial Projections, while presented with numerical specificity, necessarily were based on a variety of estimates and assumptions that are inherently uncertain and may be beyond the control of the Debtors’ management. Important factors that may affect actual results and cause the management forecasts not to be achieved include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to the Debtors’ businesses (including their ability to achieve strategic goals, objectives, and targets over applicable periods), industry performance, the regulatory environment, general business and economic conditions, and other factors. The Debtors caution that no representations can be made as to the accuracy of these projections or to their ultimate performance compared to the information contained in the forecasts or that the forecasted results will be achieved. Therefore, the Financial Projections may not be relied upon as a guarantee or other assurance that the actual results will occur.

Regarding contested matters, adversary proceedings, and other pending, threatened, or potential litigation or other actions, this Disclosure Statement does not constitute, and may not be construed as, an admission of fact, liability, stipulation, or waiver by the Debtors or any other party, but rather as a statement made in the context of settlement negotiations in accordance with Rule 408 of the Federal Rules of Evidence and any analogous state or foreign laws or rules. As such, this Disclosure Statement shall not be admissible in any non-bankruptcy proceeding involving the Debtors or any other party in interest, nor shall it be construed to be conclusive advice on the tax, securities, financial, or other effects of the Plan to Holders of Claims against, or Interests in, the Debtors or any other party in interest. Please refer to Article IX of this Disclosure Statement, entitled “Risk Factors,” for a discussion of certain risk factors that Holders of Claims or Interests voting on the Plan should consider.

Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, all information, representations, or statements contained herein have been provided by the Debtors. No person is authorized by the Debtors in connection with this Disclosure Statement, the Plan, or the Solicitation to give any information or to make any representation or statement regarding this Disclosure Statement, the Plan, or the Solicitation, in each case, other than as contained in this Disclosure Statement and the exhibits attached hereto or as otherwise incorporated herein by reference or referred to herein. If any such information, representation, or statement is given or made, it may not be relied upon as having been authorized by the Debtors.

This Disclosure Statement contains certain forward-looking statements, all of which are based on various estimates and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to inherent uncertainties and to a wide variety of significant business, economic, and competitive risks, including, but not limited to, those summarized herein. When used in this Disclosure Statement, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “will,” “may,” “intend,” and “expect” and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. Although the Debtors believe that their plans, intentions, and expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, they cannot be sure that they will be achieved. These statements are only predictions and are not guarantees of future performance or results. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by a forward-looking statement. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Debtors or Persons or Entities acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth in this Disclosure Statement. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. Except as required by law, the Debtors expressly disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

EXHIBITS³

EXHIBIT A      Plan of Reorganization

EXHIBIT B      RSA

EXHIBIT C      Financial Projections

EXHIBIT D      Valuation Analysis

EXHIBIT E      Liquidation Analysis

EXHIBIT F      Cash Collateral Items

FTS International, Inc. (“FTSI”), FTS International Services, LLC (“FTSI Services”), and FTS International Manufacturing, LLC (“FTSI Manufacturing”) (each a “Debtor” and, collectively, the “Debtors”) submit this disclosure statement (this “Disclosure Statement”), pursuant to section 1125 of the Bankruptcy Code, to Holders of Claims against and Interests in the Debtors in connection with the solicitation of votes for acceptance of the Debtors’ Joint Prepackaged Plan of Reorganization Pursuant to Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (the “Plan”), dated September 21, 2020.⁴ A copy of the Plan is attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference. The Plan constitutes a separate chapter 11 plan for each of the Debtors.

Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, the Debtors are an independent hydraulic fracturing service company and one of the only vertically integrated service providers of its kind in North America. The Debtors provide customized hydraulic fracturing solutions to exploration and production (“E&P”) companies to enhance recovery rates from oil and gas wells, primarily in unconventional plays. The Debtors have 1.4 million total hydraulic horsepower across twenty-eight fleets, and operate in the most active basins in the United States.

As of the date of this Disclosure Statement, the Debtors have approximately $446.7 million (principal and accrued interest) of funded debt, consisting of:

On February 2, 2018, FTSI launched its initial public offering. Its common stock has been trading under its current ticker, “FTSI,” on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and NYSE American since May 22, 2020. There are currently approximately 5.38 million shares of stock outstanding.

Since its founding in August 2000, the Debtors’ primary business objectives have been to deliver best in class pressure pumping services to its customers while providing a safe working environment for its employees and maintaining a competitive cost structure. To accomplish these goals, FTSI strives to deepen and expand customer relationships, capitalize on its uniform fleet and in-house manufacturing expertise to provide superior performance with reduced operating costs, maintain high safety standards, rapidly adopt new technologies, and maintain a focus on cost effectiveness and capital efficiency.

Demand for FTSI’s services is impacted by multiple factors, but is driven mainly by the level of horizontal drilling in the United States, which in turn depends on current and anticipated future crude oil and natural gas prices. Over the last few years, commodity prices have been extremely volatile, making it incredibly challenging for FTSI and many companies to navigate these headwinds. This has resulted in large swings in FTSI’s operational performance, including an approximate 87% drop in revenue and an approximate 121.2% drop in Adjusted EBITDA year-over-year for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.

In 2020 alone, oil and natural gas prices have become extremely depressed, exacerbated by macroeconomic factors and geopolitical conditions. In mid-April 2020, WTI crude oil for May 2020 delivery dropped roughly 300% in a single day and settled well below $0 for the first time in history as a result of the uncertainty about the agreement reached between OPEC, Russia, and other world producers to reduce output and the uncertainty caused by the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The below graphic of WTI crude oil closing prices from January 1, 2018 through August 31, 2020 illustrates the challenging market environment that the Debtors have faced.

WTI Crude Oil Closing Prices

The volatility and uncertainty in the commodity markets have driven many E&P customers to temporarily stop new well development and shut in certain producing wells. This has led to an approximately 80% drop in active frac fleets from the first quarter of 2020 to the second quarter of 2020. Additionally, the pressure pumping market has been oversupplied since late 2018, leading to intense price competition leading up to the first quarter of 2020. The current environment intensified competition in the oversupplied pressure pumping market, leading to lower pricing and margins that approached cash breakeven levels.

While certain market conditions have recovered slightly, including some price stabilization as supply and demand balanced, the Debtors’ projected revenue and gross margin expectations continue to decline on account of both a reduction in drilling activity among customers, which led to a reduction in expected active fleets in 2020 and 2021, as well as the pricing pressure and tight margins that remained on the Debtors’ operational fleets.

The Debtors’ management team has worked proactively to address these market challenges. Management’s efforts have included implementing comprehensive measures to decrease its cost structure through fleet strategy management and per-fleet efficiency optimization, enhance the sales process to target longer-term customer relationships, improve operational efficiencies, and implement innovative solutions premised on fast-follower technology adoption.

In mid-April 2020, the Ad Hoc Group of Secured Noteholders and the Ad Hoc Group of Term Loan Lenders coalesced and contacted the Debtors to begin discussing potential restructuring proposals. The advisors to the Ad Hoc Group of Secured Noteholders and the advisors to and certain members of the Ad Hoc Group of Term Loan Lenders signed non-disclosure agreements and began the due diligence process. As part of this process, the Debtors provided the creditors’ advisors substantial diligence, and the parties held numerous telephone conferences among both advisors and principals. Concurrently with the diligence process, the Debtors and the Ad Hoc Group of Secured Noteholders began to engage in high-level discussions about potential restructuring transaction structures that became progressively more detailed as the Ad Hoc Group of Secured Noteholders came to understand the Debtors’ enterprise, including their operations, liquidity needs, contractual obligations, and unencumbered assets. Thereafter, on August 22, 2020, the Debtors and certain of their Secured Noteholders reached an agreement on the terms of such a restructuring, and the Consenting Noteholders executed a RSA. Following execution and announcement of the RSA, additional Secured Noteholders and Term Loan Lenders signed joinders to the RSA, resulting in approximately 87.56% of Debt Claims having signed the RSA. A copy of the RSA is attached hereto as Exhibit B. The Debtors believe that the restructuring transactions embodied in the RSA present the best option to ensure that they can continue operating without disruption and remain competitive with their counterparts who have already deleveraged their capital structures.

Under the terms of the RSA, which are embodied in the Plan, the Consenting Term Loan Lenders and Consenting Noteholders have agreed to facilitate a balance sheet restructuring by exchanging their Allowed Secured Debt Claims for a Pro Rata share of and interest in (i) $30.6 million in cash and (ii) 90.1% of the New FTS Equity, subject to dilution on account of the Management Incentive Plan and the Warrants, minus the Class 4 Recovery Deduction.

More specifically, the RSA and Plan contemplate the following:

To ensure that the Chapter 11 Cases are completed on an expedited timeline, the RSA contains certain milestones, including securing an order confirming the Plan no later than sixty (60) days after the Petition Date and the occurrence of the Effective Date no later than fifteen (15) days after entry of the Confirmation Order. The Debtors believe they can confirm a plan of reorganization and emerge from chapter 11 within these time periods without prejudicing the ability of any parties to assert their rights in these Chapter 11 Cases.

The restructuring transactions embodied by the Plan and RSA are a significant achievement for the Debtors in the wake of a historically challenging operating environment. Each of the Debtors strongly believes that the Plan is in the best interests of the Debtors’ estates and represents the best available alternative at this time. Given the Debtors’ core strengths, including operational efficiency through in-house manufacturing and a low cost structure, a broad footprint, and “plug-and-play” equipment that allows the Debtors to quickly transition to active regions, the Debtors are confident that they can implement the restructuring transactions contemplated by the Plan and RSA to ensure the Debtors’ long-term viability. For these reasons, the Debtors strongly recommend that Holders of Claims and Interests entitled to vote to accept or reject the Plan vote to accept the Plan.

Chapter 11 is the principal business reorganization chapter of the Bankruptcy Code. In addition to permitting debtor rehabilitation, chapter 11 promotes equality of treatment for creditors and similarly situated equity interest holders, subject to the priority of distributions prescribed by the Bankruptcy Code.

The commencement of a chapter 11 case creates an estate that comprises all of the legal and equitable interests of the debtor as of the date the chapter 11 case is commenced. The Bankruptcy Code provides that the debtor may continue to operate its business and remain in possession of its property as a “debtor in possession.”

Consummating a chapter 11 plan is the principal objective of a chapter 11 case. A bankruptcy court’s confirmation of a plan binds the debtor, any person acquiring property under the plan, any creditor or equity interest holder of the debtor (whether or not such creditor or equity interest holder voted to accept the plan), and any other entity as may be ordered by the bankruptcy court. Subject to certain limited exceptions, the order issued by a bankruptcy court confirming a plan provides for the treatment of the debtor’s liabilities in accordance with the terms of the confirmed plan.

The Debtors are seeking to obtain Bankruptcy Court approval of the Plan. Before soliciting acceptances of the Plan, section 1125 of the Bankruptcy Code requires the Debtors to prepare a disclosure statement containing adequate information of a kind, and in sufficient detail, to enable a hypothetical reasonable investor to make an informed judgment regarding acceptance of the Plan and to share such disclosure statement with all Holders of Claims and Interests whose votes on the Plan are being solicited. This Disclosure Statement is being submitted in accordance with these requirements.

By sending this Disclosure Statement and soliciting votes for the Plan prior to approval by the Bankruptcy Court, the Debtors are preparing to seek Confirmation of the Plan shortly after commencing the Chapter 11 Cases. The Debtors will ask the Bankruptcy Court to approve this Disclosure Statement together with Confirmation of the Plan at the same hearing, which may be scheduled as shortly as three weeks after commencing the Chapter 11 Cases, all subject to the Bankruptcy Court’s approval and availability.

The Debtors are reorganizing under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. As a result, the occurrence of the Effective Date means that the Debtors will continue to operate their business as a going concern. Following Confirmation, the Plan will be consummated on the Effective Date, which is a date that is the first Business Day after the Confirmation Date on which (1) no stay of the Confirmation Order is in effect, (2) all conditions precedent to the occurrence of the Effective Date set forth in Article IX.A of the Plan have been satisfied or waived, and (3) the Plan is deemed effective by the Debtors. On or after the Effective Date, and unless otherwise provided in the Plan, the Reorganized Debtors may operate their businesses and, except as otherwise provided by the Plan, may use, acquire, or dispose of property and compromise or settle any Claims, Interests, or Causes of Action without supervision or approval by the Bankruptcy Court and free of any restrictions of the Bankruptcy Code or Bankruptcy Rules. Additionally, upon the Effective Date, all actions contemplated by the Plan will be deemed authorized and approved.

Your ability to vote on, and your distribution under, the Plan, if any, depends on what type of Claim or Interest you hold. Each category of Holders of Claims or Interests, as set forth in Article III of the Plan pursuant to section 1122(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, is referred to as a “Class.” Each Class’s respective voting status is set forth below:

The following chart provides a summary of the anticipated recovery to Holders of Allowed Claims or Allowed Interests under the Plan. Any estimates of Claims or Interests in this Disclosure Statement may vary from the final amounts Allowed by the Bankruptcy Court. Your ability to receive distributions under the Plan depends upon the ability of the Debtors to obtain Confirmation and meet the conditions necessary to consummate the Plan.

THE PROJECTED RECOVERIES SET FORTH IN THE TABLE BELOW ARE ESTIMATES ONLY AND THEREFORE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. FOR A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE DEBTORS’ CLASSIFICATION AND TREATMENT OF CLAIMS AND INTERESTS, REFERENCE SHOULD BE MADE TO THE ENTIRE PLAN.⁶

Except to the extent that the Debtors and a Holder of an Allowed Claim or Interest, as applicable, agrees to a less favorable treatment, such Holder shall receive under the Plan the treatment described below in full and final satisfaction, compromise, settlement, release, and discharge of and in exchange for such Holder’s Allowed Claim or Interest. Unless otherwise indicated, each Holder of an Allowed Claim or Interest, as applicable, shall receive such treatment on the Effective Date (or, if payment is not then due, in accordance with its terms in the ordinary course) or as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter.

Administrative Claims, Professional Fee Claims, Priority Tax Claims, Statutory Fees, and Restructuring Expenses have not been placed in a Class in the Plan, consistent with section 1123(a)(1) of the Bankruptcy Code. Article II.A of the Plan sets forth the treatment for Administrative Claims and provides in part that such Claims will be satisfied in full in an amount of Cash equal to the amount of such Allowed Administrative Claim. Article II.C of the Plan sets forth the treatment for Priority Tax Claims, which states that an Allowed Priority Tax Claim will be treated in accordance with section 1129(a)(9)(C) of the Bankruptcy Code.

There are no known U.S. regulatory approvals that are required to consummate the Plan. However, to the extent any such regulatory approvals or other authorizations, consents, rulings, or documents are necessary to implement and effectuate the Plan, it is a condition precedent to the Effective Date that they be obtained.

In the event that the Plan is not confirmed or does not go effective, there is no assurance that the Debtors will be able to reorganize their businesses. It is possible that any alternative may provide Holders of Claims and Interests with less than they would have received pursuant to the Plan. For a more detailed description of the consequences of an extended chapter 11 case, or of a liquidation scenario, see Article X.H of this Disclosure Statement, entitled “Best Interests of Creditors/Liquidation Analysis,” and the liquidation analysis attached hereto as Exhibit E.

“Confirmation” of the Plan refers to approval of the Plan by the Bankruptcy Court. Confirmation of the Plan does not guarantee that you will receive the distribution indicated under the Plan. After Confirmation of the Plan by the Bankruptcy Court, there are conditions that need to be satisfied or waived so that the Plan can go effective. Initial distributions to Holders of Allowed Claims and Interests will only be made on the date the Plan becomes effective—the “Effective Date”—or as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter, as specified in the Plan. See Article X of this Disclosure Statement, entitled “Confirmation of the Plan” for a discussion of the conditions precedent to Consummation of the Plan.

Parties in interest may object to the approval of this Disclosure Statement and may object to Confirmation of the Plan as well, which objections potentially could give rise to litigation. See Article IX.C.9 of this Disclosure Statement, entitled “The Debtors May Be Adversely Affected by Potential Litigation, Including Litigation Arising Out of the Chapter 11 Cases.”

In the event that it becomes necessary to confirm the Plan over the rejection of certain Classes, the Debtors may seek Confirmation of the Plan notwithstanding the dissent of such rejecting Classes. The Bankruptcy Court may confirm the Plan pursuant to the “cramdown” provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, which allow the Bankruptcy Court to confirm a plan that has been rejected by an impaired class if it determines that the Plan satisfies section 1129(b) of the Bankruptcy Code. See Article IX.A.4 of this Disclosure Statement, entitled “The Debtors May Not Be Able to Secure Confirmation of the Plan.”

Yes. See Article IX.B.2 of this Disclosure Statement, entitled “Risk Factors.” The ownership percentage represented by the New FTS Equity distributed on the Effective Date under the Plan will be subject to dilution from the Management Incentive Plan, Warrants, or other securities that may be issued post-emergence.

