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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

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FORM 10-K

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(Mark One)

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For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.

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OR

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For the transition period from                    to                   

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Commission file number 001-38066

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Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (713) 235-9500

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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

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NONE

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Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

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Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Act).

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The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant computed as of June 28, 2019 (the last business day of the registrant’s most recent completed second fiscal quarter) based on the closing price of the Class A common stock on the New York Stock Exchange was $684.9 million. There were 87,057,036 and 16,221,101 shares of the registrant’s Class A and Class B common stock, respectively, outstanding as of February 21, 2020.

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Documents Incorporated by Reference:

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Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for the 2020 annual meeting of stockholders, to be filed no later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any of our forward-looking statements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on our future results. Our future results will depend upon various other risks and uncertainties, including those described elsewhere in this Annual Report. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All forward-looking statements attributable to us are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary note.

References Within This Annual Report

As used in Part I of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, unless the context otherwise requires, references to the “Company,” “we,” “our,” “us” or similar expressions refer (1) for time periods prior to our December 2016 private placement of 16,100,000 shares of our Class A-1 common stock at $20.00 per share (the “Select 144A Offering”) and the related corporate reorganization transactions, to Select Energy Services, LLC (“Select LLC”) and SES Holdings, LLC (“SES Holdings”) and their consolidated subsidiaries, (2) for time periods after the Select 144A Offering and the related corporate reorganization transactions and prior to the Rockwater Merger (as defined below) and the related corporate reorganization transactions, to Select Energy Services, Inc. (“Select Inc.”) and its consolidated subsidiaries and (3) after the Rockwater Merger and the related corporate reorganization transactions, to Select Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, including those subsidiaries acquired in the Rockwater Merger. Additionally, prior to the consummation of the Rockwater Merger and the related corporate reorganization transactions, “Rockwater” refers to Rockwater Energy Solutions, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries and “Rockwater LLC” refers to Rockwater Energy Solutions, LLC and its consolidated subsidiaries. Following the consummation of the Rockwater Merger and the related corporate reorganization transactions “Rockwater” refers to Select Energy Solutions (RW), Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries and “Rockwater LLC” refers to Rockwater Energy Solutions, LLC and its consolidated subsidiaries.

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influenced by the level of drilling and completion activity by E&P companies, which, in turn, depends largely on the current and anticipated profitability of developing oil and natural gas reserves. More specifically, demand for our services is driven primarily by the number of new well completions and the timing and type of well completions.

Water is essential to the development and completion of unconventional oil and gas wells, where producers rely on hydraulic fracturing to stimulate the production of oil and gas from dense subsurface rock formations. The modern hydraulic fracturing process involves the injection of large volumes of water and proppant (typically sand) together with chemicals, under high pressure, through a cased and cemented wellbore into targeted subsurface formations thousands of feet below ground to fracture the surrounding rock. Modern hydraulic fracturing requires engineered, environmentally conscious solutions to optimally stimulate oil and gas bearing formations.

The volume of water required to economically produce tight oil and gas reserves in the U.S. has grown dramatically in recent years and water and water-related services now comprise a meaningful portion of our customers’ drilling and completion budgets. For example, in 2010, the completion of a typical horizontal well could require roughly 75,000 barrels of water, but today, current horizontal well completion designs can call for in excess of 500,000 barrels for a single well. Multi-well pad completions can require in excess of five million barrels. Significant mechanical, logistical, environmental and safety issues related to the transfer and subsequent containment of such large volumes have increased both the total cost of water and related services and the complexity and importance of the services required. This trend has shifted our customers’ operational focus away from traditional small, local water service providers, to larger regional and national players like us, who have the expertise, technology and scale to provide high-quality, reliable, comprehensive and environmentally sound water-management solutions for the full extent of the water life cycle.

These logistical challenges are typically met through a combination of temporary and permanent solutions utilizing pipe and hose infrastructure, combined with the development of a large-scale portfolio of water rights which significantly reduces the cost and environmental footprint compared to legacy solutions such as tank truck and frac tank operations. For a single representative multi-well pad that requires five million barrels of water, we can utilize our pipe and hose infrastructure solutions and eliminate the rough equivalent of 38,500 tank truck loads from the roads. This significantly reduces the capital expenditure costs for our customers while dramatically improving the safety of our operations, and reduces the environmental impact of our customer’s operations by limiting spills and diesel exhaust emissions, as well as the community impact of heavy vehicle traffic.

We also develop and source completion chemicals that are also a key part of the U.S. production growth story. Completion chemicals are blended with water to improve the transport and placement of proppant in targeted zones within the producing formation. The induced fractures near the wellbore allow hydrocarbons to flow into the wellbore for extraction. Our team of chemists and research and development personnel work directly with our customers to optimize the fracturing fluid system. Through laboratory and application experience, we apply our expertise in fracturing chemistry to develop, manufacture and supply a wide range of specialized and customizable products to our customers for their fracturing fluid systems.

Further, up to fifty percent of the water pumped into the well during the hydraulic fracturing process returns as “flowback” during the first several weeks following the well completion process, and a large percentage of the remainder, plus pre-existing water in the formation, is recovered as produced water over the life of the well. The total volumes of flowback and produced water are even greater than the volumes used for new well completions―by some estimates, the U.S. oil and gas industry today produces over 20 billion barrels of water per year and this volume is likely to grow. This flowback and produced water must be captured, contained and then either treated and recycled for reuse in subsequent fracturing jobs or disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. We provide services that support the operator’s management of flowback and produced water for either reuse or disposal. Additionally, our customized chemical treatment programs help improve well productivity and reduce production costs, thereby extending the economic life of our customers’ oil and gas wells.

As produced water volumes have significantly grown in recent years, logistical advancements similar to those seen in the delivery of source water volumes for new well completions have been developed for managing these produced water volumes. Increasingly, the transportation of these produced water volumes has shifted away from

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traditional tank truck operations and onto gathering pipeline infrastructure for disposal or reuse. This significantly reduce the lease operating costs for our customers over the life of a well, while dramatically improving the safety of our service, and reduces the environmental impact of our customer’s operations by limiting spills and diesel exhaust emissions and reducing the truck traffic in our local communities. We believe the industry will increasingly turn to specialized water solutions companies like us to help cost-effectively manage produced water in an environmentally responsible way.

Competitive Strengths

We believe our ability to combine and integrate the complexities of our water and chemical-related services through both temporary solutions and more permanent infrastructure gives us a competitive advantage and is the foundation of our business. We believe our broad geographic footprint, comprehensive suite of water services, inventory of water sources, advanced technology and semi-permanent and permanent pipeline infrastructure position us to be a leading provider of water solutions in all of the oil and gas plays that we serve. We have well-established field operations in what we believe to be core areas of many of the most active shale plays, basins and regions in the U.S., including the Permian, Bakken, Eagle Ford, Haynesville, Marcellus, Utica, Rockies and Mid-Continent (“MidCon”) regions. Our broad footprint enables us to service the majority of current domestic unconventional drilling and completion activity. We estimate that over 80% of all currently active U.S. onshore horizontal rigs are operating in our primary service areas. We believe that the vast majority of rigs that will be deployed in the near- to medium-term will be situated in these areas. In particular, we have established a strong position in the Permian Basin, which is presently our largest operating region, accounting for approximately 47% of our revenue in 2019.

Our Water Services segment focuses on supplying the services and temporary solutions needed as our customers’ completion activities move from location to location across the geographic footprint of their acreage positions over time. These services include the transportation, logistics and storage solutions needed to support the delivery of water to the wellsite for new well completions, the flowback and well testing services needed to manage the initial production phases of the well and the transportation services needed to manage the long-term produced water volumes associated with production. We believe we are a market leader in providing comprehensive water-related services to the industry and we have dedicated significant resources to developing technology solutions to manage the needs of increasingly complex development programs of our customers across the water lifecycle.

We have invested significantly in our patented WaterONE™ and AquaView^® suite of proprietary hardware and software applications for measuring, monitoring and automating our water services throughout the well lifecycle. Our suite of automated solutions include automated water transfer pumps, manifolds, proportioning systems and telemetry meter trailers. WaterONE™ provides true automation that gathers, interprets and acts on data in real-time – all without human intervention, giving operators the ability to remotely set and maintain operational parameters through the duration of their operations. When the system detects that certain defined thresholds have been crossed, it sends out an alert and then, through dynamic machine learning, takes intelligent action to keep operations running safely and smoothly. This can include actions such as raising a pump’s RPM to maintain desired flow rates, adjusting valves in a proportioning system to maintain the desired water quality while blending fresh, brackish, produced or otherwise impaired water sources on-the-fly or shutting down the system and valves completely in the event of a detected failure. In addition to reducing the risk of spills, our automated operations increase efficiency across the water transfer supply chain, reducing the risk of pressure spikes and increasing associated fuel efficiency, thereby significantly reducing overall fuel emissions. Our automation capabilities provide a safer, more efficient and cost-effective transfer, treatment and containment of produced or other impaired water sources.

Within our AquaView® monitoring software systems, our solar-powered cellular and satellite-based remote-monitoring telemetry systems provide the ability to gain precise and accurate volumetric analyses of water assets and provide real-time data to our customers that is accessible 24/7 via computer, smart phone or tablet. Our Hydrographic Mapping Vessels (“HMVs”) use sonar, satellite, and compass technology to provide precise volumetric analyses of water assets. The HMVs are rapidly deployed, durable enough to handle flowback pits, and can navigate through tight spaces in natural ponds. Additionally, our AquaView^® sensors give timely information about acid levels, water quality, temperature and flow rate to assure there is sufficient water at the right quality levels required by our customers and provide alarm notifications to prevent problems during the well completion. We believe that our investments in

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technology provide a significant competitive advantage for us relative to our smaller, regionally-focused competitors by delivering more reliable, efficient, and environmentally sound solutions, often at a lower overall cost.

Our Water Infrastructure segment focuses on the development of water sources and the associated semi-permanent and permanent pipeline infrastructure to handle both the large-scale supply of water for new well completions as well as the gathering of flowback and produced water for either recycling for reuse or disposal. We believe that the commercialization of large scale infrastructure to serve multiple operators provides long-term economic benefits to our customers, while reducing the overall environmental footprint required from multiple individually-focused, operator-controlled infrastructure systems built for peak activity from one operator. Additionally, commercialized water infrastructure can improve the economics of produced water recycling and therefore reduce the demand for fresh water required in oil and gas operations.

To meet the water demands of our customers, we have secured access to significant volumes of water in key unconventional development areas. Water sources are often difficult to locate, acquire and permit, particularly in the quantities needed for multi-well pad development programs. We have secured permits or long-term access rights to more than two billion barrels of water annually from hundreds of sources, including surface, subsurface, municipal and industrial sources, including produced water. We have also invested in significant pipeline infrastructure to support the delivery of water from our water sources, including over 1,300 miles of both above-ground and buried pipeline, including key systems in the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico and the Bakken shale in North Dakota. We continue to focus our efforts on the development of non-potable sources and infrastructure, as well as the treatment and reuse of produced water. We have developed and maintained extensive relationships with landowners as well as local, state, tribal and federal authorities to ensure that we are meeting both the economic and operational needs of our customers while enhancing the long-term sustainability of our water resources for the communities in which we operate. We believe that our extensive relationships and regulatory expertise will continue to constitute a competitive advantage in identifying and securing additional sources of water in a responsible and sustainable manner.

Additionally, water is increasingly sourced through the reuse of produced water from existing wells that have been subjected to various treatment, recycling or blending options. We have a dedicated team of individuals focused on developing and deploying water treatment and reuse services for our customers. We believe water is a precious resource and understand that the oil and gas industry is competing for this resource. As a company, we continue to provide access to water as demanded by our customers, but have significantly increased our focus on the recycling and reuse of produced water, as well as industrial water sources, to meet the industry’s water demand and align our operations with the sustainability goals of our customers and local communities. By doing so, we strive to both reduce the portion of produced water being reinjected into SWD’s over time and to reduce the industry’s need for fresh water.

We believe several emerging trends are leading to the broader development of large scale water infrastructure networks focused on the reuse of water, including: reduced water treatment costs; the advancement of chemical solutions to use non-potable water sources in complex fracturing fluid systems; the increased scale of produced water volumes; the enhanced scrutiny of and increased costs associated with the sourcing of fresh water and traditional salt water disposal methods; and the increased emphasis from our customers on establishing long-term sustainability goals. We believe our expertise in utilizing chemical technologies in the water reclamation and conditioning process, combined with our expertise in the chemical technologies associated with the fracturing fluid system design gives us a competitive advantage in addressing our customers’ needs as these water reuse industry trends increase across our areas of operations, particularly in the Permian Basin. While water reuse continues to progress into a more focused and growing opportunity in the industry, often times, it remains challenging to support the overall water demand of our customers in certain geographic areas through produced water alone. In these situations, alternative solutions such as brackish water sourcing or blending solutions are regularly needed to supplement the produced water reuse capabilities of the marketplace. To support our recycling and reuse efforts, we utilize a wide spectrum of bio-control, aeration, blending and recycling technologies to condition source water or tie flowback and produced water back into fracturing supply for reuse. Additionally, we invest in gathering infrastructure to collect produced water and we have active disposal facilities located in the major U.S. shale plays with a permitted capacity of more than 300,000 barrels/day (“bbl/d”) in addition to more than 400,000 bbl/d of permitted capacity available for development to support the disposal of produced water in the event it is not able to be efficiently reused for new well completions. This disposal capacity is critical to support

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reuse capabilities, as it provides another outlet during times when limited completions activity in the area may not support additional water demand.

Our Oilfield Chemicals segment, operated primarily under our subsidiary, Rockwater LLC, develops, manufactures and delivers a full suite of completion chemical products utilized in hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, cementing and related well completion processes. Our Completion Chemicals product lines support the fluid systems utilized primarily in the completion and development of unconventional resources. These products include polymers that create viscosity, crosslinkers, friction reducers, surfactants, buffers, breakers and other chemical technologies and are provided to leading pressure pumping service companies in the U.S. The use of automated communications systems combined with direct-to-wellsite delivery ensures seamless product availability for our customers, while our chemical expertise enables us to deliver a customized suite of products to meet customers’ technical and economical product needs. With our wide range of manufactured products and our expertise in fracturing chemistry, we believe we are well positioned to support our customers as fracturing chemistry evolves in the coming years in response to changes in technology and the evolution of frac water fluid systems. In addition to our chemical product offerings, we provide inventory management services, including procurement, warehousing and delivery services as well as a full suite of laboratory technologies and consultation services, including water analysis, quality control and assurance, additive compatibility analysis, solids analysis and stimulation recommendations. We have two primary manufacturing facilities in Texas, regional distribution centers and a logistics fleet supporting geographic regions in the Permian, MidCon, Bakken, Eagle Ford, Haynesville and Rockies. We introduced the first in-basin manufacturing facility of emulsion polymers (friction reducers) in our industry, strategically located in the Permian Basin, which provides the advantage of reducing our overall transportation costs of delivering finished goods to our customers within the basin.