The Warrants will be included in the Plan Supplement, filed prior to the Confirmation Hearing.

In the ordinary course of business, each of the Debtors maintains routine business relationships with one or more of the other Debtors that may result in Intercompany Claims owing by one Debtor to another Debtor or Intercompany Interests held by one Debtor in another Debtor. Historically, Intercompany Claims have been made to reimburse certain Debtors for various expenditures including the payment of corporate and franchise taxes, expenses related to payroll and benefits, general administrative expenses, and to facilitate other transfers between Debtors to maintain the seamless operation of the Debtors’ businesses. Indeed, the Intercompany Claims and Intercompany Interests are critical to the Debtors continuing their businesses in an uninterrupted fashion, as funds are routinely transferred between Debtor entities to fund the necessary corporate and operating expenses. No Intercompany Claims or Intercompany Interests are held by or will be transferred to non-Debtor entities.

The Plan provides that Intercompany Claims and Intercompany Interests shall be, at the option of the Debtors, either reinstated or canceled and released without any distribution. Holders of Intercompany Claims in Class 6 and Holders of Intercompany Interests in Class 7 are not entitled to vote on the Plan because they will either be Unimpaired (and therefore not entitled to vote under section 1126(f) of the Bankruptcy Code) or will receive no recovery (and will therefore not be entitled to vote under section 1126(g) of the Bankruptcy Code).

Based on the mutually offsetting nature of the Intercompany Claims and Intercompany Interests, no value will shift between creditors on account of the treatment of Intercompany Claims or Intercompany Interests—any reinstatement of Intercompany Interests or Intercompany Claims is merely to allow the Debtors to maintain their organizational structure and avoid the unnecessary cost of having to reconstitute that structure, permitting the Reorganized Debtors to address post-restructuring accounting, human resources, regulatory, and tax issues in an efficient manner—thereby maximizing the value of the post-emergence enterprise. With respect to the reinstatement of Intercompany Interests in particular, eliminating such Intercompany Interests could also potentially have significant state or federal tax implications.

Yes, the Plan proposes to release the Released Parties and to exculpate the Exculpated Parties. The Debtors’ releases, third-party releases, and exculpation provisions included in the Plan are an integral part of the Debtors’ overall restructuring efforts and were an essential element of the negotiations among the Debtors and the other parties to the RSA in obtaining their support for the Plan pursuant to the terms of the RSA.

To effectuate the settlement embodied in the Plan, the Plan includes certain Debtor and third-party releases, an exculpation provision, and an injunction provision. These provisions comply with the Bankruptcy Code and prevailing law because, among other reasons, they are the product of extensive good faith, arm’s-length negotiations, were material inducements for the Consenting Creditors to enter into the RSA and the comprehensive settlement embodied in the Plan, and are supported by the Debtors and the Consenting Creditors.

IMPORTANTLY, ALL HOLDERS OF CLAIMS OR INTERESTS THAT DO NOT VALIDLY OPT OUT OR FILE AN OBJECTION WITH THE BANKRUPTCY COURT IN THE CHAPTER 11 CASES THAT EXPRESSLY OBJECTS TO THE INCLUSION OF SUCH HOLDER AS A RELEASING PARTY UNDER THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN ARTICLE VIII OF THE PLAN WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE EXPRESSLY, UNCONDITIONALLY, GENERALLY, INDIVIDUALLY, AND COLLECTIVELY CONSENTED TO THE RELEASE AND DISCHARGE OF ALL CLAIMS AND CAUSES OF ACTION AGAINST THE DEBTORS AND THE RELEASED PARTIES. THE RELEASES ARE AN INTEGRAL ELEMENT OF THE PLAN.

The releases by the Debtors are in the best interests of the Debtors’ estates and well within the Debtors’ business judgment.  The Debtors would not be where they are today, in process of soliciting and preparing for Confirmation of a highly consensual and value-maximizing transaction that resolves complex issues, without the participation of the Released Parties.  In particular, the Plan provides for releases by the Debtors, the Reorganized Debtors, their Estates, and any person seeking to exercise the rights of the Debtors or their Estates, including any successors, of any and all Claims and Causes of Action, including any derivative claims, that the Debtors could assert against: (a) the Debtors; (b) the Reorganized Debtors; (c) the Term Loan Agent, (d) the Secured Notes Trustee; (e) the ABL Agent; (f) the Consenting Creditors; (g) the ABL Lenders; (h) all Holders of Claims or Interests that vote to accept the Plan; (i) all Holders of Claims or Interests that are deemed to accept the Plan who do not affirmatively opt out of the releases provided by the Plan; (j) the current and former Affiliates of each Entity in clause (a) through (g); and (k) all Related Parties of each Entity in clause (a) through (j). In addition to being fair and equitable, the releases by the Debtors are in the best interests of their Estates.

The Debtors are not aware of any potentially actionable Claims or Causes of Action against the Released Parties. Nothing to date has caused the Debtors to believe that any colorable Claims or Causes of Action exist against the Released Parties. Moreover, prosecution of the Claims or Causes of Action released under the releases by the Debtors would be complex and time-consuming and could mire the Debtors and parties in interest in wholly speculative and potentially value-destructive litigation, rather than effectuating a consensual restructuring. Simply put, as of this time, the Debtors do not believe that they have material Claims or Causes of Action against any of the Released Parties, let alone Claims or Causes of Action that would justify the risk, expense, and delay attendant to their pursuit. Importantly, the releases by the Debtors provide finality and avoid significant delay, and therefore the inclusion of the releases by the Debtors are worthwhile and inure to the benefit of all the Debtors’ stakeholders.

Further, the Plan, including the releases by the Debtors, was vigorously negotiated by sophisticated entities that were represented by able counsel and financial advisors, including the Consenting Creditors, and includes the settlement of Claims, Interests, Causes of Action, and controversies released, settled, compromised, discharged, or otherwise resolved pursuant to the Plan. The release provisions were a necessary element of consideration that these parties required before entering into the RSA and agreeing to support the Plan.

Notably, the parties to the RSA have agreed to equitize and/or take reduced recoveries on account of their Claims and make other material concessions in order to significantly deleverage the Debtors’ prepetition capital structure. In particular, the Consenting Creditors facilitated a consensual restructuring by agreeing to a distribution scheme that provides economic value to the Holders of Other Secured Claims, Other Priority Claims, Secured Debt Claims, Other Unsecured Claims, Ongoing Business Claims, and FTS Common Interests. While honoring the parties’ relative priorities, this distribution is nevertheless not entirely in strict accordance with the waterfall provisions of the Debtors’ debt documents, resulting in material concessions by the Consenting Creditors in furtherance of the Debtors’ restructuring.

The Consenting Creditors have agreed to support the Plan and not pursue litigation claims or other strategies in the Chapter 11 Cases in opposition to the Plan or the consensual restructuring contemplated therein. The consensus embodied in the Plan is thus based on a significant contribution of value by these constituencies and the corresponding release of rights and remedies that could have been pursued.

Further, many of the Related Parties, such as current and former directors, managers, officers, and equity holders (in their capacities as such) may have indemnification rights against the Debtors under applicable agreements for, among other things, all losses, damages, claims, liabilities, or expenses, including defense costs, for claims subject to the release provisions of the Plan against the Debtors’ Estates.  As such, those indemnification claims could directly affect the Debtors’ Estates. Including the Related Parties in the releases by the Debtors avoids the risk of alter ego and/or derivative liability beyond specific named parties, and the release is limited to those entities’ capacities with respect to the primary Released Party. Moreover, there is no question that directors, managers, and officers provided (and continue to provide) valuable consideration to the Debtors, as they commit substantial time and effort (in addition to their prepetition responsibilities) to the Debtors’ Estates and restructuring efforts throughout this chapter 11 process.

As such, the Consenting Creditors and the other Released Parties are essential parties to the settlement embodied in the Plan and, on account of the aforementioned contributions to the Plan, should be entitled to the releases contemplated therein. Accordingly, the Plan provides the various Released Parties the global closure that they negotiated for in exchange for, among other things, the various concessions and benefits provided by such Released Parties to the Debtors’ Estates under the Plan. The Released Parties that benefit from the releases by the Debtors are providing the consideration discussed above and are consenting to the releases, which were a necessary component of the overall bargain that has put the Debtors on the path to a value maximizing restructuring. Such releases are permissible under applicable law as a compromise under the Bankruptcy Code.

Accordingly, the Debtors submit that the releases by the Debtors are consistent with applicable law, represent a valid settlement and release of claims the Debtors may have against the Released Parties pursuant to section 1123(b)(3)(A) of the Bankruptcy Code, are a valid exercise of the Debtors’ business judgment, and are in the best interests of the Debtors’ Estates.

Similarly, the proposed third-party release is integral to the Plan and is a condition of the settlement embodied therein. The provisions of the Plan were heavily negotiated by sophisticated parties, each of whom are represented by competent counsel. The consensual third-party release (together with the releases by the Debtors) are key components of the Debtors’ restructuring and a key inducement to bring stakeholder groups to the bargaining table.  Put simply, the Debtors’ key stakeholders were unwilling to support the Plan without assurances that they and their collateral would not be subject to post-emergence litigation or other disputes related to the restructuring. The third-party release therefore not only benefits the non-Debtor Released Parties, but also the Debtors’ post-emergence enterprise as a whole.

Importantly, the third-party release is consensual because it provides voting Holders of Claims and Interests with the option to opt out of the third-party release by checking a box on the ballot (and, in the event of a non-voting Impaired Class, submitting an opt-out form) or filing a formal or informal objection with the Bankruptcy Court. Each of the Disclosure Statement, ballots, notices of non-voting status, and notice of Confirmation Hearing state in bold-faced, conspicuous text that Holders of Claims and Interests that do not opt out or object to the release in the Plan will be bound by the third-party release. Accordingly, upon checking the opt-out box or filing an objection with the Bankruptcy Court, such Holders of Claims or Interests are not bound by the third-party releases and no longer have a basis to argue their rights are affected by such release.

The third-party release comports with applicable law for consensual third-party releases. First, the third-party release is sufficiently specific to put the Releasing Parties on notice of the released claims. Second, the third-party release is integral to the Plan and is a condition of the settlement embodied therein. The provisions of the Plan were heavily negotiated by sophisticated parties to the RSA, each of whom are represented by competent counsel and for which the third-party release was a material inducement to enter into the RSA. Third, as described more fully above, each of the Released Parties under the third-party release gave consideration for the third-party release (and are also Releasing Parties themselves, thereby making the release mutual). Fourth, although the third-party release is consensual, the Debtors have nonetheless included a carveout for claims and Causes of Action determined by Final Order of a court of competent jurisdiction related to actual fraud, gross negligence, or willful misconduct.

Ultimately, the restructuring contemplated by the Plan is value-maximizing and would not be possible absent the support of the Released Parties many of which (i.e., the Consenting Creditors) will also be the Debtors’ most significant post-emergence stakeholders. Thus, the third-party release operates to maximize the Debtors’ fresh start by minimizing the possibility of distracting post-emergence litigation or costs associated with the continuation of disputes related to the Debtors’ restructuring.

In addition to the Debtor and third-party releases, the exculpation clause in the Plan provides that (a) the Debtors, (b) any official committees appointed in the Chapter 11 Cases and each of their respective members, (c) the Consenting Creditors, (d) the ABL Agent, (e) the Term Loan Agent, (f) the Secured Notes Trustee, and (g) with respect to each of the foregoing, such Entity and its current and former Affiliates, and such Entity’s and its current and former Affiliates’ current and former equity holders, subsidiaries, officers, directors, managers, principals, members, employees, agents, advisory board members, financial advisors, partners, attorneys, accountants, investment bankers, consultants, representatives, and other professionals are exculpated from any Causes of Action arising out of acts or omissions related to these Chapter 11 Cases and certain related transactions as set forth therein—except for acts or omissions that are found to have been the product of actual fraud, willful misconduct, or gross negligence. As such, the exculpation clause is reasonable, appropriate, and vital to these Chapter 11 Cases because it provides protection to parties who acted in good faith for the benefit of the Estates during the restructuring.

First, the Debtors are entitled to the benefits of the exculpation clause. Upon a “good faith” finding within the meaning of section 1125(e) of the Bankruptcy Code, such parties are entitled to the protections afforded by section 1125(e) of the Bankruptcy Code and the exculpation clause. Further, granting such relief falls squarely within the “fresh start” principles underlying the Bankruptcy Code.

Second, certain Exculpated Parties owe fiduciary duties in favor of the Debtors’ Estates, permitting them to receive the benefits of the exculpation clause. For example, the directors, officers, and professionals that have acted on behalf of the Debtors in connection with the Chapter 11 Cases owe the Debtors fiduciary duties similar to those the debtor in possession owes to the Estates. The Debtors and their fiduciaries could not possibly have developed the Plan without the support and contributions of the Exculpated Parties.

Accordingly, the failure to approve the exculpation clause would undermine the purpose of the Plan and the settlements set forth in the Plan, Disclosure Statement, and RSA by allowing parties to pursue claims post-bankruptcy that are otherwise fully and finally resolved by the Plan when the Exculpated Parties participated in these chapter 11 cases in reliance upon the protections afforded to those constituents by the exculpation clause.

Based on the foregoing, the Debtors believe that the releases and exculpations in the Plan are necessary and appropriate and meet the requisite legal standard promulgated by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Moreover, the Debtors are prepared to present evidence at the Confirmation Hearing to demonstrate the basis for and propriety of the release and exculpation provisions. The release, exculpation, and injunction provisions that are contained in the Plan are copied in pertinent part below.

Notwithstanding anything contained in the Plan to the contrary, pursuant to section 1123(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, in exchange for good and valuable consideration, the adequacy of which is hereby confirmed, on and after the Effective Date, each Released Party is, and is deemed hereby to be, fully, conclusively, absolutely, unconditionally, irrevocably, and forever released and discharged by the Debtors, the Reorganized Debtors, their Estates, and any person seeking to exercise the rights of the Debtors or their Estates, including any successors to the Debtors or any Estate representatives appointed or selected pursuant to section 1123(b)(3) of the Bankruptcy Code, in each case on behalf of themselves and their respective successors, assigns, and representatives, and any and all other Entities who may purport to assert any Cause of Action, directly or derivatively, by, through, for, or because of the foregoing Entities, from any and all Claims and Causes of Action, including any derivative claims asserted or assertable on behalf of the Debtors, whether known or unknown, foreseen or unforeseen, matured or unmatured, existing or hereafter arising, contingent or noncontingent, in law, equity, contract, tort or otherwise, that the Debtors, the Reorganized Debtors, or their Estates, including any successors to the Debtors or any Estate representative appointed or selected pursuant to section 1123(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, would have been legally entitled to assert in their own right (whether individually or collectively) or on behalf of the Holder of any Claim against, or Interest in, a Debtor or other Entity, or that any Holder of any Claim against, or Interest in, a Debtor or other Entity could have asserted on behalf of the Debtors, based on or relating to, or in any manner arising from, in whole or in part: (a) the Debtors (including the capital structure, management, ownership, or operation thereof), the business or contractual arrangement between the Debtors and any Released Party, any Securities issued by the Debtors and the ownership thereof, the assertion or enforcement of rights and remedies against the Debtors, the Debtors’ in- or out-of-court restructuring efforts, any Avoidance Actions (but excluding Avoidance Actions brought as counterclaims or defenses to Claims asserted against the Debtors), intercompany transactions between the Debtors, the Term Loan Agreement, the Secured Notes Indenture, the Chapter 11 Cases, the formulation, preparation, dissemination, negotiation, or filing of the Restructuring Support Agreement, the Disclosure Statement, the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement, or the Plan (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Plan Supplement); (b) any Restructuring Transaction, contract, instrument, release, or other agreement or document (including any legal opinion requested by any Entity regarding any transaction, contract, instrument, document or other agreement contemplated by the Plan or the reliance by any Released Party on the Plan or the Confirmation Order in lieu of such legal opinion) created or entered into in connection with the Restructuring Support Agreement, the Disclosure Statement, the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement, the Plan, or the Plan Supplement, before or during the Chapter 11 Cases; (c) the Chapter 11 Cases, the filing of the Chapter 11 Cases, the Disclosure Statement or the Plan, the solicitation of votes with respect to the Plan, the pursuit of Confirmation, the pursuit of Consummation, the administration and implementation of the Plan, including the issuance or distribution of Securities pursuant to the Plan, or the distribution of property under the Plan or any other related agreement; or (d) any related act or omission, transaction, agreement, event, or other occurrence related or relating to any of the foregoing taking place on or before the Effective Date, including all Avoidance Actions or other relief obtained by the Debtors in the Chapter 11 Cases.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, the releases set forth above do not release (i) post Effective Date obligations of any party or Entity under the Plan, the Confirmation Order, any Restructuring Transaction, any Definitive Document, or any other document, instrument, or agreement (including those set forth in the Plan Supplement) executed to implement the Plan, including the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement, or any Claim or obligation arising under the Plan, or (ii) the rights of any Holder of Allowed Claims or FTS Common Interests to receive distributions under the Plan.