Our production chemicals solutions are used by oil and gas companies to enhance well performance and reduce production costs throughout the life of a well. Our complete line of production enhancement and treating chemicals includes demulsification products, clay stabilizers, paraffin treating chemicals, pour point depressants, corrosion inhibitors, scale inhibitors, scale solvents, H₂S scavengers, water treating chemicals, and bactericides. Our production enhancement capabilities include both products and problem well analysis and consultation, and custom formulation is available for any treating requirement.

Additionally, through our recent acquisition of a well chemical services business (“WCS”), formerly a division of Baker Hughes Company (“Baker Hughes”), we provide advanced water treatment solutions throughout the water lifecycle, as well as specialized stimulation flow assurance and integrity management, and post-treatment monitoring services. We deliver customized programs using proven chemical technologies and mobile equipment to treat virtually any oilfield water for reuse. Following our treatment applications, fluid samples are analyzed again to ensure the treatment is optimized to reduce overall chemical investment. We provide disinfection treatment with a smaller environmental footprint, lower power costs and manpower needs than alternative solutions. Our expertise allows us to advise our customers on the best economic and operational solutions to manage their water quality and chemical solutions needs across water qualities and fracturing fluid systems.

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We maintain a culture focused on safety and place a strong emphasis on the safe execution of our operations, including safety training for our employees and the development of a variety of safety programs designed to make us a market leader in safety standards. We believe our commitment to foster a culture of safety and corporate responsibility is essential with approximately 3,900 employees and operations spanning the contiguous U.S. Our employee base is made up of a dedicated operational and technical professionals, including many with advanced degrees, professional licenses and project development experience, and diverse backgrounds in geology, geography, land management, petroleum, chemical and electrical engineering, computer science, environmental science, geographic information systems and regulatory affairs. In addition, we emphasize preserving the environment and our relationships with the communities in which we operate. We work closely with federal, state, local and tribal governments and community organizations to help ensure that our operations comply with legal requirements and community standards. Further, we believe being a good corporate steward is strategic to our growth in the oil and gas industry, and will better allow us to develop solutions that both address the needs of our customers and contribute to sustainable business practices. Our solutions significantly decrease the quantity of trucks on the road, thereby reducing fuel use and emissions and limiting the traffic footprint in the communities in which we operate. We believe that our customers will select their service providers based in part on the quality of their safety and compliance records and their ability to support their long-term Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) goals and therefore, we will continue to make investments to be a market leader in these areas.

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Recent Developments

Well Chemical Services Acquisition

On September 30, 2019, we acquired WCS for $10.0 million, funded with cash on hand (the “WCS Acquisition”). WCS provides advanced water treatment solutions, specialized stimulation flow assurance and integrity additives and post-treatment monitoring services in the U.S. This acquisition expanded our service offerings in oilfield water treatment across the full life-cycle of water, from pre-fracturing treatment through reuse and recycling.

Divestiture of Former Wellsite Services Segment; New Segment Structure

During the first quarter of 2019, we made the decision to sell and wind down certain operations within our former Wellsite Services segment, including the operations of our Affirm subsidiary, our sand hauling operations and our Canadian operations. As a result, we reevaluated our segment structure and changed our reportable segments to Water Services, Water Infrastructure, and Oilfield Chemicals.  We generated proceeds of $30.1 million from divestitures of the Affirm subsidiary and Canadian operations as well as sales of property and equipment from the three businesses.

Northern Delaware Basin Infrastructure Investment

In February 2019, we announced the commencement of a new fixed pipeline infrastructure project in the Northern Delaware Basin region of New Mexico. We invested approximately $40 million in this fixed pipeline infrastructure, which was substantially complete and operational as of December 31, 2019. This project is supported by a five-year take-or-pay contract with a major international integrated oil company for the purchase and delivery of 75 million barrels of water in total. The pipeline system will initially support the provision of up to 150,000 barrels of water per day utilizing existing rights-of-way and source water rights from recently executed long-term supply agreements with industrial sources.

Share Repurchases

During 2019 and 2018, our board of directors authorized share repurchase programs of up to $45 million in the aggregate. During this two year period, we repurchased 3,884,457 shares in open market transactions, at a total cost of $33.2 million, for a weighted average price of $8.54 per share, or $8.56 per share after fees.

Description of Business Segments

We offer our services through the following three operating segments: (i) Water Services, (ii) Water Infrastructure and (iii) Oilfield Chemicals.

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Water Services

Our Water Services segment consists of our services businesses, including water transfer, flowback and well testing, water containment, fluids hauling, water treatment and water network automation. Additionally, this segment includes the operations of our accommodations and rentals business, which were previously a part of the former Wellsite Services segment.

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We install layflat hose as part of a flexible water transfer solution that can be customized to fit a specific project. Our layflat hose allows for quick, cost-effective deployment and removal of transfer assets with limited environmental disturbance and can be quickly redeployed for new projects, including projects in different geographic regions. Layflat hose has a significantly lower risk of spills than most other types of temporary jointed pipe as a result of the strength and durability of the hose as well as the secure nature of any coupling joints used to connect multiple sections of hose. Our layflat hose consists primarily of 10-inch and 12-inch diameter segments. Depending on the requirements of a project, layflat hose may run from a water source directly to a containment area, such as an above ground pit or storage tank, or to a wellsite. Water can also be transferred from one containment area to another as part of managing a larger supply network. Our customers generally prefer layflat hose to alternative temporary piping options due to the cost-effectiveness, limited environmental impact, customizability and reduced risk of spills.

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To support these specialized services, our in-house, state-of-the-art well testing training facility provides hands-on, field-simulated stimulation training with our equipment in a controlled environment, reducing the potential for training errors and related safety incidents.

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Our specialized well testing equipment is outfitted with pressure transducers, Coriolis meters, and guided wave radars for efficient and accurate testing. Using our online reporting system, our customers can view

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real-time data for well pressures, differentials, and fluid levels. This allows for immediate changes to be made during production, better optimizing oil and gas production, reducing oil and gas reservoir damage and enabling operators to quantify oil and gas reserves more effectively.

Our traditional well testing and hydraulic equipment is also deployable in an extensive range of operational conditions: high and low temperature, high and low pressure, high hydrogen sulfide concentration, and high volume. We currently own more than 500 equipment spreads to support these comprehensive well testing services.

Geographic Areas of Operation

We provide our Water Services offerings in most of the major unconventional shale plays in the continental U.S., as illustrated by a “✓” in the chart below.

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Customers

Our Water Services customers primarily include major integrated and independent U.S. and international oil and gas producers.

Competition

Our industry is highly competitive. Our customers typically award contracts after a competitive bidding process. Operational track record, the skill and competency of our people, pricing, safety, technology and environmental performance are key factors in the bid evaluation. Equipment availability, location, service breadth and technical specifications can also be significant considerations.

Certain large domestic and international oilfield services companies offer some water-oriented and environmental services, though these are generally ancillary to their core businesses. As a result, the water solutions industry is highly fragmented and our main competitors are typically smaller and often private service providers that focus on water solutions and logistical services across a narrow geographic area or service offering. We seek to differentiate ourselves from our competitors by delivering comprehensive, high-quality services and equipment, coupled with well-trained people and a commitment to superior execution and a safe working environment.

Water Infrastructure

Our Water Infrastructure segment is operated primarily under our subsidiary, Select LLC, and provides water sourcing, recycling, gathering, transferring and disposal of water. Water Infrastructure operations are provided through or enabled by a network of permanent pipeline infrastructure, semi-permanent pipeline infrastructure, earthen pits, water sources and SWDs.

Service Lines

Our Water Infrastructure operating segment is divided into the following service lines:

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Customers

Our Water Infrastructure customers primarily include major integrated and independent U.S. and international oil and gas producers.

Competition

Our industry is highly competitive. Our customers typically award contracts after a competitive bidding process. Track record, the skill and competency of our people, pricing, safety and environmental performance and location and are key factors in the bid evaluation. Equipment availability, location, and technical specifications can also be significant considerations. While a significant portion of our work is awarded on a short term basis, we have a successful track record of utilizing our infrastructure to obtain various long term contracts such as areas-of-mutual-interest, acreage dedications, well bore dedications and take-or-pay agreements.

Certain large midstream companies offer some water-oriented and infrastructure services, though these are generally ancillary to their core businesses of gathering and transporting oil and gas volumes. Additionally, certain of our customers have invested in water infrastructure for their own operations. As a result, the water infrastructure competitive landscape is highly fragmented and our main competitors, aside from oil and gas companies, are typically private water midstream companies and smaller water service providers that focus on a more limited geographic area or service offering. We seek to differentiate ourselves from our competitors through our expansive scale and by delivering high-quality solutions, coupled with extensive regulatory expertise, well-trained people and a commitment to superior execution and a safe working environment. Additionally, we believe our ability to couple our water infrastructure with our water services and oilfield chemicals expertise provides an advantage relative to our competition.

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Oilfield Chemicals

Our Oilfield Chemicals segment is operated primarily under our subsidiary, Rockwater LLC. We develop, manufacture and provide a full suite of completion and production chemical products utilized in hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, cementing and related well completion processes. We sell completion chemicals primarily to leading pressure-pumping service companies in the U.S. Our production chemicals are used by oil and gas companies to enhance well performance and reduce production costs throughout the life of a well. Our well chemical services service line provides customized water treatment and flow assurance solutions to our customers.

Service Lines

Our Oilfield Chemicals segment is divided into the following services lines:

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Customers

Our Oilfield Chemicals customers primarily include pressure pumpers, along with major integrated and independent U.S. and international oil and gas producers.

Competition

The Oilfield Chemicals business is highly competitive. Our competitors include both large manufacturers and companies that are pure distributors of commodities and specialty chemicals. We believe that the principal competitive factors in the markets we serve are technical expertise, manufacturing capacity, workforce competency, efficiency, safety record, reputation, experience and price. Additionally, projects are often awarded on a bid basis, which tends to create a highly competitive environment. We seek to differentiate ourselves from our competitors by delivering high-quality services and solutions, coupled with superior execution and operating efficiency in a safe working environment. Additionally, many of our competitors focus on serving multiple industries outside of oil and gas and therefore, we believe our dedicated focus on the oil and gas industry and in-basin manufacturing capabilities provides a competitive advantage.

Significant Customers

There were no customers that accounted for 10% or more of our consolidated revenues for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Sales and Marketing

We direct our sales activities through a network of sales representatives and business development personnel, which allows us to support our customers at both the corporate and field level. Our sales representatives work closely with local operations managers to target potential opportunities through strategic focus and regular customer interaction. We track the drilling and completion activities of our current and potential new customers. Our operations managers meet with our sales team several times a week, and monitor sales activity via daily reporting. To support our sales strategy, we have developed a proprietary database that integrates market information such as current rig, fracturing crew and permit activity and the location of our strategic water sources.

Our marketing activities are performed by an internal marketing group with input from a steering committee. We intend to build and maintain a well-recognized brand in the oil and gas industry through multiple media outlets including our website, blog and social media accounts, radio, print and billboard advertisements, and various industry-specific conferences, publications and lectures.

Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health Matters

Our water-related operations in support of oil and gas exploration, development and production activities pursued by our customers are subject to stringent and comprehensive federal, state, provincial and local laws and regulations in the U.S. governing occupational safety and health, the discharge of materials into the environment and

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environmental protection. Numerous governmental entities, including the EPA and analogous state agencies, have the power to enforce compliance with these laws and regulations and the permits issued under them, often requiring difficult and costly actions. These laws and regulations may, among other things (i) require the acquisition of permits to take fresh water from surface water and groundwater, construct pipelines or containment facilities, drill wells and other regulated activities; (ii) restrict the types, quantities and concentration of various substances that can be released into the environment or injected into non-producing belowground formations; (iii) limit or prohibit our operations on certain lands lying within wilderness, wetlands and other protected areas; (iv) require remedial measures to mitigate pollution from former and ongoing operations; (v) impose specific safety and health criteria addressing worker protection; and (vi) impose substantial liabilities for pollution resulting from our operations. Any failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the assessment of sanctions, including administrative, civil and criminal penalties, the imposition of investigatory, remedial or corrective action obligations or the incurrence of capital expenditures; the occurrence of restrictions, delays or cancellations in the permitting or performance of projects; and the issuance of orders enjoining performance of some or all of our operations in a particular area.

The trend in U.S. environmental regulation is typically to place more restrictions and limitations on activities that may affect the environment, and thus any new laws and regulations, amendment of existing laws and regulations, reinterpretation of legal requirements or increased governmental enforcement that result in more stringent and costly construction, completion or water-management activities, or waste handling, storage transport, disposal, or remediation requirements could have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations. We may be unable to pass on such increased compliance costs to our customers. Moreover, accidental releases or spills may occur in the course of our operations, and we cannot assure you that we will not incur significant costs and liabilities as a result of such releases or spills, including any third-party claims for damage to property, natural resources or persons. Historically, our environmental compliance costs in the U.S. have not had a material adverse effect on our results of operations; however, there can be no assurance that such costs will not be material in the future or that such future compliance will not have a material adverse effect on our business and operational results. Our customers may also incur increased costs or restrictions, delays or cancellations in permitting or operating activities as a result of more stringent environmental laws and regulations, which may result in a curtailment of exploration, development or production activities that would reduce the demand for our services.

The following is a summary of the more significant existing environmental and occupational safety and health laws in the U.S., as amended from time to time, to which our operations are subject and for which compliance may have a material adverse impact on our capital expenditures, results of operations or financial position.

Hazardous substances and wastes. The federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”), and comparable state statutes regulate the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal and cleanup of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. Pursuant to rules issued by the EPA, the individual states administer some or all of the provisions of RCRA, sometimes in conjunction with their own, more stringent requirements. Drilling fluids, produced waters, and most of the other wastes associated with the exploration, development, and production of oil or gas, if properly handled, are currently exempt from regulation as hazardous waste under RCRA, and instead are regulated under RCRA’s less stringent non-hazardous waste provisions, state laws or other federal laws. However, it is possible that certain oil and gas drilling and production wastes now classified as non-hazardous could be classified as hazardous wastes in the future. Any loss of the RCRA exclusion for drilling fluids, produced waters and related wastes could result in an increase in our and our oil and gas producing customers’ costs to manage and dispose of generated wastes, which could have a material adverse effect on our and our customers’ results of operations and financial position. In the course of our operations, we generate some amounts of ordinary industrial wastes, such as paint wastes, waste solvents and waste oils that may be regulated as hazardous wastes.

Wastes containing naturally occurring radioactive materials (“NORM”) may also be generated in connection with our operations. Certain processes used to produce oil and gas may enhance the radioactivity of NORM, which may be present in oilfield wastes. NORM is subject primarily to individual state radiation control regulations. In addition, NORM handling and management activities are governed by regulations promulgated by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”). These state and OSHA regulations impose certain requirements concerning worker protection, the treatment, storage and disposal of NORM waste, the management of waste piles, containers and tanks containing NORM, as well as restrictions on the uses of land with NORM contamination.