Entry of the Confirmation Order shall constitute the Bankruptcy Court’s approval, pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 9019, of the foregoing Debtor release, which includes by reference each of the related provisions and definitions contained in the Plan, and further, shall constitute the Bankruptcy Court’s finding that the foregoing Debtor release is: (a) in exchange for the good and valuable consideration provided by the Released Parties, including, without limitation, the Released Parties’ contributions to facilitating the Restructuring Transactions and implementing the Plan; (b) a good faith settlement and compromise of the Claims released by the foregoing Debtor release; (c) in the best interests of the Debtors and their Estates and all Holders of Claims and Interests; (d) fair, equitable, and reasonable; (e) given and made after due notice and opportunity for hearing; and (f) a bar to any of the Debtors, the Reorganized Debtors, or the Debtors’ Estates asserting any Claim or Cause of Action released pursuant to the foregoing Debtor release.

Except as otherwise expressly set forth in the Plan or the Confirmation Order, on and after the Effective Date, in exchange for good and valuable consideration, the adequacy of which is hereby confirmed, each Released Party is, and is deemed hereby to be, fully, conclusively, absolutely, unconditionally, irrevocably and forever, released and discharged by each Releasing Party, in each case on behalf of themselves and their respective successors, assigns, and representatives, and any and all other Entities who may purport to assert any Cause of Action, directly or derivatively, by, through, for, or because of the Releasing Parties, from any and all Claims and Causes of Action, whether known or unknown, foreseen or unforeseen, matured or unmatured, existing or hereafter arising, contingent or noncontingent, in law, equity, contract, tort, or otherwise, including any derivative claims asserted on behalf of the Debtors, that such Releasing Party would have been legally entitled to assert in their own right (whether individually or collectively) or on behalf of the Holder of any Claim against, or Interest in, a Debtor or other Entity, or that any Holder of any Claim against, or Interest in, a Debtor or other Entity could have asserted on behalf of the Debtors, based on or relating to, or in any manner arising from, in whole or in part: (a) the Debtors (including the capital structure, management, ownership, or operation thereof), the business or contractual arrangement between the Debtors and any Releasing Party, any Securities issued by the Debtors and the ownership thereof, the assertion or enforcement of rights and remedies against the Debtors, the Debtors’ in- or out-of-court restructuring efforts, any Avoidance Actions (but excluding Avoidance Actions brought as counterclaims or defenses to Claims asserted against the Debtors), intercompany transactions between or among the Debtors, the Term Loan Agreement, the Secured Notes Indenture, the Chapter 11 Cases, the formulation, preparation, dissemination, negotiation, or filing of the Restructuring Support Agreement, the Disclosure Statement, the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement, or the Plan (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Plan Supplement); (b) any Restructuring Transaction, contract, instrument, release, or other agreement or document (including any legal opinion requested by any Entity regarding any transaction, contract, instrument, document or other agreement contemplated by the Plan or the reliance by any Released Party on the Plan or the Confirmation Order in lieu of such legal opinion) created or entered into in connection with the Restructuring Support Agreement, the Disclosure Statement, the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement, the Plan, or the Plan Supplement, before or during the Chapter 11 Cases; (c) the Chapter 11 Cases, the filing of the Chapter 11 Cases, the Disclosure Statement, or the Plan, the solicitation of votes with respect to the Plan, the pursuit of Confirmation, the pursuit of Consummation, the administration and implementation of the Plan, including the issuance or distribution of Securities pursuant to the Plan, or the distribution of property under the Plan or any other related agreement; or (d) any related act or omission, transaction, agreement, event, or other occurrence related or relating to any of the foregoing taking place on or before the Effective Date, including all Avoidance Actions or other relief obtained by the Debtors in the Chapter 11 Cases.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, the releases set forth above do not release (i) any post Effective Date obligations of any party or Entity under the Plan, the Confirmation Order, any Restructuring Transaction, or any document, instrument, any Definitive Document, or any agreement (including those set forth in the Plan Supplement) executed to implement the Plan, including the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement, or any Claim or obligation arising under the Plan, (ii) the rights of Holders of Allowed Claims or FTS Common Interests to receive distributions under the Plan or (iii) any claims or liabilities arising out of or relating to any act or omission of a Released Party that is determined in a final order by a court of competent jurisdiction to have constituted actual fraud, willful misconduct, or gross negligence.

Entry of the Confirmation Order shall constitute the Bankruptcy Court’s approval, pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 9019, of the foregoing third-party release, which includes by reference each of the related provisions and definitions contained herein, and, further, shall constitute the Bankruptcy Court’s finding that the foregoing third-party release is: (a) consensual; (b) essential to the Confirmation of the Plan; (c) given in exchange for a substantial contribution and for the good and valuable consideration provided by the Released Parties that is important to the success of the Plan; (d) a good faith settlement and compromise of the Claims released by the foregoing third-party release; (e) in the best interests of the Debtors and their Estates; (f) fair, equitable, and reasonable; (g) given and made after due notice and opportunity for hearing; and (h) a bar to any of the Releasing Parties asserting any claim or Cause of Action released pursuant to the foregoing third-party release.

Except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan or the Confirmation Order, no Exculpated Party shall have or incur liability for, and each Exculpated Party shall be released and exculpated from any Claims and Causes of Action for any claim related to any act or omission in connection with, relating to, or arising out of, the Chapter 11 Cases, the formulation, preparation, dissemination, negotiation, filing, or termination of the Restructuring Support Agreement and related prepetition transactions (including the Term Loan Agreement and the Secured Notes Indenture), the Disclosure Statement, the Plan, the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement, the Plan Supplement, or any Restructuring Transaction, contract, instrument, release or other agreement or document (including any legal opinion requested by any Entity regarding any transaction, contract, instrument, document or other agreement contemplated by the Plan or the reliance by any Released Party on the Plan or the Confirmation Order in lieu of such legal opinion), including any Definitive Document, created or entered into before or during the Chapter 11 Cases, any preference, fraudulent transfer, or other avoidance claim arising pursuant to chapter 5 of the Bankruptcy Code or other applicable law, the filing of the Chapter 11 Cases, the pursuit of Confirmation, the pursuit of Consummation, the administration and implementation of the Plan, including the issuance or distribution of Securities pursuant to the Plan, or the distribution of property under the Plan or any other related agreement, or upon any other related act or omission, transaction, agreement, event, or other occurrence taking place on or before the Effective Date, except for claims related to any act or omission that is determined in a final order by a court of competent jurisdiction to have constituted actual fraud, willful misconduct, or gross negligence, but in all respects such Entities shall be entitled to reasonably rely upon the advice of counsel with respect to their duties and responsibilities pursuant to the Plan.

The Exculpated Parties and other parties set forth above have, and upon Confirmation of the Plan shall be deemed to have, participated in good faith and in compliance with the applicable laws with regard to the solicitation of votes and distribution of consideration pursuant to the Plan and, therefore, are not, and on account of such distributions shall not be, liable at any time for the violation of any applicable law, rule, or regulation governing the solicitation of acceptances or rejections of the Plan or such distributions made pursuant to the Plan.

Except as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or the Confirmation Order or for obligations or distributions issued or required to be paid pursuant to the Plan or the Confirmation Order, all Entities who have held, hold, or may hold the Released Claims are permanently enjoined, from and after the Effective Date, from taking any of the following actions against, as applicable, the Debtors, the Reorganized Debtors, the Exculpated Parties, or the Released Parties: (1) commencing or continuing in any manner any action or other proceeding of any kind on account of or in connection with or with respect to any Released Claims; (2) enforcing, attaching, collecting, or recovering by any manner or means any judgment, award, decree, or order against such Entities on account of or in connection with or with respect to any Released Claims; (3) creating, perfecting, or enforcing any lien or encumbrance of any kind against such Entities or the property of such Entities on account of or in connection with or with respect to any Released Claims; (4) asserting any right of setoff, subrogation, or recoupment of any kind against any obligation due from such Entities or against the property or the Estates of such Entities on account of or in connection with or with respect to any Released Claims unless such holder has filed a motion requesting the right to perform such setoff on or before the Effective Date, and notwithstanding an indication of a Claim or Interest or otherwise that such holder asserts, has, or intends to preserve any right of setoff pursuant to applicable law or otherwise; and (5) commencing or continuing in any manner any action or other proceeding of any kind on account of or in connection with or with respect to any Released Claims released or settled pursuant to the Plan.

Upon entry of the Confirmation Order, all Holders of Claims and Interests and their respective current and former employees, agents, officers, directors, principals, and direct and indirect Affiliates shall be enjoined from taking any actions to interfere with the implementation or Consummation of the Plan. Each Holder of an Allowed Claim or Allowed Interest, as applicable, by accepting, or being eligible to accept, distributions under or Reinstatement of such Claim or Interest, as applicable, pursuant to the Plan, shall be deemed to have consented to the injunction provisions as set forth in Article VIII.F of the Plan.

Except as otherwise provided in the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement, the Plan, the Confirmation Order, or in any contract, instrument, release, or other agreement or document created or entered into pursuant to the Plan, on the Effective Date and concurrently with the applicable distributions made pursuant to the Plan and, in the case of a Secured Claim, satisfaction in full of the portion of the Secured Claim that is Allowed as of the Effective Date, except for Other Secured Claims that the Debtors elect to Reinstate in accordance with the Plan, all mortgages, deeds of trust, Liens, pledges, or other security interests against any property of the Estates shall be fully released and discharged, and all of the right, title, and interest of any Holder of such mortgages, deeds of trust, Liens, pledges, or other security interests shall revert to the Reorganized Debtors and their successors and assigns. Any Holder of such Secured Claim (and the applicable agents for such Holder) shall be authorized and directed, at the sole cost and expense of the Reorganized Debtors, to release any collateral or other property of any Debtor (including any cash collateral and possessory collateral) held by such Holder (and the applicable agents for such Holder), and to take such actions as may be reasonably requested by the Reorganized Debtors to evidence the release of such Liens and/or security interests, including the execution, delivery, and filing or recording of such releases. The presentation or filing of the Confirmation Order to or with any federal, state, provincial, or local agency, records office, or department shall constitute good and sufficient evidence of, but shall not be required to effect, the termination of such Liens.

To the extent that any Holder of a Secured Claim that has been satisfied or discharged in full pursuant to the Plan, or any agent for such Holder, has filed or recorded publicly any Liens and/or security interests to secure such Holder’s Secured Claim, then as soon as practicable on or after the Effective Date, such Holder (or the agent for such Holder) shall take, at the Reorganized Debtors’ sole cost and expense, any and all steps requested by the Debtors, the Reorganized Debtors, or the New Revolving Exit Facility Agent that are necessary or desirable to record or effectuate the cancellation and/or extinguishment of such Liens and/or security interests, including the making of any applicable filings or recordings, and the Reorganized Debtors shall be entitled to make any such filings or recordings on such Holder’s behalf.

The Plan provides for the preservation of all Causes of Action other than those that are expressly waived, relinquished, exculpated, released, compromised, or settled.

In accordance with section 1123(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, but subject to Article VIII of the Plan, each Reorganized Debtor, as applicable, shall retain and may enforce all rights to commence and pursue, as appropriate, any and all Causes of Action of the Debtors, whether arising before or after the Petition Date, including any actions specifically enumerated in the Schedule of Retained Causes of Action, and the Reorganized Debtors’ rights to commence, prosecute, or settle such Causes of Action shall be preserved notwithstanding the occurrence of the Effective Date, other than the Causes of Action released by the Debtors pursuant to the releases and exculpations contained in the Plan, including in Article VIII of the Plan, which shall be deemed released and waived by the Debtors and the Reorganized Debtors as of the Effective Date.

The Reorganized Debtors may pursue such retained Causes of Action, as appropriate, in accordance with the best interests of the Reorganized Debtors. No Entity (other than the Released Parties) may rely on the absence of a specific reference in the Plan, the Plan Supplement, or the Disclosure Statement to any Cause of Action against it as any indication that the Debtors or the Reorganized Debtors, as applicable, will not pursue any and all available Causes of Action of the Debtors against it. The Debtors and the Reorganized Debtors expressly reserve all rights to prosecute any and all Causes of Action against any Entity, except as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, including Article VIII of the Plan. Unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the parties to the applicable Cause of Action, all objections to the Schedule of Retained Causes of Action must be Filed with the Bankruptcy Court on or before thirty days after the Effective Date. Any such objection that is not timely filed shall be disallowed and forever barred, estopped, and enjoined from assertion against any Reorganized Debtor, without the need for any objection or responsive pleading by the Reorganized Debtors or any other party in interest or any further notice to or action, order, or approval of the Bankruptcy Court. The Reorganized Debtors may settle any such objection without any further notice to or action, order, or approval of the Bankruptcy Court. If there is any dispute regarding the inclusion of any Cause of Action on the Schedule of Retained Causes of Action that remains unresolved by the Debtors or Reorganized Debtors, as applicable, and the objection party for thirty days, such objection shall be resolved by the Bankruptcy Court. Unless any Causes of Action of the Debtors against an Entity are expressly waived, relinquished, exculpated, released, compromised, or settled in the Plan or a Final Order, the Reorganized Debtors expressly reserve all Causes of Action, for later adjudication, and, therefore, no preclusion doctrine, including the doctrines of res judicata, collateral estoppel, issue preclusion, claim preclusion, estoppel (judicial, equitable, or otherwise), or laches, shall apply to such Causes of Action upon, after, or as a consequence of the Confirmation or Consummation.

The Reorganized Debtors reserve and shall retain such Causes of Action of the Debtors notwithstanding the rejection or repudiation of any Executory Contract or Unexpired Lease during the Chapter 11 Cases or pursuant to the Plan. In accordance with section 1123(b)(3) of the Bankruptcy Code, any Causes of Action that a Debtor may hold against any Entity shall vest in the Reorganized Debtors, except as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, including Article VIII of the Plan. The applicable Reorganized Debtors, through their authorized agents or representatives, shall retain and may exclusively enforce any and all such Causes of Action. The Reorganized Debtors shall have the exclusive right, authority, and discretion to determine and to initiate, file, prosecute, enforce, abandon, settle, compromise, release, withdraw, or litigate to judgment any such Causes of Action and to decline to do any of the foregoing without the consent or approval of any third party or further notice to or action, order, or approval of the Bankruptcy Court.

In the event that any distribution to any Holder is returned as undeliverable, no distribution to such Holder shall be made unless and until the Disbursing Agent is notified in writing of such Holder’s then-current address or other necessary information for delivery; provided, however, that such distributions shall be deemed unclaimed property under section 347(b) of the Bankruptcy Code at the expiration of six months from the date of the distribution. After such date, all unclaimed property or interests in property shall revert to the Reorganized Debtors automatically and without need for a further order by the Bankruptcy Court (notwithstanding any applicable federal, provincial, or state escheat, abandoned, or unclaimed property laws to the contrary), and the Claim of any Holder to such property or interest in property shall be discharged of and forever barred. To the extent such Unclaimed Distribution is comprised of New FTS Equity, such New FTS Equity shall be cancelled.

No Cash payment of less than $250 shall be made to a Holder of an Allowed Claim on account of such Allowed Claim. When any distribution pursuant to the Plan on account of an Allowed Claim or Allowed Interest (as applicable) would otherwise result in the issuance of a number of shares of New FTS Equity that is not a whole number, the actual distribution of shares of New FTS Equity shall be rounded to the next lower whole number with no further payment therefor.

As described in the Declaration of Lance Turner, Chief Financial Officer of FTS International, Inc., in Support of Chapter 11 Petitions and First Day Motions (the “First Day Declaration”), prior to the Petition Date, the Debtors evaluated numerous potential alternatives to address their funded indebtedness, particularly their April 16, 2021 maturity on the Term Loan Facility. As described in the First Day Declaration, following these considerations and in light of all of the circumstances, including plunging oil prices and the Debtors’ looming debt maturities, the Board of Directors of FTSI determined in its business judgment to pursue a holistic restructuring through a chapter 11 filing.

The RSA is the cornerstone of the Debtors’ restructuring, and the Consenting Creditors and their professionals have been, and continue to be, integral to facilitating the transaction contemplated by the RSA and the Plan. The RSA provides that the Consenting Creditors shall support the Plan on the terms set forth therein. Part of the consideration for this support is that the Debtors are obligated to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of certain professionals to the Ad Hoc Group of Secured Noteholders, the Ad Hoc Group of Term Loan Lenders, and the Term Loan Agent.

As set forth in Article VII.C of this Disclosure Statement, in connection with the restructuring negotiations, the Debtors reached an agreement in principle with the restricted Consenting Creditors regarding a Restructuring Term Sheet detailing the terms of a consensual restructuring of the Debtors’ funded debt obligations through the Plan.