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The federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), also known as the Superfund law, and comparable state laws impose liability, without regard to fault or legality of conduct, on classes of persons considered to be responsible for the release of a “hazardous substance” into the environment. These persons include the current and past owner or operator of the site where the hazardous substance release occurred and anyone who disposed or arranged for the disposal of a hazardous substance released at the site. Under CERCLA, such persons may be subject to joint and several, strict liability for the costs of cleaning up the hazardous substances that have been released into the environment, for damages to natural resources and for the costs of certain health studies. CERCLA also authorizes the EPA and, in some instances, third parties to act in response to threats to the public health or the environment and to seek to recover from the responsible classes of persons the costs they incur. In addition, neighboring landowners and other third parties may file claims for personal injury and property damage allegedly caused by the hazardous substances released into the environment. We generate materials in the course of our operations that may be regulated as hazardous substances.

We currently own, lease, or operate numerous properties that have been used for activities supporting oil and gas exploration, development and production for a number of years. Although we believe that we have utilized operating and waste disposal practices that were standard in the industry at the time, hazardous substances, wastes, or petroleum hydrocarbons may have been released on, under or from the properties owned or leased by us, or on, under or from other locations, including off-site locations, where we conduct services for our customers or where such substances have been taken for treatment or disposal. In addition, some of our properties have been operated by third parties or by previous owners or operators whose treatment and disposal of hazardous substances, wastes, or petroleum hydrocarbons was not under our control. These properties and the substances disposed or released on, under or from them may be subject to CERCLA, RCRA and analogous state laws. Under such laws, we could be required to undertake response actions or corrective measures, which could include removal of previously disposed substances and wastes, cleanup of contaminated property or performance of remedial operations to prevent future contamination, the costs of which could be material.

Water discharges and use. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water Act (“CWA”), and analogous state laws, impose restrictions and strict controls with respect to the discharge of pollutants, including spills and leaks of oil and hazardous substances, into state waters and waters of the U.S. The discharge of pollutants into regulated waters is prohibited, except in accordance with the terms of a permit issued by the EPA or an analogous state agency. Spill prevention, control and countermeasure plan requirements imposed under the CWA require appropriate containment berms and similar structures to help prevent the contamination of navigable waters in the event of a petroleum hydrocarbon tank spill, rupture or leak. In addition, the CWA and analogous state laws require individual permits or coverage under general permits for discharges of stormwater runoff from certain types of facilities.

The CWA also prohibits the discharge of dredge and fill material in regulated waters, including wetlands, unless authorized by permit. In 2015, the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the “Corps”) under the Obama Administration published a final rule attempting to clarify the federal jurisdictional reach over waters of the U.S. In 2017, the EPA and the Corps under the Trump Administration agreed to reconsider the 2015 rule and, thereafter, on October 22, 2019, the agencies published a final rule made effective on December 23, 2019, rescinding the 2015 rule and recodifying the regulatory text that governed waters of the U.S. prior to promulgation of the 2015 rule until such time as a final rule re-defining the Clean Water Act’s jurisdiction over waters of the U.S. was made effective in replacement of the 2015 rule. On January 23, 2020, the two agencies issued a final rule re-defining such jurisdiction. Upon being published in the Federal Register and the passage of 60 days thereafter, the January 23, 2020 final rule will become effective in replacement of the October 22, 2019 final rule. Under the new January 23, 2020 final rule, the EPA has narrowed the federal government’s jurisdictional permitting authority under the Clean Water Act relative to the 2015 final rule. The 2015 final rule has been the subject of legal challenges by various factions in federal district court and implementation of the 2015 rule has been enjoined in slightly over half of the states pending resolution of the various federal district court challenges. Upon the effectiveness of the January 23, 2020 rule, the U.S. will be covered under a single regulatory scheme as it relates to federal jurisdictional reach over waters of the U.S. However, there remains the expectation that the January 23, 2020 final rule also will be legally challenged in federal district court. To the extent that any challenge to the January 23, 2020 final rule is successful and the 2015 rule or a revised rule expands the scope of the Clean Water Act’s jurisdiction in areas where we or our customers conduct operations, we or our customers could face increased costs and restrictions, delays or cancellations with respect to obtaining permits for dredge and fill activities in

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wetland areas in connection with any expansion activities. Federal and state regulatory agencies can impose administrative, civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance with discharge permits or other requirements of the CWA and analogous state laws and regulations.

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA”) amends the CWA and sets minimum standards for prevention, containment and cleanup of oil spills in waters of the U.S. The OPA applies to vessels, offshore facilities, and onshore facilities, including E&P facilities that may affect waters of the U.S. Under OPA, responsible parties including owners and operators of onshore facilities may be held strictly liable for oil cleanup costs and natural resource damages as well as a variety of public and private damages that may result from oil spills. In 2018, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management raised OPA’s damages liability cap to $137.7 million; however, a party cannot take advantage of liability limits if the spill was caused by gross negligence or willful misconduct, resulted from violation of a federal safety, construction or operating regulation, or if the party failed to report a spill or cooperate fully in the cleanup. The OPA also requires owners or operators of certain onshore facilities to prepare Facility Response Plans for responding to a worst-case discharge of oil into waters of the U.S.

Saltwater disposal wells and induced seismicity. Saltwater disposal via underground injection is regulated pursuant to the Underground Injection Control (“UIC”) program established under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (the “SDWA”) and analogous state and local laws and regulations. The UIC program includes requirements for permitting, testing, monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting of injection well activities, as well as a prohibition against the migration of fluid containing any contaminant into underground sources of drinking water. State regulations require a permit from the applicable regulatory agencies to operate underground injection wells. Although we monitor the injection process of our wells, any leakage from the subsurface portions of the injection wells could cause degradation of fresh groundwater resources, potentially resulting in suspension of our UIC permit, issuance of fines and penalties from governmental agencies, incurrence of expenditures for remediation of the affected resource and imposition of liability by third-parties claiming damages for alternative water supplies, property and personal injuries. A change in UIC disposal well regulations or the inability to obtain permits for new disposal wells in the future may affect our ability to dispose of produced waters and other substances, which could affect our business.

Furthermore, in response to seismic events in the past several years near underground disposal wells used for the disposal by injection of produced water resulting from oil and gas activities, federal and some state agencies are investigating whether such wells have caused increased seismic activity, and some states have restricted, suspended or shut down the use of such disposal wells. In response to these concerns, regulators in some states have imposed, or are considering imposing, additional requirements in the permitting of produced water disposal wells or otherwise to assess any relationship between seismicity and the use of such wells. For example, Oklahoma has issued rules for wastewater disposal wells that impose certain permitting and operating restrictions and reporting requirements on disposal wells in proximity to faults and also, from time to time, has developed and implemented plans directing certain wells where seismic incidents have occurred to restrict or suspend disposal well operations. The Texas Railroad Commission adopted similar rules. In late 2016, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s Oil and Gas Conservation Division and the Oklahoma Geological Survey released well completion seismicity guidance, which requires operators to take certain prescriptive actions, including an operator’s planned mitigation practices, following certain unusual seismic activity within 1.25 miles of hydraulic fracturing operations. In addition, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s Oil and Gas Conservation Division has, from time to time, issued orders limiting future increases in the volume of oil and gas wastewater injected below ground into the Arbuckle formation in an effort to reduce the number of earthquakes in the state. An additional consequence of this seismic activity is lawsuits alleging that disposal well operations have caused damage to neighboring properties or otherwise violated state and federal rules regulating waste disposal. The adoption and implementation of any new laws, regulations or directives that restrict our ability to dispose of wastewater gathered from our customers by limiting volumes, disposal rates, disposal well locations or otherwise, or requiring us to shut down disposal wells, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Hydraulic fracturing activities. Hydraulic fracturing involves the injection of water, sand or other proppants and chemical additives under pressure into targeted geological formations to fracture the surrounding rock and stimulate production. Hydraulic fracturing is an important and common practice that is typically regulated by state oil and natural gas commissions or similar agencies. However, the practice continues to be controversial in certain parts of the country, resulting in increased scrutiny and regulation of the hydraulic fracturing process, including by federal agencies that have

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asserted regulatory authority or pursued investigations over certain aspects of the hydraulic fracturing process. For example, the EPA has asserted regulatory authority pursuant to the SDWA UIC program over hydraulic fracturing activities involving the use of diesel and issued guidance covering such activities, as well as published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding Toxic Substances Control Act (“TSCA”) reporting of the chemical substances and mixtures used in hydraulic fracturing.

Additionally, in 2016, the EPA published an effluent limit guideline final rule prohibiting the discharge of wastewater from onshore unconventional oil and gas extraction facilities to publicly owned wastewater treatment plants. Also, in late 2016, the EPA released its final report on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, concluding that “water cycle” activities associated with hydraulic fracturing may impact drinking water resources under some circumstances.

Legislation has been introduced, from time to time, but not enacted, in the U.S. Congress to provide for federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing and to require disclosure of the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process. However, concern over the threat of climate change has resulted in the making of pledges by certain candidates seeking the office of the President of the U.S. in 2020 to ban hydraulic fracturing of oil and natural gas wells. Moreover, some state and local governments have adopted, and other governmental entities are considering adopting, regulations that could impose more stringent permitting, disclosure and well-construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing operations, including states where we or our customers operate. For example, Texas, Oklahoma, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania and North Dakota, among others, have adopted regulations that impose stringent permitting, disclosure, disposal and well-construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing operations. Also, in April 2019, the Governor of Colorado signed Senate Bill 19-181 into law, which legislation, among other things, revises the mission of the state oil and gas agency from fostering energy development in the state to instead focusing on regulating the oil and natural gas industry in a manner that is protective of public health and safety and the environment, as well as authorizing cities and counties to regulate oil and natural gas operations within their jurisdiction as they do other developments. Among other things, the Colorado oil and gas agency will consider enhanced safety and environmental protections during well development operations, including drilling and hydraulic fracturing activities. States could also elect to place certain prohibitions on hydraulic fracturing, following the approach taken by the States of Maryland, New York and Vermont. In addition to state laws, local land use restrictions, such as city ordinances, may restrict drilling in general and/or hydraulic fracturing in particular, as certain local governments in California have done. Other states, such as Texas, Oklahoma and Ohio have taken steps to limit the authority of local governments to regulate oil and gas development.

In the event that new federal, state or local restrictions or bans on the hydraulic fracturing process are adopted in areas where we or our customers conduct business, we or our customers may incur additional costs or permitting requirements to comply with such requirements that may be significant in nature and our customers could experience added restrictions, delays or cancellations in their exploration, development, or production activities, which would in turn reduce the demand for our services and have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, consolidated results of operations, and consolidated financial condition.

Air Emissions. The U.S. Clean Air Act (“CAA”) and comparable state laws restrict the emission of air pollutants from many sources through air emissions standards, construction and operating permit programs and the imposition of other compliance standards. These laws and regulations may require us to obtain pre-approval for the construction or modification of certain projects or facilities expected to produce or significantly increase air emissions, obtain and strictly comply with stringent air permit requirements or utilize specific equipment or technologies to control emissions of certain pollutants. The need to obtain permits has the potential to delay our projects as well as our customers’ development of oil and gas projects. Over the next several years, we or our customers may incur certain capital expenditures for air pollution control equipment or other air emissions-related issues. For example, in 2015, the EPA issued a final rule under the CAA, lowering the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (“NAAQS”) for ground-level ozone from the current standard of 75 parts per million to 70 parts per million under both the primary and secondary standards to provide requisite protection of public health and welfare, respectively. Since that time, the EPA has issued area designations with respect to ground-level ozone and final requirements that apply to state, local, and tribal air agencies for implementing the 2015 NAAQS for ground-level ozone. State implementation of the revised NAAQS could also result in the imposition of more stringent requirements. Compliance with the NAAQS requirements or other air pollution control and permitting requirements has the potential to delay the development of oil and gas

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projects and increase our or our customers’ costs of development and production, which costs could reduce demand for our services and have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

Climate Change. Climate change continues to attract considerable public, political and scientific attention. As a result, numerous regulatory initiatives have been enacted, and are likely to continue to be developed, at the international, national, regional and state levels of government to monitor and limit existing emissions of greenhouse gases (“GHGs”) as well as to restrict or eliminate such future emissions. These regulatory efforts have included consideration of cap-and-trade programs, carbon taxes, GHG reporting and tracking programs, and regulations that directly limit GHG emissions from certain sources. Additionally, the threat of climate change has resulted in increasing political, litigation and financial risks associated with the production and consumption of fossil fuels and emission of GHGs. The adoption and implementation of any federal or state legislation, regulations or executive orders or the occurrence of any litigation or financial developments that impose more stringent requirements or bans on GHG-emitting production activities or locations where such production activities may occur, impose liabilities for past conduct relating to GHG-emitting production activities, or limit or eliminate sources of financing for ongoing production operations could require our E&P customers to incur increased costs of compliance or costs of consuming, and thereby reduce demand for, oil and natural gas that, in turn, could reduce demand for our products and services. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors – Our and our customers’ operations are subject to a number of risks arising out of the threat of climate change, including regulatory, political, litigation, and financial risks, which could result in increased operating and capital costs for our customers and reduced demand for the products and services we provide” for additional information relating to risks arising out of climate change including the emission of GHGs.

Endangered Species. The federal Endangered Species Act (the “ESA”) restricts activities that may affect endangered or threatened species or their habitats. Similar protections are offered to migratory birds under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (the “MBTA”). To the degree that species listed under the ESA or similar state laws, or are protected under the MBTA, live in the areas where we or our oil and gas producing customers operate, our and our customers’ abilities to conduct or expand operations and construct facilities could be limited or be forced to incur material additional costs. Moreover, our customers’ drilling activities may be delayed, restricted, or cancelled in protected habitat areas or during certain seasons, such as breeding and nesting seasons. Some of our operations and the operations of our customers are located in areas that are designated as habitats for protected species. In addition, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (the “FWS”) may make determinations on the listing of unlisted species as endangered or threatened under the ESA. The designation of previously unidentified endangered or threatened species could indirectly cause us to incur additional costs, cause our or our oil and gas producing customers’ operations to become subject to operating restrictions or bans and limit future development activity in affected areas. The FWS and similar state agencies may designate critical or suitable habitat areas that they believe are necessary for the survival of threatened or endangered species. Such a designation could materially restrict use of or access to federal, state, and private lands.