On August 22, 2020, the Debtors and certain Secured Noteholders and Term Loan Lenders entered into the Restructuring Support Agreement. Thereafter, on September 4, 2020, certain additional Secured Noteholders and Term Loan Lenders agreed to the restructuring and the RSA was amended and restated. On September 21, 2020, the RSA was amended and restated a second time. Since executing the RSA, the Debtors have documented the terms of the restructuring contemplated thereby, including the Plan. The restructuring transactions contemplated by the Plan will significantly reduce the Debtors’ funded-debt obligations and annual interest payments and result in a stronger balance sheet for the Debtors.

The Plan represents a significant step in the Debtors’ months-long restructuring process. The RSA will allow the Debtors to proceed expeditiously through chapter 11 to a successful emergence. The Plan will significantly deleverage the Debtors’ balance sheet and provide the capital injection needed for the Debtors to conduct competitive operations going forward.

All FTS Common Interests shall be cancelled as of the Effective Date.

On the Effective Date, Reorganized FTS is authorized to issue or cause to be issued and shall issue the New FTS Equity in accordance with the terms of this Plan, the Stockholders’ Agreement, and other applicable Definitive Documents without further notice to or order of the Bankruptcy Court, act or action under applicable law, regulation, order, or rule, or the vote, consent, authorization, or approval of any Person. The New FTS Equity shall be issued and distributed free and clear of all Liens, Claims, and other Interests. All of the New FTS Equity issued pursuant to the Plan shall be duly authorized and validly issued.

On the Effective Date, Reorganized FTS and all holders of the New FTS Equity then outstanding shall be deemed to be parties to the New Organizational Documents and the Stockholders’ Agreement without the need for execution by any such holder. The New Organizational Documents shall be binding on the Reorganized Debtors and all parties receiving New FTS Equity pursuant to the Plan.

All of the New FTS Equity issued or authorized to be issued pursuant to the Plan shall be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable.

On the Effective Date, the Reorganized Debtors shall enter into the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement and shall execute and deliver the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement documents, and such documents shall become effective in accordance with their terms. On and after the Effective Date, the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement documents shall constitute legal, valid, and binding obligations of the Reorganized Debtors and be enforceable in accordance with their respective terms. The terms and conditions of the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement documents, if any, shall bind the Reorganized Debtors and each other Entity that enters into such New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement documents as a guarantor. Any Entity’s entry into the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement, if any, shall be deemed as its agreement to the terms of such New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement documents, as amended or modified from time to time following the Effective Date in accordance with its terms.

Confirmation shall be deemed approval of the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement documents (including the transactions contemplated thereby, and all actions to be taken, undertakings to be made, and obligations and guarantees to be incurred and fees and expenses paid in connection therewith), if any, and, to the extent not approved by the Bankruptcy Court previously, the Reorganized Debtors will be authorized to execute and deliver those documents necessary or appropriate to obtain the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement, including the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement documents, without further notice to or order of the Bankruptcy Court, act or action under applicable law, regulation, order or rule or vote, consent, authorization, or approval of any Person, subject to such modifications as the Reorganized Debtors may deem to be necessary to enter into the New Revolving Exit Facility Credit Agreement documents, if any.

On the Effective Date, the terms of the current members of the board of directors of FTS shall expire, and the New Board shall be appointed on the Effective Date in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the applicable New Organizational Documents and Stockholders’ Agreement and the identities of directors on the New Board shall be set forth in the Plan Supplement to the extent known at the time of filing of the Plan Supplement.

The New Board shall be comprised of five directors: (a) one of which shall be the CEO of Reorganized FTS, (b) three of which shall be selected by the Required Consenting Noteholders, and (c) one of which shall be selected by the Required Consenting Term Loan Lenders.

The officers of the respective Debtors immediately before the Effective Date, as applicable, shall serve as the initial officers of each of the respective Reorganized Debtors on and after the Effective Date and in accordance with Article IV.Q of the Plan and applicable non-bankruptcy law. After the Effective Date, the selection of officers of the Reorganized Debtors shall be as provided by their respective New Organizational Documents.

This Disclosure Statement, which is accompanied by a ballot (the “Ballot”) to be used for voting on the Plan, is being distributed to the Holders of Claims or Interests in those Classes that are entitled to vote to accept or reject the Plan.

Under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, not all Holders of claims against or interests in a debtor are entitled to vote on a chapter 11 plan. The table in Article III.E of this Disclosure Statement, entitled “Am I entitled to vote on the Plan?” provides a summary of the status and voting rights of each Class (and, therefore, of each Holder within such Class absent an objection to the Holder’s Claim) under the Plan.

As shown in the table, the Debtors are soliciting votes to accept or reject the Plan only from Holders of Claims and Interests in Classes 3, 4, and 8 (collectively, the “Voting Classes”). The Holders of Claims and Interests in the Voting Classes are Impaired under the Plan and may, in certain circumstances, receive a distribution under the Plan. Accordingly, Holders of Claims and Interests in the Voting Classes have the right to vote to accept or reject the Plan.

The Debtors are not soliciting votes from Holders of Claims or Interests in Classes 1A, 1B, 2, 5, 6, and 7. Additionally, the Disclosure Statement Order provides that certain Holders of Claims or Interests in the Voting Classes, such as those Holders whose Claims have been disallowed or are subject to a pending objection, are not entitled to vote to accept or reject the Plan.

The Debtors have retained the Claims and Noticing Agent, Epiq Corporate Restructuring LLC (“Epiq” or the “Claims and Noticing Agent”) to act as, among other things, the Claims and Noticing Agent in connection with the solicitation of votes to accept or reject the Plan.

The following materials constitute the solicitation package (collectively, the “Solicitation Package”) distributed to Holders of Claims and Interests in the Voting Classes:

The Debtors will cause the Claims and Noticing Agent to distribute the Solicitation Package to Holders of Claims entitled to vote on the Plan, anticipated to begin on September 21, 2020, and to Holders of Interests entitled to vote on the Plan, anticipated to begin on September 24, 2020. The Voting Deadline is October 21, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. (prevailing Central Time).

The Solicitation Package (except the Ballots) may also be obtained from the Claims and Noticing Agent by: (i) calling the Claims and Noticing Agent at (888) 490-0882 (toll free) or (503) 597-5602 (international), or (ii) writing to the Claims and Noticing Agent at FTS International Ballot Processing c/o Epiq Corporate Restructuring LLC, 10300 SW Allen Boulevard, Beaverton, OR 97005. You may also download the exhibits and documents (as well as any pleadings filed with the Bankruptcy Court after the case has been filed) for free by visiting the Debtors’ restructuring website, https://dm.epiq11.com/FTSI, or, you may also obtain copies of any pleadings filed with the Bankruptcy Court for a fee via PACER at https://www.pacer.gov/.

The Debtors shall file the Plan Supplement with the Bankruptcy Court in advance of the Confirmation Hearing. If the Plan Supplement is updated or otherwise modified, such modified or updated documents will be made available on the Debtors’ restructuring website. The Debtors will not serve copies of the Plan Supplement; however, parties may obtain a copy of the Plan Supplement from the Claims and Noticing Agent by: (i) calling the Claims and Noticing Agent at the telephone numbers set forth above; (ii) visiting the Debtors’ restructuring website, https://dm.epiq11.com/FTSI; or (iii) writing to the Claims and Noticing Agent at FTS International Ballot Processing c/o Epiq Corporate Restructuring LLC, 10300 SW Allen Boulevard, Beaverton, OR 97005.

Under the Bankruptcy Code, acceptance of a plan of reorganization by a class of claims or interests is determined by calculating the amount and, if a class of claims, the number, of claims and interests voting to accept, as a percentage of the allowed claims or interests, as applicable, that have voted. Acceptance by a class of claims requires an affirmative vote of more than one-half in number of total allowed claims that have voted and an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds in dollar amount of the total allowed claims that have voted. Acceptance by a class of interests requires an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds in amount of the total allowed interests that have voted.

There are a variety of factors that all Holders of Claims entitled to vote on the Plan should consider prior to voting to accept or reject the Plan. These factors may impact recoveries under the Plan and include, among other things:

While these factors could affect distributions available to Holders of Allowed Claims and Allowed Interests under the Plan, the occurrence or impact of such factors may not necessarily affect the validity of the vote of the Voting Classes or necessarily require a re-solicitation of the votes of Holders of Claims in the Voting Classes pursuant to section 1127 of the Bankruptcy Code.

For a further discussion of risk factors, please refer to “Risk Factors” described in Article IX of this Disclosure Statement.

The Voting Deadline is October 21, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. (prevailing Central Time).

Detailed instructions regarding how to vote on the Plan are contained on the ballots distributed to Holders of Claims and Interests that are entitled to vote on the Plan. For your vote to be counted, you must submit your ballot in accordance with the instructions provided therein.

BALLOTS SENT BY FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION ARE NOT ALLOWED AND WILL NOT BE COUNTED.

Present-day FTSI was founded in August 2000 as Frac Tech Services, LLC (“Frac Tech Services”). Frac Tech Services began as a small, family-owned business and started providing hydraulic fracturing services to E&P companies in 2002. Frac Tech Services quickly grew into a leading independent provider of oil and natural gas well stimulation services with expertise in high-pressure hydraulic fracturing. Unlike the majority of its competitors, Frac Tech Services’ vertical integration allowed it to manufacture many of the components of its hydraulic fracturing units, as well as assemble all of the fleets used by present-day FTSI. This reduced operating costs, increased asset utilization, improved supply chain flexibility and responsiveness, and enhanced financial performance and customer service for the organization as a whole. Frac Tech Services’ significant maintenance and repair capabilities also allowed it to refurbish third party components and manufacture replacement parts to support its operations and further enhance asset utilization. E&P companies operating in the United States used Frac Tech Services to enhance their recovery rates from wells drilled in shale and other unconventional reservoirs. Frac Tech Services’ operations were primarily focused in the Haynesville Shale, the Eagle Ford Shale, the Marcellus Shale, the Permian Basin, and the Bakken Shale. Since its founding, the Debtors’ organization has undertaken several reorganizational transactions that have taken it from a family-run limited partnership to a publicly traded corporation. A chart reflecting the Debtors’ current organizational structure is attached hereto.

Despite the Debtors’ transformation over the years, the Debtors’ core focus and geographic footprint remain largely the same. The Debtors’ primary business is providing hydraulic fracturing services, also known as pressure pumping, to E&P companies, to enhance hydrocarbon flow in oil and natural gas wells, thus increasing the amount of hydrocarbons recovered. Each of the Debtors’ twenty-eight fleets typically consists of approximately twenty hydraulic fracturing units, generally including a high-pressure pump, a diesel or combined diesel and natural gas engine, a transmission, and various other supporting and ancillary equipment. The Debtors have historically operated under service agreements with customers for one or more “dedicated” fleets, in which the Debtors deploy one or more of their hydraulic fracturing fleets exclusively to the customer to follow the customer’s completion schedule until the agreement expires or is terminated in accordance with its terms. However, the Debtors also offer spot-work agreements, whereby fleets move between customers as work becomes available.

The Debtors presently operate in the following basins:

As of the Petition Date, the Debtors have approximately $446.7 million (principal and accrued interest) in total funded debt. This consists of $67.4 million under the Term Loan Facility and $369.9 million in aggregate principal amount of Secured Notes. FTSI is the borrower under the Term Loan Facility and is the Issuer of the Secured Notes. The Debtors’ aggregate debt load is depicted in the table below:

FTSI and FTSI Services are borrowers under the credit agreement dated as of February 22, 2018 (as has been amended, amended and restated, or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the Petition Date) with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, sole lead arranger, and book runner (together with any successor administrative or collateral agent), and the other lenders party thereto. The ABL Credit Agreement allows the Debtors to access a maximum of $100 million in revolving credit commitments. The obligations under the ABL Facility are secured by: (i) a first lien on substantially all of the Debtors’ assets, including, among other things, accounts receivable, inventory, deposit accounts, intellectual property, and the equity of some current and future wholly-owned domestic and foreign subsidiaries; and (ii) a second lien on the collateral package securing the Secured Notes.

As of June 30, 2020, the borrowing base for the ABL Facility was $9 million. There are no amounts outstanding thereunder. The Debtors have issued $4 million in letters of credit, leaving $5 million available under the ABL Facility. The maturity date on the ABL Facility is February 22, 2023.

FTSI is the borrower under the term loan agreement dated as of April 16, 2014 (as have been amended, amended and restated, or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the Petition Date) with Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB (as successor to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association) as administrative agent, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, and UBS Securities LLC, as joint lead arrangers and joint book runners (together with any successor administrative or collateral agent), and the other lenders party thereto (the facility thereunder, the “Term Loan Facility”). The Term Loan Facility shares substantially the same collateral package and is pari passu with the Secured Notes. Specifically, the collateral package for the Term Loan Facility and Secured Notes includes the following collateral of FTS and certain of its affiliates: (a) inventory collateral; (b) receivables collateral; (c) account collateral; and any of the following pertaining to the aforementioned collateral: (i) trademarks, intellectual property, and intellectual property licenses; (ii) books; (iii) proceeds; and (iv) pledged collateral. The maturity date for the Term Loan Facility is April 16, 2021. As of June 30, 2020, approximately $67.4 million in aggregate principal amount remains outstanding under the Term Loan Facility.

 ¹¹   The total funded debt does not include accrued interest.

FTSI is the issuer of 6.25% senior secured notes due May 2022 pursuant to that certain indenture dated as of April 16, 2014 (as have been amended, amended and restated, or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the Petition Date) with U.S. Bank National Association, as collateral agent and trustee (together with any successor collateral agent), and the guarantors party thereto. The maturity date for the Secured Notes is May 1, 2022. As of June 30, 2020, approximately $369.9 million in aggregate principal amount of Secured Notes remain outstanding.

In recent years, the markets for oil and natural gas have been especially volatile, which has been exacerbated in recent months by current geopolitical and economic conditions. Among the contributing factors are the domestic and foreign supply of oil and natural gas, the ability of members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (“OPEC”) to comply with the agreed upon production cuts (and the cooperation of other producing countries to reduce production levels), social unrest and political instability, particularly in major oil and natural gas producing regions outside the United States, and the levels and growth of domestic and global economic activity. In particular, the U.S. “Shale Revolution”—the implementation of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracking techniques to unlock oil and natural gas from previously non-producible shale formations—has resulted in a dramatic increase in U.S. crude oil and natural gas production, greatly increasing supplies at a time of uncertain demand.

These market conditions have affected oil and gas companies at every level of the industry around the world. Over thirty oil and gas companies have filed for chapter 11 since the beginning of 2020 alone, and numerous other oil and gas companies have defaulted on their debt obligations, negotiated amendments or covenant relief with creditors to avoid defaulting, or effectuated out-of-court restructurings. The current volatility in the commodity markets has made it difficult for some companies to execute on out-of-court restructuring alternatives and has rendered typical cost-management techniques insufficient to manage outstanding liabilities.

From the beginning of the downturn, the Debtors took steps to reduce expenditures and increase operational efficiencies. These efforts included: (i) salary and benefits reductions; (ii) various measures to decrease its cost structure, including implementation of certain technology initiatives and developments, such as equipment automation and predictive maintenance and analytics; and (iii) contract renegotiations. As a result of the Company’s low cost structure and ability to adapt quickly to the changing environment, the Debtors significantly reduced net debt from approximately $1.05 billion at the end of 2016 to $236.9 million at the end of 2019.

Despite successfully reducing net debt over the last few years, the Debtors were not immune to ongoing macroeconomic forces. Throughout 2018 and 2019, the Debtors were forced to reduce their pricing and to deploy fleets to more active regions as E&P sentiment shifted toward operating within cash flow, resulting in a sudden and significant lowering of E&P capital expenditures (“Capex”). Lower E&P Capex, coupled with low commodity prices, lowered drilling and completion spending across the United States. Further, the pressure pumping industry became oversupplied in late 2018. While the Debtors pivoted to new oil and gas basins in response to these events, doing so came with price concessions, all of which were necessary to successfully redeploy fleets into the Mid-Con and Texas regions.

Ultimately, the Debtors recognized that cost savings and operational efficiency improvements, without pricing improvement, would not insulate them from market compression and the struggling commodities market, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Projected reductions in drilling activity, combined with diminished access to new-money capital, strained the Debtors’ ability to meet their obligations, leading to an examination of more comprehensive solutions.

In mid-April 2020, the Ad Hoc Group of Secured Noteholders and Ad Hoc Group of Term Loan Lenders coalesced and contacted the Debtors to begin discussing potential restructuring proposals. The Ad Hoc Group of Secured Noteholders and certain members of the Ad Hoc Group of Term Loan Lenders, along with their advisors, signed non-disclosure agreements and began the due diligence process. As part of this process, the Debtors provided the creditors’ advisors substantial diligence, and the parties held numerous telephone conferences among both advisors and principals. Concurrently with the diligence process, the Debtors and the Ad Hoc Group of Secured Noteholders began to engage in high-level discussions about potential restructuring transaction structures that became progressively more detailed as the Ad Hoc Group of Secured Noteholders came to understand the Debtors’ enterprise, including their operations, liquidity needs, contractual obligations, and unencumbered assets. As a result of these efforts and after nearly four months of hard-fought negotiations, the Debtors and a majority of the Secured Noteholders reached an agreement on the restructuring transactions as reflected in the Plan and the RSA. Thereafter, additional Secured Noteholders and a majority of the Term Loan Lenders signed joinders to the RSA.

The Plan contemplates a deleveraging of the Debtors’ balance sheet and potential entry into the New Revolving Exit Facility to provide go-forward credit support. The Debtors will fund the Chapter 11 Cases through the use of cash collateral and seek to emerge on an expedited timeline, thereby preserving critical value for all stakeholders.¹²

The level of consensus for this comprehensive reorganization reflects the efforts undertaken by all parties and the overriding belief in the Debtors’ prospects as a reorganized enterprise. Critically, the Plan proposes to pay all trade debt in full. In so doing, the Plan is intended to minimize any potential adverse effects to the Debtors’ businesses, customers, and trade partners as a result of the restructuring, thus positioning the Debtors for a quick and smooth transition into, and emergence from, bankruptcy.

Covia Holdings Corp. (“Covia”) is the counterparty to the Debtors’ largest sand supply contract. Covia is one of the largest mineral and materials solution providers in North America. Among other products, Covia sells frac sand to customers like the Debtors. The Debtors regularly purchase frac sand from suppliers, like Covia, under forward contracts, which the Debtors in turn sell at a markup to their own customers (who include both end-users and other resellers).

In 2013, Covia purchased a frac sand business from the Debtors. Since then, the Debtors have purchased sand from Covia to complete pressure pumping services for oil and gas operators under various sand supply agreements. In September 2013, the Debtors entered into a prior supply agreement with two of Covia’s predecessors (the “Original Supply Agreement”). Over the years, the parties modified the Original Supply Agreement with multiple amendments. The Original Supply Agreement involved a ten-year commitment, and its terms ultimately proved uneconomical for the Debtors. After several months of renegotiation, on May 3, 2019, the Debtors and Covia entered into the Amended and Restated Supply Agreement (the “Supply Agreement”), which is the current operative agreement between the parties. The Supply Agreement released the Debtors from certain liabilities under the Original Supply Agreement and also introduced revised commercial terms, including minimum purchase requirements and pricing provisions. The Supply Agreement also expressly allowed the Debtors to resell the sand that they purchased from Covia to third parties. Unfortunately, Covia has at times been unable to deliver the quantities of sand that the Debtors have been required to purchase under the Supply Agreement.

¹²  Additional details regarding the Debtors’ requested use of cash collateral are attached hereto as Exhibit F.

On June 29, 2020, Covia filed a voluntary petition for relief under the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. In light of Covia’s insolvency, and considering the challenging economic conditions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and related disruptions, the Debtors determined that it was in the best interest of the company and its shareholders to terminate the Supply Agreement. Accordingly, in a July 14, 2020 letter, the Debtors informed Covia that they were terminating the Supply Agreement under Section 8.3(ii) thereof, which allows the Debtors to terminate in the event of Covia’s bankruptcy, and pursuant to section 556 of the Bankruptcy Code, an exception to the automatic stay which allows termination of a forward contract. In the same letter, the Debtors stated that the penalty provision in Section 8.4(b)(iii) was unenforceable and therefore the Debtors would be making no further payments to Covia. Covia responded on July 22, 2020, asserting that the Debtors cannot terminate the Supply Agreement because the Debtors are not a “forward contract merchant” and thus cannot invoke section 556’s safe harbor. Covia contends that the Debtors are still obligated under the Supply Agreement to make approximately $84 million in future payments and/or sand purchases through 2024. Covia also argues that even if the Debtors were permitted to terminate the Supply Agreement, the Debtors would still owe Covia $44 million pursuant to the Supply Agreement’s penalty provisions.

On September 10, 2020, Covia filed an adversary proceeding in its own bankruptcy cases to resolve this dispute. As of the Petition Date, the disputes with Covia have not been resolved.

The Debtors also entered into a termination agreement with U.S. Silica Holdings Inc. (“USS”), another supplier who asserted contract claims in excess of $17 million, resulting in a cash payment of $1 million and a remaining termination claim of $10 million. The Debtors believe this agreement will also enable them to negotiate more favorable terms with USS on a going forward basis.

Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or any agreement, instrument, or other document incorporated in the Plan or the Plan Supplement, each Debtor shall continue to exist after the Effective Date as a separate corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or other form, as the case may be, with all the powers of a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or other form, as the case may be, pursuant to the applicable law in the jurisdiction in which each applicable Debtor is incorporated or formed and pursuant to the respective certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or other analogous governing documents) in effect prior to the Effective Date, except to the extent such certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or other analogous governing documents) are amended under the Plan or otherwise, in each case, consistent with the Plan and the RSA, and to the extent such documents are amended in accordance therewith, such documents are deemed to be amended pursuant to the Plan and require no further action or approval (other than any requisite filings required under applicable state, provincial, or federal law). After the Effective Date, the respective certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or other analogous governing documents) of one or more of the Reorganized Debtors may be amended or modified on the terms therein without supervision or approval by the Bankruptcy Court and free of any restrictions of the Bankruptcy Code or Bankruptcy Rules. After the Effective Date, one or more of the Reorganized Debtors may be disposed of, dissolved, wound down, or liquidated without supervision or approval by the Bankruptcy Court and free of any restrictions of the Bankruptcy Code or Bankruptcy Rules.

The RSA requires that the Debtors proceed in accordance with the RSA milestones, including securing confirmation of the Plan within sixty days after the Petition Date. In light of the Debtors’ extensive prepetition noticing efforts, the timeline from the anticipated Petition Date to the confirmation hearing provides more than sufficient time to administer these Chapter 11 Cases in a manner that gives all parties in interest a full and fair opportunity to participate in the process. Following the commencement of solicitation, the Debtors will file a scheduling motion seeking approval of the following confirmation schedule (including applicable RSA milestones):

On the Petition Date, along with their voluntary petitions for relief under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (the “Petitions”), the Debtors intend to file several motions (the “First Day Motions”) designed to facilitate the administration of the Chapter 11 Cases and minimize disruption to the Debtors’ operations, by, among other things, easing the strain on the Debtors’ relationships with employees, vendors, and customers following the commencement of the Chapter 11 Cases. After the Petition Date, the First Day Motions, and all orders for relief granted in the Chapter 11 Cases, can be viewed free of charge at https://dm.epiq11.com/FTSI.

Holders of Claims should read and consider carefully the risk factors set forth below before voting to accept or reject the Plan. Although there are many risk factors discussed below, these factors should not be regarded as constituting the only risks present in connection with the Debtors’ business or the Plan and its implementation.

The occurrence or non-occurrence of any or all of the following contingencies, and any others, could affect distributions available to Holders of Allowed Claims and Allowed Interests under the Plan but will not necessarily affect the validity of the vote of the Impaired Classes to accept or reject the Plan or require a re-solicitation of the votes of Holders of Claims in such Impaired Classes.

Section 1122 of the Bankruptcy Code provides that a plan may place a claim or an equity interest in a particular class only if such claim or equity interest is substantially similar to the other claims or equity interests in such class. The Debtors believe that the classification of the Claims and Interests under the Plan complies with the requirements set forth in the Bankruptcy Code because the Debtors created Classes of Claims and Interests each encompassing Claims or Interests, as applicable, that are substantially similar to the other Claims or Interests, as applicable, in each such Class. Nevertheless, there can be no assurance that the Bankruptcy Court will reach the same conclusion.

As more fully set forth in Article IX of the Plan, the Effective Date of the Plan is subject to a number of conditions precedent. If such conditions precedent are not waived or not met, the Effective Date will not take place.

If votes are received in number and amount sufficient to enable the Bankruptcy Court to confirm the Plan, the Debtors intend to seek, as promptly as practicable thereafter, Confirmation of the Plan. In the event that sufficient votes are not received, the Debtors may need to seek to confirm an alternative chapter 11 plan or transaction, subject to the terms of the RSA. There can be no assurance that the terms of any such alternative chapter 11 plan or other transaction would be similar or as favorable to the Holders of Interests and Allowed Claims as those proposed in the Plan, and the Debtors do not believe that any such transaction exists or is likely to exist that would be more beneficial to the Estates than the Plan.

Section 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code sets forth the requirements for confirmation of a chapter 11 plan, and requires, among other things, a finding by the Bankruptcy Court that:  (a) such plan “does not unfairly discriminate” and is “fair and equitable” with respect to any non-accepting classes; (b) confirmation of such plan is not likely to be followed by a liquidation or a need for further financial reorganization unless such liquidation or reorganization is contemplated by the plan; and (c) the value of distributions to non-accepting Holders of claims or equity interests within a particular class under such plan will not be less than the value of distributions such Holders would receive if the debtors were liquidated under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code.

There can be no assurance that the requisite acceptances to confirm the Plan will be received. Even if the requisite acceptances are received, there can be no assurance that the Bankruptcy Court will confirm the Plan. A non-accepting Holder of an Allowed Claim or Allowed Interest might challenge either the adequacy of this Disclosure Statement or whether the balloting procedures and voting results satisfy the requirements of the Bankruptcy Code or Bankruptcy Rules. Even if the Bankruptcy Court determines that this Disclosure Statement, the balloting procedures, and voting results are appropriate, the Bankruptcy Court could still decline to confirm the Plan if it finds that any of the statutory requirements for Confirmation are not met. If a chapter 11 plan of reorganization is not confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court, it is unclear whether the Debtors will be able to reorganize their business and what, if anything, Holders of Interests and Allowed Claims against them would ultimately receive.

The Debtors, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and the RSA, reserve the right to modify the terms and conditions of the Plan as necessary for Confirmation. Any such modifications could result in less favorable treatment of any non-accepting class of Claims or Interests, as well as any class junior to such non-accepting class, than the treatment currently provided in the Plan. Such a less favorable treatment could include a distribution of property with a lesser value than currently provided in the Plan or no distribution whatsoever under the Plan.

In the event that any impaired class of claims or interests does not accept a chapter 11 plan, a bankruptcy court may nevertheless confirm a plan at the proponents’ request if at least one impaired class (as defined under section 1124 of the Bankruptcy Code) has accepted the plan (with such acceptance being determined without including the vote of any “insider” in such class), and, as to each impaired class that has not accepted the plan, the bankruptcy court determines that the plan “does not discriminate unfairly” and is “fair and equitable” with respect to the dissenting impaired class(es). The Debtors believe that the Plan satisfies these requirements, and the Debtors may request such nonconsensual Confirmation in accordance with subsection 1129(b) of the Bankruptcy Code. Nevertheless, there can be no assurance that the Bankruptcy Court will reach this conclusion. In addition, the pursuit of nonconsensual Confirmation or Consummation of the Plan may result in, among other things, increased expenses relating to professional compensation.

Even if the Plan is consummated, the Debtors will continue to face a number of risks, including certain risks that are beyond their control, such as further deterioration or other changes in economic conditions, changes in the industry, potential revaluing of their assets due to chapter 11 proceedings, changes in demand for oil and natural gas, and increasing expenses. See Article IX.C of this Disclosure Statement, entitled “Risks Related to the Debtors’ and the Reorganized Debtors’ Businesses.” Some of these concerns and effects typically become more acute when a case under the Bankruptcy Code continues for a protracted period without indication of how or when the case may be completed. As a result of these risks and others, there is no guarantee that a chapter 11 plan of reorganization reflecting the Plan will achieve the Debtors’ stated goals.

In addition, at the outset of the Chapter 11 Cases, the Bankruptcy Code provides the Debtors with the exclusive right to propose the Plan and prohibits creditors and others from proposing a plan. The Debtors will have retained the exclusive right to propose the Plan upon filing their Petitions. If the Bankruptcy Court terminates that right, however, or the exclusivity period expires, there could be a material adverse effect on the Debtors’ ability to achieve confirmation of the Plan in order to achieve the Debtors’ stated goals.

Further, even if the Debtors’ debts are reduced and/or discharged through the Plan, the Debtors may need to raise additional funds through public or private debt or equity financing or other various means to fund the Debtors’ businesses after the completion of the proceedings related to the Chapter 11 Cases. Adequate funds may not be available when needed or may not be available on favorable terms.

Usually, votes to accept or reject a plan of reorganization are solicited after the filing of a petition commencing a chapter 11 case. Nevertheless, a debtor may solicit votes prior to the commencement of a chapter 11 case in accordance with sections 1125(g) and 1126(b) of the Bankruptcy Code and Bankruptcy Rule 3018(b). Sections 1125(g) and 1126(b) and Bankruptcy Rule 3018(b) require that:

In addition, Bankruptcy Rule 3018(b) provides that a holder of a claim or interest who has accepted or rejected a plan before the commencement of the case under the Bankruptcy Code will not be deemed to have accepted or rejected the plan if the court finds after notice and a hearing that the plan was not transmitted in accordance with reasonable solicitation procedures. Section 1126(b) of the Bankruptcy Code provides that a holder of a claim or interest that has accepted or rejected a plan before the commencement of a case under the Bankruptcy Code is deemed to have accepted or rejected the plan if (i) the solicitation of such acceptance or rejection was in compliance with applicable non-bankruptcy law, rule, or regulation governing the adequacy of disclosure in connection with such solicitation or (ii) there is no such law, rule, or regulation, and such acceptance or rejection was solicited after disclosure to such holder of adequate information (as defined by section 1125(a) of the Bankruptcy Code). While the Debtors believe that the requirements of sections 1125(g) and 1126(b) of the Bankruptcy Code and Bankruptcy Rule 3018(b) will be met, there can be no assurance that the Bankruptcy Court will reach the same conclusion.

If the Bankruptcy Court finds that it would be in the best interest of creditors and/or the debtor in a chapter 11 case, the Bankruptcy Court may convert a chapter 11 bankruptcy case to a case under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. In such event, a chapter 7 trustee would be appointed or elected to liquidate the debtor’s assets for distribution in accordance with the priorities established by the Bankruptcy Code. The Debtors believe that liquidation under chapter 7 would result in significantly smaller distributions being made to creditors than those provided for in a chapter 11 plan because of (a) the likelihood that the assets would have to be sold or otherwise disposed of in a disorderly fashion over a short period of time, rather than reorganizing or selling the business as a going concern at a later time in a controlled manner, (b) additional administrative expenses involved in the appointment of a chapter 7 trustee, and (c) additional expenses and Claims, some of which would be entitled to priority, would be generated during the liquidation, including Claims resulting from the rejection of Unexpired Leases and other Executory Contracts in connection with cessation of operations.

Except as otherwise provided in the Plan, the Debtors reserve the right to object to the amount or classification of any Claim under the Plan, subject to the terms of the RSA. The estimates set forth in this Disclosure Statement cannot be relied upon by any Holder of a Claim where such Claim is subject to an objection. Any Holder of a Claim that is subject to an objection thus may not receive its expected share of the estimated distributions described in this Disclosure Statement.

Although the Debtors believe that the Effective Date may occur quickly after the Confirmation Date, there can be no assurance as to such timing or as to whether the Effective Date will, in fact, occur.

The distributions available to Holders of Allowed Claims under the Plan can be affected by a variety of contingencies, including, without limitation, whether the Bankruptcy Court orders certain Allowed Claims to be subordinated to other Allowed Claims. The occurrence of any and all such contingencies, which could affect distributions available to Holders of Allowed Claims under the Plan, will not affect the validity of the vote taken by the Impaired Classes to accept or reject the Plan or require any sort of revote by the Impaired Classes.

The estimated Claims and creditor recoveries set forth in this Disclosure Statement are based on various assumptions, and the actual Allowed amounts of Claims may significantly differ from the estimates. Should one or more of the underlying assumptions ultimately prove to be incorrect, the actual Allowed amounts of Claims may vary from the estimated Claims contained in this Disclosure Statement. Moreover, the Debtors cannot determine with any certainty at this time, the number or amount of Claims that will ultimately be Allowed. Such differences may materially and adversely affect, among other things, the percentage recoveries to Holders of Allowed Claims under the Plan.

Article VIII of the Plan provides for certain releases, injunctions, and exculpations, including a release of liens and third-party releases that may otherwise be asserted against the Debtors, Reorganized Debtors, or Released Parties, as applicable. The releases, injunctions, and exculpations provided in the Plan are subject to objection by parties in interest and may not be approved. If the releases are not approved, certain Released Parties may withdraw their support for the Plan.

The releases provided to the Released Parties and the exculpation provided to the Exculpated Parties are necessary to the success of the Debtors’ reorganization because the Released Parties and Exculpated Parties have made significant contributions to the Debtors’ reorganization efforts and have agreed to make further contributions, but only if they receive the full benefit of the Plan’s release and exculpation provisions. The Plan’s release and exculpation provisions are an inextricable component of the Plan and the significant deleveraging and financial benefits that they embody.