Chemical Safety. We are subject to a wide array of laws and regulations governing chemicals, including the regulation of chemical substances and inventories, such as TSCA in the U.S. These laws and regulations change frequently and have the potential to limit or ban altogether the types of chemicals we may use in our products, as well as result in increased costs related to testing, storing, and transporting our products prior to providing them to our customers. For example, in 2016, President Obama signed into law the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21^st Century Act (the “Lautenberg Act”), which substantially revised TSCA. Amongst other items, the Lautenberg Act eliminated the cost-benefit approach to analyzing chemical safety concerns with a health-based safety standard and requires all chemicals in commerce, including those “grandfathered” under TSCA, to undergo a safety review. The Lautenberg Act also requires safety findings before a new chemical can enter the market. Although it is not possible at this time to predict how EPA will implement and interpret the new provisions of the Lautenberg Act, or how legislation or new regulations that may be adopted pursuant to these regulatory and legislative efforts would impact our business, any new restrictions on the development of new products, increases in regulation, or disclosure of confidential, competitive information could have an adverse effect on our operations and our cost of doing business.

Furthermore, governmental, regulatory and societal demands for increasing levels of product safety and environmental protection could result in increased pressure for more stringent regulatory control with respect to the chemical industry. These concerns could influence public perceptions regarding our products and operations, the viability of certain products, our reputation, the cost to comply with regulations, and the ability to attract and retain employees. Moreover, changes in environmental, health and safety regulations could inhibit or interrupt our operations,

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or require us to modify our facilities or operations. Accordingly, environmental or regulatory matters may cause us to incur significant unanticipated losses, costs or liabilities, which could reduce our profitability.

Occupational Safety and Health and other legal requirements. We are subject to the requirements of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act and comparable state statutes whose purpose is to protect the health and safety of workers. In addition, the OSHA’s hazard communication standard, the EPA’s Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and comparable state regulations and any implementing regulations require that we organize and/or disclose information about hazardous materials used or produced in our operations and that this information be provided to employees, state and local governmental authorities and citizens. We have an internal program of inspection designed to monitor and enforce compliance with worker safety requirements.

In addition, as part of the services we provide, we operate as a motor carrier and therefore are subject to regulation by the U.S. Department of Transportation (“U.S. DOT”) and analogous state agencies. These regulatory authorities exercise broad powers, governing activities such as the authorization to engage in motor carrier operations, regulatory safety, and hazardous materials labeling, placarding and marking. There are additional regulations specifically relating to the trucking industry, including testing and specification of equipment and product handling requirements. The trucking industry is subject to possible regulatory and legislative changes that may affect the economics of the industry by requiring changes in operating practices or by changing the demand for common or contract carrier services or the cost of providing truckload services. From time to time, various legislative proposals are introduced, including proposals to increase federal, state or local taxes on motor fuels, among other things, which may increase our costs or adversely impact the recruitment of drivers. We cannot predict whether, or in what form, any increase in such taxes applicable to us will be enacted.

Seasonality

Our results of operations have historically reflected seasonal tendencies, typically in the fourth quarter, relating to holiday seasons, inclement winter weather and the conclusion of our customers’ annual drilling and completions capital expenditure budgets during which we typically experience declines in our operating results. In a stable commodity price and operations environment, we often see notable declines in November and December for the reasons described above. In 2019, this decline began earlier and impacted the entirety of the fourth quarter.

Intellectual Property

Protection of our products and processes is important to our businesses. We own numerous patents and, where appropriate, we file patent applications for new products and technologies. For example, we use our AquaView® technology to quantify volumes and flow rates to verify current and potential water availability and volumes when analyzing a new water source. We also currently own six U.S. patents relating to completions technology including borate cross-linkers, slurry monitoring systems and others. We also have a robust program to seek patents on new developments. We have a meaningful backlog of pending patents, including a proprietary water analytics and automation tool, as well as creating fracturing fluids with produced water, evaporation methodologies, cross-linker/breaker mechanisms and liquid distribution metering systems. We hold numerous patents and, while a presumption of validity exists with respect to issued U.S. patents, we cannot assure that any of our patents will not be challenged, invalidated, circumvented or rendered unenforceable. Furthermore, we cannot assure the issuance of any pending patent application, or that if patents do issue, that these patents will provide meaningful protection against competitors or against competitive technologies. Additionally, our competitors or other third parties may obtain patents that restrict or preclude our ability to lawfully produce or sell our products in a competitive manner.

We also rely upon continuing technological innovation and trade secrets to develop and maintain our competitive position. There can be no assurance that confidentiality and other agreements into which we enter and have entered will not be breached, that these agreements will provide meaningful protection for our trade secrets or proprietary know-how, or that adequate remedies will be available in the event of an unauthorized use or disclosure of such trade secrets and know-how. In addition, there can be no assurance that others will not obtain knowledge of these trade secrets through independent development or other access by legal means.

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We also own a number of trademarks, which we use in connection with our businesses. In addition to protections through federal registration, we also rely on state common law protections to protect our brand. There can be no assurance that the trademark registrations will provide meaningful protection against the use of similar trademarks by competitors, or that the value of our trademarks will not be diluted.

Because of the breadth and nature of our intellectual property rights and our business, we do not believe that any single intellectual property right (other than certain trademarks for which we intend to maintain the applicable registrations) is material to our business. Moreover, we do not believe that the termination of intellectual property rights expected to occur over the next several years, either individually or in the aggregate, will materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Risk Management and Insurance

Our operations are subject to hazards inherent in the oil and gas industry, including accidents, blowouts, explosions, craterings, fires, oil spills and hazardous materials spills. These conditions can cause:

In addition, claims for loss of oil and gas production and damage to formations can occur in the well services industry. If a serious accident were to occur at a location where our equipment and services are being used, it could result in us being named as a defendant in lawsuits asserting large claims.

Because our business involves the transportation of heavy equipment and materials, we may also experience traffic accidents, which may result in spills, property damage and personal injury.

Despite our efforts to maintain high safety standards, from time to time we have suffered accidents, and there is a risk that we will experience accidents in the future. In addition to the property and personal losses from these accidents, the frequency and severity of these incidents affect our operating costs and insurability, and our relationship with customers, employees and regulatory agencies. In particular, in recent years many of our large customers have placed an increased emphasis on the safety records of their service providers. Any significant increase in the frequency or severity of these incidents, or the general level of compensatory payments, could adversely affect the cost of, or our ability to obtain, workers’ compensation and other forms of insurance, and could have other material adverse effects on our financial condition and results of operations.

We maintain insurance coverage of types and amounts that we believe to be customary in the industry including workers’ compensation, employer’s liability, sudden & accidental pollution, umbrella, comprehensive commercial general liability, business automobile and property and equipment physical damage insurance. Our insurance coverage may be inadequate to cover our liabilities. In addition, we may not be able to maintain adequate insurance in the future at rates we consider reasonable and commercially justifiable or on terms as favorable as our current arrangements.

We enter into master service agreements (“MSAs”) with most of our customers. Our MSAs delineate our and our customer’s respective indemnification obligations with respect to the services we provide. Generally, under our MSAs, including those relating to our Water Services, Water Infrastructure, Oilfield Chemical product sales, accommodations and rentals and completion and construction services, we assume responsibility for pollution or contamination originating above the surface from our equipment or handling of the equipment of others. However, our customers generally assume responsibility for all other pollution or contamination that may occur during operations, including that which may generally result from seepage or any other uncontrolled flow of drilling fluids. The assumed responsibilities include the control, removal and cleanup of any pollution or contamination. In such cases, we may be exposed to additional liability if we are grossly negligent or commit willful acts causing the pollution or contamination.