The Reorganized Debtors may not be able to achieve their projected financial results. The Financial Projections set forth in this Disclosure Statement represent the Debtors’ management team’s best estimate of the Debtors’ future financial performance, which is necessarily based on certain assumptions regarding the anticipated future performance of the Reorganized Debtors’ operations, as well as the United States and world economies in general, and the industry segments in which the Debtors operate in particular. While the Debtors believe that the Financial Projections contained in this Disclosure Statement are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will be realized. If the Debtors do not achieve their projected financial results, the value of the New FTS Equity may be negatively affected and the Debtors may lack sufficient liquidity to continue operating as planned after the Effective Date. Moreover, the financial condition and results of operations of the Reorganized Debtors from and after the Effective Date may not be comparable to the financial condition or results of operations reflected in the Debtors’ historical financial statements.

The ownership percentage represented by the New FTS Equity distributed on the Effective Date under the Plan will be subject to dilution from the Management Incentive Plan, Warrants, or other securities that may be issued post-emergence.

Holders of Allowed Claims should carefully review Article XII of this Disclosure Statement, entitled “Certain United States Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Plan,” to determine how the tax implications of the Plan and the Chapter 11 Cases may adversely affect the Reorganized Debtors and Holders of certain Claims.

The Debtors have established internal controls over financial reporting. However, internal controls over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements or omissions in the Debtors’ financial statements because of their inherent limitations, including the possibility of human error, and the circumvention or overriding of controls or fraud. Therefore, even effective internal controls can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements. If the Debtors fail to maintain the adequacy of their internal controls, the Debtors may be unable to provide financial information in a timely and reliable manner within the time periods required for the Debtors’ financial reporting under SEC rules and regulations and the terms of the agreements governing the Debtors’ indebtedness. Any such difficulties or failure could materially adversely affect the Debtors’ business, results of operations, and financial condition. Further, the Debtors may discover other internal control deficiencies in the future and/or fail to adequately correct previously identified control deficiencies, which could materially adversely affect the Debtors’ business, results of operations, and financial condition.

Although the Debtors and the Reorganized Debtors may apply to relist the New FTS Equity on a national securities exchange (subject to the terms of the RSA), the Debtors make no assurance that they will be able to obtain this listing or, even if the Debtors do, that liquid trading markets for shares of New FTS Equity will develop. The liquidity of any market for shares of New FTS Equity or the Warrants will depend upon, among other things, the number of holders of shares of New FTS Equity, the Reorganized Debtors’ financial performance, and the market for similar securities, none of which can be determined or predicted. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the New FTS Equity or the Warrants will develop, nor can any assurance be given as to the liquidity or prices at which such securities might be traded. In the event an active trading market does not develop, the ability to transfer or sell New FTS Equity or the Warrants may be substantially limited.

Assuming that the Effective Date occurs, shares of New FTS Equity and the Warrants will be issued to Holders of certain Classes of Claims and Interests. Following the Effective Date of the Plan, shares of New FTS Equity and Warrants may be sold to satisfy withholding tax requirements, to the extent necessary to fund such requirements. In addition, Holders of Claims and Interests that receive shares of New FTS Equity or Warrants may seek to sell such securities in an effort to obtain liquidity. These sales and the volume of New FTS Equity available for trading could cause the trading price for the shares of New FTS Equity or the Warrants to be depressed, particularly in the absence of an established trading market for the New FTS Equity or the New Warrants.

The recipients of shares of New FTS Equity and Warrants to holders who are deemed “underwriters” as defined in section 1145(b) of the Bankruptcy Code will be restricted in their ability to transfer or sell their securities. In addition, securities issued under the Plan to affiliates of the Reorganized Debtors will be subject to restrictions on resale. These persons will be permitted to transfer or sell such securities only pursuant to the provisions of Rule 144 under the Securities Act, if available, or another available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. These restrictions may adversely impact the value of the New FTS Equity or Warrants and make it more difficult for such persons to dispose of their securities, or to realize value on such securities, at a time when they wish to do so. See Article XI to this Disclosure Statement, entitled “Certain Securities Law Matters.”

The Reorganized Debtors’ ability to make scheduled payments on, or refinance their debt obligations, depends on the Reorganized Debtors’ financial condition and operating performance, which are subject to prevailing economic, industry, and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business, legislative, regulatory, and other factors beyond the Reorganized Debtors’ control. The Reorganized Debtors may be unable to maintain a level of cash flow from operating activities sufficient to permit the Reorganized Debtors to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on their indebtedness, including, without limitation, potential borrowings under the New Revolving Exit Facility upon emergence.

For the duration of the Chapter 11 Cases, the Debtors’ ability to operate, develop, and execute a business plan, and continue as a going concern, will be subject to the risks and uncertainties associated with bankruptcy. These risks include the following: (a) ability to develop, confirm, and consummate the Restructuring Transactions specified in the Plan; (b) ability to obtain Bankruptcy Court approval with respect to motions filed in the Chapter 11 Cases from time to time; (c) ability to maintain relationships with suppliers, vendors, service providers, customers, employees, and other third parties; (d) ability to maintain contracts that are critical to the Debtors’ operations; (e) ability of third parties to seek and obtain Bankruptcy Court approval to terminate contracts and other agreements with the Debtors; (f) ability of third parties to seek and obtain Bankruptcy Court approval to terminate or shorten the exclusivity period for the Debtors to propose and confirm a chapter 11 plan, to appoint a chapter 11 trustee, or to convert the Chapter 11 Cases to chapter 7 proceedings; and (g) the actions and decisions of the Debtors’ creditors and other third parties who have interests in the Chapter 11 Cases that may be inconsistent with the Debtors’ plans.

These risks and uncertainties could affect the Debtors’ businesses and operations in various ways. For example, negative events associated with the Chapter 11 Cases could adversely affect the Debtors’ relationships with suppliers, service providers, customers, employees, and other third parties, which in turn could adversely affect the Debtors’ operations and financial condition. Also, the Debtors will need the prior approval of the Bankruptcy Court for transactions outside the ordinary course of business, which may limit the Debtors’ ability to respond timely to certain events or take advantage of certain opportunities. Because of the risks and uncertainties associated with the Chapter 11 Cases, the Debtors cannot accurately predict or quantify the ultimate impact of events that occur during the Chapter 11 Cases that may be inconsistent with the Debtors’ plans.

The Debtors’ future results will be dependent upon the successful confirmation and implementation of a plan of reorganization. A long period of operations under Bankruptcy Court protection could have a material adverse effect on the Debtors’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity.  So long as the proceedings related to the Chapter 11 Cases continue, senior management will be required to spend a significant amount of time and effort dealing with the reorganization instead of focusing exclusively on business operations. A prolonged period of operating under Bankruptcy Court protection also may make it more difficult to retain management and other key personnel necessary to the success and growth of the Debtors’ businesses. In addition, the longer the proceedings related to the Chapter 11 Cases continue, the more likely it is that customers and suppliers will lose confidence in the Debtors’ ability to reorganize their businesses successfully and will seek to establish alternative commercial relationships.

So long as the proceedings related to the Chapter 11 Cases continue, the Debtors will be required to incur substantial costs for professional fees and other expenses associated with the administration of the Chapter 11 Cases.

Further, the Debtors cannot predict the ultimate amount of all settlement terms for the liabilities that will be subject to a plan of reorganization.  Even after a plan of reorganization is approved and implemented, the Reorganized Debtors’ operating results may be adversely affected by the possible reluctance of prospective lenders and other counterparties to do business with a company that recently emerged from bankruptcy protection.

The Financial Projections attached hereto as Exhibit C are based on assumptions that are an integral part of the projections, including Confirmation and Consummation of the Plan in accordance with its terms, the anticipated future performance of the Debtors, industry performance, general business and economic conditions, and other matters, many of which are beyond the control of the Debtors and some or all of which may not materialize.

In addition, unanticipated events and circumstances occurring after the date hereof may affect the actual financial results of the Debtors’ operations. These variations may be material and may adversely affect the value of the New FTS Equity and the ability of the Debtors to make payments with respect to their indebtedness. Because the actual results achieved may vary from projected results, perhaps significantly, the Financial Projections should not be relied upon as a guarantee or other assurance of the actual results that will occur.

Further, during the Chapter 11 Cases, the Debtors expect that their financial results will continue to be volatile as restructuring activities and expenses, contract terminations and rejections, and claims assessments significantly impact the Debtors’ consolidated financial statements. As a result, the Debtors’ historical financial performance likely will not be indicative of their financial performance after the Petition Date. In addition, if the Debtors emerge from the Chapter 11 Cases, the amounts reported in subsequent consolidated financial statements may materially change relative to historical consolidated financial statements, including as a result of revisions to the Debtors’ operating plans pursuant to a plan of reorganization. The Debtors also may be required to adopt fresh start accounting, in which case their assets and liabilities will be recorded at fair value as of the fresh start reporting date, which may differ materially from the recorded values of assets and liabilities on the Debtors’ consolidated balance sheets. The Debtors’ financial results after the application of fresh start accounting also may be different from historical trends.

Lastly, the business plan was developed by the Debtors with the assistance of their advisors. There can be no assurances that the Debtors’ business plan will not change, perhaps materially, as a result of decisions that the board of directors may make after fully evaluating the strategic direction of the Debtors and their business plan. Any deviations from the Debtors’ existing business plan would necessarily cause a deviation.

The Debtors operate in a capital-intensive industry. If the Debtors’ cash flow from operations remains depressed or decreases as a result of low commodity prices, decreased E&P sector capital expenditures, or otherwise, the Debtors may not have the ability to expend the capital necessary to improve or maintain their current operations, resulting in decreased revenues over time.

The Debtors face uncertainty regarding the adequacy of their liquidity and capital resources. In addition to the cash necessary to fund ongoing operations, the Debtors have incurred significant professional fees and other costs in connection with preparing for the Chapter 11 Cases and expect to continue to incur significant professional fees and costs throughout the Chapter 11 Cases. The Debtors cannot guarantee that cash on hand and cash flow from operations will be sufficient to continue to fund their operations and allow the Debtors to satisfy obligations related to the Chapter 11 Cases until the Debtors are able to emerge from bankruptcy protection.

The Debtors’ liquidity, including the ability to meet ongoing operational obligations, will be dependent upon, among other things: (a) their ability to comply with the terms and condition of any Cash Collateral Orders entered by the Bankruptcy Court in connection with the Chapter 11 Cases; (b) their ability to maintain adequate cash on hand; (c) their ability to develop, confirm, and consummate a chapter 11 plan or other alternative restructuring transaction; and (d) the cost, duration, and outcome of the Chapter 11 Cases. The Debtors’ ability to maintain adequate liquidity depends, in part, upon industry conditions and general economic, financial, competitive, regulatory, and other factors beyond the Debtors’ control. In the event that cash on hand, cash flow from operations, and cash provided through access to cash collateral are not sufficient to meet the Debtors’ liquidity needs, the Debtors may be required to seek additional financing. The Debtors can provide no assurance that additional financing would be available or, if available, offered to the Debtors on acceptable terms. The Debtors’ access to additional financing is, and for the foreseeable future likely will continue to be, extremely limited if it is available at all. The Debtors’ long-term liquidity requirements and the adequacy of their capital resources are difficult to predict at this time.

The Debtors’ revenues, profitability and the value of the Debtors’ properties substantially depend on prevailing oil and natural gas prices. In short, the Debtors face a high level of exposure to oil and natural gas price swings. Oil and natural gas are commodities, and therefore, their prices are subject to wide fluctuations in response to changes in supply and demand and are subject to both short- and long-term cyclical trends. Oil and natural gas prices historically have been volatile and are likely to continue to be volatile in the future, especially given current economic and geopolitical conditions. The prices for oil and natural gas are subject to a variety of factors beyond the Debtors’ control, such as:

As set forth in Article II of this Disclosure Statement, in early 2020, the continued spread of COVID-19 caused oil and gas prices to suffer. Subsequently, in March 2020, a breakdown in dialogue between OPEC and Russia over proposed oil production cuts in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic caused oil and gas prices to fall to their lowest levels in nearly twenty years. It is impossible to tell with certainty whether a deal will be reached regarding production levels and whether such a deal would ultimately correct commodity prices. Further, it is impossible to tell with certainty how, or to what degree, the COVID-19 pandemic will affect the macro-economy and commodity prices in the long term.

Continued volatility or weakness in oil and natural gas prices (or the perception that oil and natural gas prices will remain depressed) generally leads to decreased upstream spending, which in turn negatively affects demand for the Debtors’ services. A sustained decline in oil or natural gas prices may materially and adversely affect the Debtors’ future business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity or ability to finance planned capital expenditures. As a result, if there is a further decline or sustained depression in commodity prices, the Debtors may, among other things, be unable to maintain or increase their borrowing capacity, meet their debt obligations or other financial commitments, or obtain additional capital, all of which could materially adversely affect the Debtors’ businesses, results of operations, and financial condition.

The continued spread of COVID-19 could have a significant impact on the Debtors’ business, both in the context of consumer demand and production capacity. On a macro level, this pandemic could dampen global growth and ultimately lead to a greater economic recession than already exists. If this occurs, demand for oil and natural gas would likely decline, as would commodity prices generally. Such a scenario would negatively impact the Debtors’ financial performance. In addition, government lockdowns and employee infections could both inhibit the Debtors’ ability to extract and transport their hydrocarbon production. This diminished production capacity would negatively affect the Debtors’ financial performance.

The Debtors’ operations are subject to extensive federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including complex environmental laws and occupational health and safety laws. The Debtors may be required to make large expenditures to comply with such regulations. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the suspension or termination of operations and subject the Debtors to administrative, civil and criminal penalties. Additionally, in recent years, the practice of hydraulic fracturing has come under increased scrutiny by the environmental community. The Debtors’ operations create the risk of environmental liabilities to the government or third parties for any unlawful discharge of oil, gas, or other pollutants into the air, soil, or water. In the event of environmental violations, the Reorganized Debtors may be charged with remedial costs and land owners may file claims for alternative water supplies, property damage, or bodily injury. Laws and regulations protecting the environment have become more stringent in recent years, and may, in some circumstances, result in liability for environmental damage regardless of negligence or fault. In addition, pollution and similar environmental risks generally are not fully insurable. These liabilities and costs could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows of the Reorganized Debtors.

In the future, the Reorganized Debtors may become parties to litigation. In general, litigation can be expensive and time consuming to bring or defend against. Such litigation could result in settlements or damages that could significantly affect the Reorganized Debtors’ financial results. It is also possible that certain parties will commence litigation with respect to the treatment of their Claims under the Plan. It is not possible to predict the potential litigation that the Reorganized Debtors may become party to, nor the final resolution of such litigation. The impact of any such litigation on the Reorganized Debtors’ businesses and financial stability, however, could be material.

The Debtors’ operations are dependent on a relatively small group of key management personnel and a highly-skilled employee base. The Debtors’ recent liquidity issues and the Chapter 11 Cases have created distractions and uncertainty for key management personnel and employees. As a result, the Debtors have experienced, and may continue to experience, increased levels of employee attrition. Because competition for experienced personnel can be significant, the Debtors may be unable to find acceptable replacements with comparable skills and experience and the loss of such key management personnel could adversely affect the Debtors’ ability to operate their businesses. In addition, a loss of key personnel or material erosion of employee morale could have a material adverse effect on the Debtors’ ability to meet expectations, thereby adversely affecting the Debtors’ businesses and the results of operations.

Section 1128(a) of the Bankruptcy Code requires the Bankruptcy Court to hold a hearing on confirmation of the Plan and recognizes that any party in interest may object to Confirmation of the Plan. The Debtors will request, on the Petition Date, that the Bankruptcy Court set a hearing to approve the Plan and Disclosure Statement. The Confirmation Hearing may, however, be continued or adjourned from time to time without further notice to parties in interest other than an adjournment announced in open court or a notice of adjournment filed with the Bankruptcy Court and served in accordance with the Bankruptcy Rules. Subject to section 1127 of the Bankruptcy Code and the RSA, the Plan may be modified, if necessary, prior to, during, or as a result of the Confirmation Hearing, without further notice to parties in interest.

Additionally, section 1128(b) of the Bankruptcy Code provides that a party in interest may object to Confirmation. The Debtors, in the same motion requesting a date for the Confirmation Hearing, will request that the Bankruptcy Court set a date and time for parties in interest to file objections to Confirmation of the Plan. An objection to Confirmation of the Plan must be filed with the Bankruptcy Court and served on the Debtors and certain other parties in interest in accordance with the applicable order of the Bankruptcy Court so that it is actually received on or before the deadline to file such objections as set forth therein.

The confirmation of a plan of reorganization by a bankruptcy court binds the debtor, any issuer of securities under a plan of reorganization, any person acquiring property under a plan of reorganization, any creditor or equity interest holder of a debtor, and any other person or entity as may be ordered by the bankruptcy court in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code. Subject to certain limited exceptions, the order issued by the bankruptcy court confirming a plan of reorganization discharges a debtor from any debt that arose before the confirmation of such plan of reorganization and provides for the treatment of such debt in accordance with the terms of the confirmed plan of reorganization.

Among the requirements for Confirmation of the Plan pursuant to section 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code are: (1) the Plan is accepted by all Impaired Classes of Claims or Interests, or if rejected by an Impaired Class, the Plan “does not discriminate unfairly” and is “fair and equitable” as to the rejecting Impaired Class; (2) the Plan is feasible; and (3) the Plan is in the “best interests” of Holders of Claims or Interests.

At the Confirmation Hearing, the Bankruptcy Court will determine whether the Plan satisfies all of the requirements of section 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code. The Debtors believe that: (1) the Plan satisfies, or will satisfy, all of the necessary statutory requirements of chapter 11 for plan confirmation; (2) the Debtors have complied, or will have complied, with all of the necessary requirements of chapter 11 for plan confirmation; and (3) the Plan has been proposed in good faith.

Section 1129(a)(11) of the Bankruptcy Code requires that confirmation of a plan of reorganization is not likely to be followed by the liquidation, or the need for further financial reorganization of the debtor, or any successor to the debtor (unless such liquidation or reorganization is proposed in such plan of reorganization).

To determine whether the Plan meets this feasibility requirement, the Debtors, with the assistance of their advisors, have analyzed their ability to meet their respective obligations under the Plan. As part of this analysis, the Debtors have prepared their projected consolidated balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows (the “Financial Projections”). Creditors and other interested parties should review Article IX of this Disclosure Statement, entitled “Risk Factors,” for a discussion of certain factors that may affect the future financial performance of the Reorganized Debtors.

The Financial Projections are attached hereto as Exhibit C and incorporated herein by reference. Based upon the Financial Projections, the Debtors believe that they will be a viable operation following the Chapter 11 Cases and that the Plan will meet the feasibility requirements of the Bankruptcy Code.

The Bankruptcy Code requires, as a condition to confirmation, except as described in the following section, that each class of claims or equity interests impaired under a plan, accept the plan. A class that is not “impaired” under a plan is deemed to have accepted the plan and, therefore, solicitation of acceptances with respect to such a class is not required.¹³

Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code defines acceptance of a plan by a class of impaired claims as acceptance by holders of at least two-thirds in dollar amount and more than one-half in a number of allowed claims in that class, counting only those claims that have actually voted to accept or to reject the plan. Thus, a class of Claims will have voted to accept the Plan only if two-thirds in amount and a majority in number of the Allowed Claims in such class that vote on the Plan actually cast their ballots in favor of acceptance.

Section 1126(d) of the Bankruptcy Code defines acceptance of a plan by a class of impaired equity interests as acceptance by holders of at least two-thirds in amount of allowed interests in that class, counting only those interests that have actually voted to accept or to reject the plan. Thus, a Class of Interests will have voted to accept the Plan only if two-thirds in amount of the Allowed Interests in such class that vote on the Plan actually cast their ballots in favor of acceptance.

Pursuant to Article III of the Plan, if a Class contains Claims or Interests eligible to vote and no Holders of Claims or Interests eligible to vote in such Class vote to accept or reject the Plan, the Holders of such Claims or Interests in such Class shall be deemed to have accepted the Plan.

Section 1129(b) of the Bankruptcy Code allows a bankruptcy court to confirm a plan even if all impaired classes have not accepted it; provided, that the plan has been accepted by at least one impaired class of claims. Pursuant to section 1129(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, notwithstanding an impaired class’s rejection or deemed rejection of the plan, the plan will be confirmed, at the plan proponent’s request, in a procedure commonly known as a “cramdown” so long as the plan does not “discriminate unfairly” and is “fair and equitable” with respect to each class of claims or equity interests that is impaired under, and has not accepted, the plan.

If any Impaired Class rejects the Plan, the Debtors reserve the right to seek to confirm the Plan utilizing the “cramdown” provision of section 1129(b) of the Bankruptcy Code. To the extent that any Impaired Class rejects the Plan or is deemed to have rejected the Plan, the Debtors may request Confirmation of the Plan, as it may be modified from time to time, under section 1129(b) of the Bankruptcy Code. The Debtors reserve the right to alter, amend, modify, revoke, or withdraw the Plan or any Plan Supplement document, including the right to amend or modify the Plan or any Plan Supplement document to satisfy the requirements of section 1129(b) of the Bankruptcy Code.

The “unfair discrimination” test applies to classes of claims or interests that are of equal priority and are receiving different treatment under a plan. The test does not require that the treatment be the same or equivalent, but that treatment be “fair.” In general, bankruptcy courts consider whether a plan discriminates unfairly in its treatment of classes of claims or interests of equal rank (e.g., classes of the same legal character). Bankruptcy courts will take into account a number of factors in determining whether a plan discriminates unfairly. A plan could treat two classes of similarly situated creditors differently without unfairly discriminating against either class.

The “fair and equitable” test applies to classes of different priority and status (e.g., secured versus unsecured) and includes the general requirement that no class of claims receives more than 100 percent of the amount of the allowed claims in the class. As to the dissenting class, the test sets different standards depending upon the type of claims or equity interests in the class.

The Debtors submit that if the Debtors “cramdown” the Plan pursuant to section 1129(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, the Plan is structured so that it does not “discriminate unfairly” and satisfies the “fair and equitable” requirement. With respect to the unfair discrimination requirement, all Classes under the Plan are provided treatment that is substantially equivalent to the treatment that is provided to other Classes that have equal rank. With respect to the fair and equitable requirement, no Class under the Plan will receive more than 100 percent of the amount of Allowed Claims or Interests in that Class. The Debtors believe that the Plan and the treatment of all Classes of Claims or Interests under the Plan satisfy the foregoing requirements for nonconsensual Confirmation of the Plan.

The Plan provides for the New FTS Equity to be distributed to Holders of Claims and Interests in Classes 3, 4, and 8, as applicable, upon consummation of the Plan. Accordingly, Lazard Frères & Co. LLC (“Lazard”) performed an analysis of the estimated implied value of the Debtors on a going-concern basis as of November 30, 2020 (the “Valuation Analysis”) at the Debtors’ request. Based on the Valuation Analysis which is attached hereto as Exhibit D, the Reorganized Debtors will have an implied equity value at emergence of approximately $240 million at the midpoint.

Hilco Valuation Services, LLC (“Hilco”) performed an analysis to determine the fair market value of the Debtors’ unencumbered assets (the “Unencumbered Asset Analysis” and, such assets, the “Unencumbered Assets”). The Unencumbered Assets predominately consist of (a) $28.5 million in real property interests, primarily district yards at which the Debtors repair, store, and manufacture/re-manufacture equipment (the “Unencumbered Real Property”), and (b) $77.5 million of equipment and machinery, including the Debtors’ frac fleets, large trucks, certain light-duty vehicles, and other ancillary equipment (the “Unencumbered Equipment”). The Unencumbered Real Property is primarily owned by Debtor FTSI Services.  The Unencumbered Equipment is primarily owned by Debtor FTSI Manufacturing. Debtor FTSI Services holds $25.2 million in value of Unencumbered Assets and Debtor FTSI Manufacturing holds $80.8 million in value of Unencumbered Assets.

The Valuation Analysis, including the procedures followed, assumptions made, qualifications, and limitations on review undertaken, should be read in conjunction with Section VIII of this Disclosure Statement entitled “Risk Factors.” The Valuation Analysis performed by Lazard is based on data and information as of August 28, 2020. Lazard makes no representations as to changes to such data and information that may have occurred since the date of the Valuation Analysis. The Unencumbered Asset Analysis performed by Hilco is based on data and information as of September 15, 2020. Hilco makes no representations as to changes to such data and information that may have occurred since the date of the Unencumbered Asset Analysis.

THE VALUATION ANALYSIS REPRESENTS A HYPOTHETICAL VALUATION OF THE REORGANIZED DEBTORS AND THEIR ASSETS AND BUSINESSES, WHICH ASSUMES THAT THE REORGANIZED DEBTORS CONTINUE AS AN OPERATING BUSINESS IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME CORPORATE STRUCTURE. THE ESTIMATED VALUE SET FORTH IN THE VALUATION ANALYSIS DOES NOT PURPORT TO CONSTITUTE AN APPRAISAL OR NECESSARILY REFLECT THE ACTUAL MARKET VALUE THAT MIGHT BE REALIZED THROUGH A SALE OR LIQUIDATION OF THE REORGANIZED DEBTORS, THEIR SECURITIES OR THEIR ASSETS, WHICH MAY BE MATERIALLY DIFFERENT THAN THE ESTIMATES SET FORTH IN THE VALUATION ANALYSIS. ACCORDINGLY, SUCH ESTIMATED VALUE IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF THE PRICES AT WHICH ANY SECURITIES OF THE REORGANIZED DEBTORS MAY TRADE AFTER GIVING EFFECT TO THE RESTRUCTURING TRANSACTIONS SET FORTH IN THE PLAN. ANY SUCH PRICES MAY BE MATERIALLY DIFFERENT THAN INDICATED BY THE VALUATION ANALYSIS.

The Debtors believe that the Plan provides Holders of Allowed Claims and Interests the same or greater recovery as would be achieved if the Debtors were to liquidate under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. This belief is based on a number of considerations, including: (a) that the Debtors’ primary assets likely would have to be sold on a piecemeal basis in a chapter 7 liquidation; (b) the additional Administrative Claims that would be incurred if the cases were converted to a chapter 7 along with the other costs associated therewith; and (c) that there would not be a robust market to liquidate the Debtors’ assets and services.

The Debtors, with the assistance of their restructuring advisor, Alvarez and Marsal North America, LLC, have prepared an unaudited liquidation analysis, which is attached hereto as Exhibit E (the “Liquidation Analysis”), to assist Holders of Claims and Interests in evaluating the Plan. The Liquidation Analysis compares the projected recoveries that would result from the liquidation of the Debtors in a hypothetical case under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code with the estimated distributions to Holders of Allowed Claims and Interests under the Plan. The Liquidation Analysis is based on the value of the Debtors’ assets and liabilities as of a certain date and incorporates various estimates and assumptions, including a hypothetical conversion to a chapter 7 liquidation as of a certain date. Further, the Liquidation Analysis is subject to potentially material changes, including with respect to economic and business conditions as well as legal rulings. Therefore, the actual liquidation value of the Debtors could vary materially from the estimate provided in the Liquidation Analysis.

In connection with planning and developing the Plan, the Debtors, with the assistance of their advisors, prepared projections for fiscal years 2020 through 2025, which are attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “Financial Projections”), including management’s assumptions related thereto. For purposes of the Financial Projections, the Debtors have assumed an illustrative emergence date of November 30, 2020. The Financial Projections assume that the Plan will be implemented in accordance with its stated terms. The Debtors are unaware of any circumstances as of the date of this Disclosure Statement that would require the re-forecasting of the Financial Projections due to a material change in the Debtors’ prospects.

The Financial Projections are based on forecasts of key economic variables and may be significantly impacted by, among other factors, changes in the competitive environment, regulatory changes, and/or a variety of other factors, including the factors listed in this Disclosure Statement. Accordingly, the estimates and assumptions underlying the Financial Projections are inherently uncertain and are subject to significant business, economic, and competitive uncertainties. Therefore, such projections, estimates, and assumptions are not necessarily indicative of current values or future performance, which may be significantly less or more favorable than set forth herein. The Financial Projections should be read in conjunction with the assumptions, qualifications, and explanations set forth in this Disclosure Statement.

If you have any questions regarding this Disclosure Statement or the Plan, please contact the Debtors’ Claims and Noticing Agent, Epiq, by emailing FTSInternational@epiqglobal.com and referencing “FTSI” in the subject line, or by calling (888) 490-0882 (toll free) or (503) 597-5602 (international).

Copies of the Plan and the Disclosure Statement: (a) are available on the Debtors’ restructuring website, free of charge, at http://dm.epiq11.com/FTSI; (b) may be obtained upon request of the Debtors’ proposed counsel at the address specified below; (c) upon the commencement of the Chapter 11 Cases, will be on file with the Clerk of the Bankruptcy Court, 4th Floor, 515 Rusk Street, Houston, Texas 77002, where they are available for review between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., prevailing Central Time; and (d) will available for inspection for a fee on the Bankruptcy Court’s website at http://www.txs.uscourts.gov.

The Plan is supported by the Debtors and Holders of at least 87.56% of the Debtors’ Debt Claims.

Yes. The Debtors believe that the Plan provides for a larger distribution to the Debtors’ creditors than would otherwise result from any other available alternative. The Debtors believe that the Plan, which contemplates a significant deleveraging of the Debtors’ balance sheet and enables them to emerge from chapter 11 expeditiously, is in the best interest of all Holders of Claims and Interests, and that any other alternatives (to the extent they exist) fail to realize or recognize the value inherent under the Plan.

No registration statement will be filed under the Securities Act, or pursuant to any state securities laws (“Blue Sky Laws”) with respect to the offer and distribution of securities under the plan. Prior to the Petition Date, the Debtors are relying on Section 4(a)(2) and/or Regulation D of the Securities Act, and similar Blue Sky Laws provisions, to exempt from registration under the Securities Act and Blue Sky Laws the offer to Holders of Debt Claims that are “accredited investors” within the meaning of Rule 501(a) of Regulation D of the Securities Act of new securities. After the Petition Date, the Debtors will rely on section 1145(a) of the Bankruptcy Code to the extent permitted by applicable law to exempt from registration under the Securities Act and Blue Sky Laws the offer, issuance, and distribution of New FTS Equity and Warrants under the Plan and the shares of New FTS Equity issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

The Plan provides for the offer, issuance, sale, and distribution of New FTS Equity and Warrants with respect to Secured Debt Claims, Other Unsecured Claims, and FTS Common Interests (collectively, the “1145 Securities”). The offer, issuance, sale, or distribution of the section 1145 Securities by Reorganized FTS is expected to be exempt from registration under section 5 of the Securities Act and under any state or local law requiring registration for offer or sale of a security pursuant to section 1145 of the Bankruptcy Code.

Section 1145(a)(1) of the Bankruptcy Code exempts the offer and sale of securities under a plan of reorganization from registration under section 5 of the Securities Act and state or local securities laws if three principal requirements are satisfied: (i) the securities must be offered and sold under a plan of reorganization and must be securities issued by the debtor, an affiliate participating in a joint plan with the debtor, or a successor to the debtor under the plan; (ii) the recipients of the securities must hold prepetition or administrative expense claims against the debtor or interests in the debtor; and (iii) the securities must be issued entirely in exchange for the recipient’s claim against or interest in the debtor or “principally” in exchange for such claim or interest and “partly” for cash or property.

The Debtors believe that the issuance of New FTS Equity and Warrants under the Plan and the shares of New FTS Equity issuable upon exercise of the Warrants satisfy the requirements of section 1145(a) of the Bankruptcy Code. Accordingly, no registration statement will be filed under the Securities Act or any state securities laws. Recipients of the New FTS Equity are advised to consult with their own legal advisors as to the availability of any exemption from registration under the Securities Act and any applicable state Blue Sky Law. As discussed below, the exemptions provided for in section 1145(a) do not apply to an entity that is deemed an “underwriter” as such term is defined in section 1145(b) of the Bankruptcy Code.

Section 1145(b)(1) of the Bankruptcy Code defines an “underwriter” as one who, except with respect to “ordinary trading transactions” of an entity that is not an “issuer:” (a) purchases a claim against, interest in, or claim for an administrative expense in the case concerning, the debtor, if such purchase is with a view to distribution of any security received or to be received in exchange for such claim or interest; (b) offers to sell securities offered or sold under a plan for the holders of such securities; (c) offers to buy securities offered or sold under a plan from the holders of such securities, if such offer to buy is (i) with a view to distribution of such securities, and (ii) under an agreement made in connection with the plan, with the consummation of the plan, or with the offer or sale of securities under the plan; or (d) is an issuer of the securities within the meaning of section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act. In addition, a person who receives a fee in exchange for purchasing an issuer’s securities could also be considered an underwriter within the meaning of section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act.

The definition of an “issuer” for purposes of whether a person is an underwriter under section 1145(b)(1)(D) of the Bankruptcy Code, by reference to section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act, includes as “statutory underwriters” all “affiliates,” which are all persons who, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, control, are controlled by, or are under common control with, an issuer of securities. The reference to “issuer,” as used in the definition of “underwriter” contained in section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act, is intended to cover “Controlling Persons” of the issuer of the securities. “Control,” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise. Accordingly, an officer or director of a reorganized debtor or its successor under a plan of reorganization may be deemed to be a “Controlling Person” of the debtor or successor, particularly if the management position or directorship is coupled with ownership of a significant percentage of the reorganized debtor’s or its successor’s voting securities. In addition, the legislative history of section 1145 of the Bankruptcy Code suggests that a creditor who owns 10% or more of a class of securities of a reorganized debtor may be presumed to be a “Controlling Person” and, therefore, an underwriter.

Resales of the New FTS Equity constituting 1145 Securities by entities deemed to be “underwriters” (which definition includes “Controlling Persons”) are not exempted by section 1145 of the Bankruptcy Code from registration under the Securities Act or other applicable law. Under certain circumstances, holders of New FTS Equity and Warrants who are deemed to be “underwriters” may be entitled to resell their New FTS Equity or Warrants pursuant to the limited safe harbor resale provisions of Rule 144 of the Securities Act. Generally, Rule 144 of the Securities Act would permit the public sale of securities received by such Person if the required holding period has been met and, under certain circumstances, current information regarding the issuer is publicly available and volume limitations, manner of sale requirements and certain other conditions are met. Whether any particular Person would be deemed to be an “underwriter” (including whether the Person is a “Controlling Person”) with respect to the New FTS Equity or Warrants would depend upon various facts and circumstances applicable to that Person. Accordingly, the Debtors express no view as to whether any Person would be deemed an “underwriter” with respect to such New FTS Equity or Warrants and, in turn, whether any Person may freely trade such New FTS Equity or Warrants.

Unlike the securities that will be issued pursuant to section 1145(a)(1) of the Bankruptcy Code, any shares of New FTS Equity or Warrants issued in reliance upon section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act or Regulation D promulgated thereunder will be deemed “restricted securities” that may not be offered, sold, exchanged, assigned or otherwise transferred unless they are registered under the Securities Act or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act is available, including under Rule 144 or Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.

Rule 144 provides an exemption for the public resale of “restricted securities” if certain conditions are met. These conditions vary depending on whether the holder of the restricted securities is an affiliate of the issuer. An affiliate is defined as “a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the issuer.”

A non-affiliate who has not been an affiliate of the issuer during the preceding three months may resell restricted securities after a six-month holding period if at the time of the sale there is available certain current public information regarding the issuer, and may sell the securities after a one-year holding period whether or not there is current public information regarding the issuer. Adequate current public information is available for a reporting issuer if the issuer has filed all periodic reports required under section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, during the twelve months preceding the sale of the restricted securities. If the issuer is a non-reporting issuer, adequate current public information is available if certain information about the issuer is made publicly available. The Debtors currently expect that Reorganized FTS will continue to be a reporting issuer and file all such required periodic reports and that current public information will be available to allow resales by non-affiliates when the six-month holding period expires (approximately six months after the emergence date).

An affiliate may resell restricted securities after the six-month holding period if at the time of the sale certain current public information regarding the issuer is available. As noted above, the Debtors currently expect that this information requirement will be satisfied. The affiliate must also comply with the volume, manner of sale and notice requirements of Rule 144. First, the rule limits the number of restricted securities (plus any unrestricted securities) sold for the account of an affiliate (and related persons) in any three-month period to the greater of 1% of the outstanding securities of the same class being sold, or, if the class is listed on a stock exchange, the average weekly reported volume of trading in such securities during the four weeks preceding the filing of a notice of proposed sale on Form 144, or if no notice is required, the date of receipt of the order to execute the transaction by the broker or the date of execution of the transaction directly with a market maker. Second, the manner of sale requirement provides that the restricted securities must be sold in a broker’s transaction, directly with a market maker or in a riskless principal transaction (as defined in Rule 144). Third, if the amount of securities sold under Rule 144 in any three month period exceeds 5,000 shares or has an aggregate sale price greater than $50,000, an affiliate must file or cause to be filed with the SEC three copies of a notice of proposed sale on Form 144, and provide a copy to any exchange on which the securities are traded.

The Debtors believe that the Rule 144 exemption will not be available with respect to any 4(a)(2) Securities (whether held by non-affiliates or affiliates) until at least six months after the Effective Date. Accordingly, holders of 4(a)(2) Securities will be required to hold the 4(a)(2) Securities for at least six months and, thereafter, to sell the 4(a)(2) Securities only in accordance with the applicable requirements of Rule 144, unless such 4(a)(2) Securities are registered under the Securities Act or are otherwise exempt.

ANY PERSONS RECEIVING “RESTRICTED SECURITIES” UNDER THE PLAN ARE URGED TO CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN COUNSEL CONCERNING THE AVAILABILITY OF AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION FOR RESALE OF THESE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND OTHER APPLICABLE LAW.

BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEX, SUBJECTIVE NATURE OF THE QUESTION OF WHETHER A PARTICULAR PERSON MAY BE AN UNDERWRITER OR AN AFFILIATE AND THE HIGHLY FACT-SPECIFIC NATURE OF THE AVAILABILITY OF EXEMPTIONS FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, INCLUDING THE EXEMPTIONS AVAILABLE UNDER SECTION 1145 OF THE BANKRUPTCY CODE AND RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, NONE OF THE DEBTORS OR REORGANIZED FTS MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION CONCERNING THE ABILITY OF ANY PERSON TO DISPOSE OF THE SECURITIES TO BE DISTRIBUTED UNDER THE PLAN. POTENTIAL RECIPIENTS OF THE SECURITIES TO BE ISSUED UNDER THE PLAN ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR OWN COUNSEL CONCERNING WHETHER THEY MAY FREELY TRADE SUCH SECURITIES. POTENTIAL RECIPIENTS OF NEW INTERESTS ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR OWN COUNSEL CONCERNING THEIR ABILITY TO FREELY TRADE SUCH SECURITIES WITHOUT COMPLIANCE WITH THE FEDERAL LAW AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE BLUE SKY LAW.

The following discussion summarizes certain United States federal income tax consequences of the implementation of the Plan to the Debtors and certain Holders of Claims and Interests entitled to vote on the Plan. This summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Tax Code”), the U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Treasury Regulations”), judicial decisions and published administrative rules, and pronouncements of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), all as in effect on the date hereof (collectively, “Applicable Tax Law”). Changes in the rules or new interpretations of the rules may have retroactive effect and could significantly affect the U.S. federal income tax consequences described below. The Debtors have not requested, and will not request, any ruling or determination from the IRS or any other taxing authority with respect to the tax consequences discussed herein, and the discussion below is not binding upon the IRS or the courts. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a different position from any position discussed herein.

This summary does not address non-U.S., state, local, or non-income tax consequences of the Plan, nor does it purport to address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to a Holder in light of its individual circumstances, such as the alternative minimum tax or consequences to accrual method U.S. Holders (as defined below) that prepare an “applicable financial statement” (as defined in Section 451 of the Tax Code), or to a Holder that may be subject to special tax rules (such as Persons who are related to the Debtors within the meaning of the Tax Code, U.S. Holders whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, U.S. expatriates, broker-dealers, banks, mutual funds, insurance companies, financial institutions, small business investment companies, regulated investment companies, tax-exempt organizations, controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies, pass-through entities, beneficial owners of pass-through entities, subchapter S-corporations, persons who hold Claims or Interests or who will hold the New FTS Equity as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion transaction, or other integrated investment, persons using a mark-to-market method of accounting, and Holders of Claims or Interests who are themselves in bankruptcy). Further, this summary assumes that a Holder of a Claim or Interest holds a Claim or Interest, as applicable, only as a “capital asset” (within the meaning of section 1221 of the Tax Code). This summary also assumes that the various debt and other arrangements to which any of the Debtors are a party will be respected for U.S. federal income tax purposes in accordance with their form and that the Debt Claims constitute interests in the Debtors “solely as a creditor” for purposes of section 897 of the Tax Code. This summary does not discuss differences in tax consequences to Holders of Claims that act or receive consideration in a capacity different from that of any other Holder of a Claim of the same Class or Classes, and the tax consequences for such Holders may differ materially from that described below. This summary does not address the U.S. federal income tax consequences to Holders (1) whose Claims are Unimpaired or otherwise entitled to payment in full in Cash under the Plan, or (2) that are deemed to reject the Plan.

For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. Holder” is a Holder of a Claim or Interest that is: (1) an individual citizen or resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes; (2) a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia; (3) an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of the source of such income; or (4) a trust (a) if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary jurisdiction over the trust’s administration and one or more United States persons (within the meaning of section 7701(a)(30) of the Tax Code) have authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (b) that has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a United States person. For purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. Holder” is any Holder of a Claim or Interest that is not a U.S. Holder or a partnership (or other entity treated as a partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes).

If a partnership (or other entity treated as a partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is a Holder of a Claim or Interest, the tax treatment of a partner (or other beneficial owner) generally will depend upon the status of the partner (or other beneficial owner) and the activities of the entity. Partners (or other beneficial owners) of partnerships (or other pass-through entities) that are Holders of Claims or Interests should consult their respective tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Plan. 

THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY OF CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR CAREFUL TAX PLANNING AND ADVICE BASED UPON THE INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES PERTAINING TO A HOLDER OF A CLAIM. ALL HOLDERS ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS AS TO THE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND NON-U.S. INCOME, ESTATE, AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PLAN. 

The Restructuring Transactions will be structured as a recapitalization or tax-free reorganization of the Debtors (such transaction, the “Recapitalization Transaction”). In the Recapitalization Transaction, the New FTS Equity will be new stock issued by FTSI itself. In addition, as discussed below, it is expected that the Debtors will realize cancellation of indebtedness income (“CODI”) as a result of the Restructuring Transactions.

As of December 31, 2019, the Debtors estimate that they had approximately $1,518 million of federal net operating losses (“NOLs”). The Debtors are currently generating additional tax losses, which will ultimately increase the Debtors’ NOLs and other tax attributes. Any NOLs remaining upon implementation of the Plan may be available to offset future taxable income for up to 20 years in the case of NOLs arising before 2018 and indefinitely for NOLs arising in taxable years starting in 2018, thereby reducing the Debtors’ future aggregate tax obligations. NOLs arising before 2018 may offset 100% of future taxable income and NOLs arising in or after 2018 may be used to offset 80% of taxable income in a given year, although the recently passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act allows NOLs arising before 2021 to offset 100% of future taxable income in a given year. As discussed below, however, the Debtors’ NOLs may be reduced and possibly significantly limited upon implementation of the Plan.

In general, absent an exception, a taxpayer will realize and recognize CODI for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon satisfaction of its outstanding indebtedness for total consideration less than the amount of such indebtedness. The amount of CODI, in general, is the excess of (a) the adjusted issue price of the indebtedness satisfied, over (b) the sum of (i) the amount of cash paid, (ii) the issue price (determined as discussed below) of any new indebtedness of the taxpayer issued, and (iii) the fair market value of any other consideration (including stock of the debtor) given in satisfaction of such indebtedness at the time of the exchange.

Under section 108 of the Tax Code, a taxpayer is not required to include CODI in gross income (a) if the taxpayer is under the jurisdiction of a court in a case under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code and the discharge of indebtedness occurs pursuant to that proceeding (the “Bankruptcy Exception”), or (b) to the extent that the taxpayer is insolvent immediately before the discharge (the “Insolvency Exception”). Instead, as a consequence of such exclusion, a taxpayer must reduce its tax attributes by the amount of CODI that it excluded from gross income pursuant to the rules discussed in the preceding sentence. Such reduction in tax attributes occurs only after the tax for the year of the discharge of indebtedness has been determined (including, as described above, the amount of gain or loss recognized by the Debtors with respect to the sale of all or a portion of their assets in a taxable transaction). In general, tax attributes will be reduced in the following order: (a) NOLs and NOL carryforwards; (b) general business credit carryovers; (c) minimum tax credit carryovers; (d) capital loss carryovers; (e) tax basis in assets (but not below the amount of liabilities to which the taxpayer remains subject); (f) passive activity loss and credit carryovers; and (g) foreign tax credit carryovers. Alternatively, a taxpayer with CODI may elect first to reduce the basis of its depreciable assets pursuant to section 108(b)(5) of the Tax Code.¹⁴ To the extent that CODI exceeds the amount of available tax attributes, such excess is not subject to U.S. federal income tax and has no other U.S. federal income tax impact.

As a result of the Recapitalization Transactions, the Debtors may realize CODI. The exact amount of any CODI that will be realized by the Debtors will not be determinable until the consummation of the Plan. Because the Plan provides that certain Claim Holders will receive (x) Cash Consideration and (y) New FTS Equity, the amount of CODI, and, if applicable, the amount of tax attributes required to be reduced, will depend, in part, on the amount of Cash Consideration, the fair market value of the New FTS Equity, or the issue price of debt instruments received, as applicable, which cannot be known with certainty at this time.

After giving effect to the reduction in tax attributes pursuant to excluded CODI described above, to the extent the Reorganized Debtors succeed to the Debtors’ tax attributes, the Reorganized Debtors’ ability to use any remaining tax attributes post-emergence will be subject to certain limitations under sections 382 and 383 of the Tax Code.

Under sections 382 and 383 of the Tax Code, if the Debtors undergo an “ownership change,” the amount of any remaining NOLs, net unrealized built-in losses, tax credit carryforwards, and possibly certain other attributes of the Debtors allocable to periods prior to the Effective Date (collectively, “Pre-Change Losses”) that may be utilized to offset future taxable income generally are subject to an annual limitation. For this purpose, if a corporation (or consolidated group) has a net unrealized built-in loss at the time of an ownership change (taking into account most assets and items of “built-in” income and deductions), then generally such built-in losses (including amortization or depreciation deductions attributable to such built-in losses) recognized during the following five years (up to the amount of the original net unrealized built-in loss) will be treated as Pre-Change Losses and similarly will be subject to the annual limitation. In general, a corporation’s (or consolidated group’s) net unrealized built-in loss will be deemed to be zero unless it is greater than the lesser of (a) $10,000,000, and (b) 15% of the fair market value of its assets (with certain adjustments) before the ownership change.

The rules of section 382 of the Tax Code are complicated, but, as a general matter, the Debtors anticipate that the issuance of New FTS Equity pursuant to the Plan will result in an “ownership change” of the Debtors for these purposes and that the Reorganized Debtors’ use of the Pre-Change Losses will be subject to significant limitation unless an exception to the general rules of section 382 of the Tax Code applies.

In general, the amount of the annual limitation to which a corporation that undergoes an “ownership change” would be subject is equal to the product of (a) the fair market value of the stock of the corporation immediately before the ownership change (with certain adjustments), and (b) the “long-term tax-exempt rate” (which is the highest of the adjusted federal long-term rates in effect for any month in the 3-calendar-month period ending with the calendar month in which the ownership change occurs, currently 0.76% for September 2020). The annual limitation may be increased to the extent that the Reorganized Debtors recognize certain built-in gains in their assets during the five-year period following the ownership change, or are treated as recognizing built-in gains pursuant to the safe harbors provided in IRS Notice 2003-65.¹⁵ Section 383 of the Tax Code applies a similar limitation to capital loss carryforwards and tax credits. Any unused limitation may be carried forward, thereby increasing the annual limitation in the subsequent taxable year. As discussed below, however, special rules may apply in the case of a corporation that experiences an ownership change as the result of a bankruptcy proceeding.

An exception to the foregoing annual limitation rules generally applies when shareholders and so-called “qualified creditors” of a debtor corporation in chapter 11 receive, in respect of their shares and Claims, at least 50% of the vote and value of the stock of the debtor corporation (or a controlling corporation if also in chapter 11) as reorganized pursuant to a confirmed chapter 11 plan (the “382(l)(5) Exception”). If the requirements of the 382(l)(5) Exception were satisfied, a debtor’s Pre-Change Losses would not be limited on an annual basis, but, instead, NOL carryforwards would be reduced by the amount of any interest deductions claimed by the debtor during the three taxable years preceding the effective date of the plan of reorganization, and during the part of the taxable year prior to and including the effective date of the plan of reorganization, in respect of all debt converted into stock pursuant to the reorganization. If the 382(l)(5) Exception applies and the Reorganized Debtors undergo another “ownership change” within two years after the Effective Date, then the Reorganized Debtors’ Pre-Change Losses thereafter would be effectively eliminated in their entirety.

Where the 382(l)(5) Exception is not applicable to a corporation in bankruptcy (either because the debtor corporation does not qualify for it or the debtor corporation otherwise elects not to utilize the 382(l)(5) Exception), another exception will generally apply (the “382(l)(6) Exception”). Under the 382(l)(6) Exception, the annual limitation will be calculated by reference to the lesser of (a) the value of the debtor corporation’s new stock (with certain adjustments) immediately after the ownership change, and (b) the value of such debtor corporation’s assets (determined without regard to liabilities) immediately before the ownership change. This differs from the ordinary rule that requires the fair market value of a debtor corporation that undergoes an “ownership change” to be determined before the events giving rise to the change. The 382(l)(6) Exception also differs from the 382(l)(5) Exception in that a debtor corporation is not required to reduce its NOL carryforwards by the amount of interest deductions claimed within the prior three-year period, and a debtor corporation may undergo a change of ownership within two years without automatically triggering the elimination of its Pre-Change Losses.