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Generally, our customers also agree to indemnify us against claims arising from the personal injury or death of the customers’ employees or those of the customers’ other contractors, in the case of our hydraulic fracturing operations, to the extent that such employees are injured by such operations, unless the loss is a result of our gross negligence or willful misconduct. Similarly, we generally agree to indemnify our customers for liabilities arising from personal injury to or death of any of our employees or employees of any of our subcontractors, unless resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of our customer. The same principals apply to mutual indemnification for loss or destruction of customer-owned property or equipment, except such indemnification is not limited in an instance of gross negligence or willful misconduct. Losses arising from catastrophic events, such as blowouts, are generally the responsibility of the customer. However, despite this general allocation of risk, we may be unsuccessful in enforcing contractual terms, incur an unforeseen liability that is not addressed by the scope of the contractual provisions or be required to enter into an MSA with terms that vary from our standard allocations of risk, as described above. Consequently, we may incur substantial losses that could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Employees

As of December 31, 2019, we had approximately 3,900 employees and no unionized labor. We believe we have good relations with our employees.

Available Information

We file or furnish annual, quarterly and current reports and other documents with the SEC under the Exchange Act. The SEC also maintains an internet website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers, including us, that file electronically with the SEC.

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We also make available free of charge through our website, www.selectenergyservices.com, electronic copies of certain documents that we file with the SEC, including our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Information on our website is not a part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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reduced number of wells for us to service more than offsets increasing completion activity and intensity. Any of these conditions or events could adversely affect our operating results. If a recovery does not materialize and our customers fail to increase their capital spending, it could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, results of operations and financial condition.

Industry conditions are influenced by numerous factors over which we have no control, including:

If oil prices or natural gas prices were to decline, the demand for our services could be adversely affected.

The demand for our services is primarily determined by current and anticipated oil and natural gas prices and the related levels of capital spending and drilling activity in the areas in which we have operations. Volatility or weakness in oil prices or natural gas prices (or the perception that oil prices or natural gas prices will decrease) affects the spending patterns of our customers and may result in the drilling or completion of fewer new wells or lower production spending on existing wells. This, in turn, could lead to lower demand for our services and may cause lower rates and lower utilization of our assets. If oil prices or natural gas prices decline, or if completions activity is reduced, the demand for our services and our results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

Prices for oil and gas historically have been extremely volatile and are expected to continue to be volatile. The posted West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) price for oil has ranged from a low of $26.19 per Bbl in February 2016 to a high of $107.95 per Bbl in June 2014. During 2019, WTI prices ranged from $46.31 to $66.24 per Bbl. If the prices of

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oil and natural gas decline, our operations, financial condition, cash flows and level of expenditures may be materially and adversely affected.

Recent volatility in oil and gas prices and pressure from investors have led, and may continue to lead, our customers to implement a more disciplined capital spending strategy. This disciplined approach could reduce the demand for our services and cause our customers to demand lower rates for our services, which could materially and adversely affect our results of operation.

We have developed certain key infrastructure assets in the Bakken area of North Dakota and in the Northern Delaware Basin region of the Permian Basin in New Mexico, making us vulnerable to risks associated with conducting business in these regions.

We have secured three governmental permits that enable us to withdraw water from the Missouri River and Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota and have developed and expect to develop in the future significant water infrastructure related to these permits.

Because of the key nature of these permits and water infrastructure within the Bakken, the success and profitability of our business may be disproportionately exposed to factors impacting this region. These factors include, among others: (i) the prices of, and associated costs to produce, crude oil and gas from wells in the Bakken and other regional supply and demand factors (including the generally higher cost nature of production in the Bakken compared to other major shale plays and the pricing differentials that exist in the Bakken because of transportation constraints); (ii) the amount of exploration, development and production activities of our Bakken customers and their spending on our services; (iii) our ability to keep and maintain our governmental water permits; (iv) the cost of operations and the prices we can charge our customers in this region; and (v) the availability of equipment, supplies, and labor. Although we currently have secured key permits for water in this region, if we were to lose our water rights for any reason, including termination by the government upon the occurrence of a material breach, including nonpayment and default in performance, unexpected adverse environmental impacts, or our competitors were able to secure equivalent rights, our business could be materially harmed. In addition, our operations in the Bakken field may be adversely affected by severe weather events such as floods, blizzards, ice storms and tornadoes. For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, our Bakken operations represented 7.1%, 9.9% and 10.4%, respectively, of our revenues. The concentration of our water permits and significant infrastructure assets in North Dakota also increases our exposure to changes in local laws and regulations, including those designed to protect wildlife and unexpected events that may occur in this region such as seismic events, industrial accidents or labor difficulties. Any of the risks described above could have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Additionally, with the GRR Acquisition completed in March 2017 and the acquisition of the assets of Pro Well Testing and Wireline, Inc. (“Pro Well”) completed in November 2018, we have bolstered our water and water-related services to our customers in New Mexico. We expect to further develop those water and water-related services in the state in the future but the future availability of, and/or access to, water in New Mexico will be affected by the results of a case, Texas v. New Mexico and Colorado, for which discovery is scheduled to be completed in May 2020 and is expected to be tried by a special master in the first half of 2021. In this lawsuit, Texas is alleging that New Mexico is not delivering the yearly water allotment due to Texas under the Rio Grande Compact, which agreement was created in 1938 to ensure that the two states and the state of Colorado would get their fair share of water from the river. To the extent that this lawsuit is adversely decided against New Mexico, the state could, among other things, be required to provide more water downstream to Texas, which could reduce the availability of and/or access to water to existing or new water rights holders in New Mexico. The risk of such adverse development could reduce our ability to obtain or maintain access to water for our customers’ operations in the vicinity of our assets in New Mexico and have a corresponding adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Restrictions on the ability to procure water or changes in water sourcing requirements could decrease the demand for our water-related services.

Our business includes water transfer for use in our customers’ oil and gas E&P activities. Our access to the water we supply may be limited due to reasons such as prolonged drought or our inability to acquire or maintain water

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sourcing permits or other rights. In addition, some state and local governmental authorities have begun to monitor or restrict the use of water subject to their jurisdiction for hydraulic fracturing to ensure adequate local water supply. For instance, some states require E&P companies to report certain information regarding the water they use for hydraulic fracturing and to monitor the quality of groundwater surrounding some wells stimulated by hydraulic fracturing. Any such decrease in the availability of water, or demand for water services, could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

We may not be able to finance future growth of our operations or future acquisitions, which could adversely affect our operations and financial position.

The successful execution of our growth strategy depends on our ability to generate sufficient cash flows and our access to capital, both of which are impacted by numerous factors beyond our control, including financial, business, economic and other factors, such as volatility in commodity prices and pressure from competitors. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flows or obtain additional capital on favorable terms or at all, we may be unable to continue growing our business, conduct necessary corporate activities, take advantage of business opportunities that arise or engage in activities that may be in our long-term best interest, which may adversely impact our ability to sustain or improve our current level of profitability.

Fuel conservation measures could reduce demand for oil and natural gas which would, in turn, reduce the demand for our services.

Fuel conservation measures, alternative fuel requirements and increasing consumer demand for alternatives to oil and natural gas could reduce demand for oil and natural gas. The impact of the changing demand for oil and natural gas may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, prospects, results of operations and cash flows. Additionally, the increased competitiveness of alternative energy sources (such as wind, solar, geothermal, tidal, fuel cells and biofuels) could reduce demand for hydrocarbons and therefore for our services, which would lead to a reduction in our revenues.

The growth of our business through acquisitions may expose us to various risks, including those relating to difficulties in identifying suitable, accretive acquisition opportunities and integrating businesses, assets and personnel, as well as difficulties in obtaining financing for targeted acquisitions and the potential for increased leverage or debt service requirements.

As a component of our business strategy, we intend to pursue selected, accretive acquisitions of complementary assets, businesses and technologies. Acquisitions involve numerous risks, including:

In evaluating acquisitions, we generally prepare one or more financial cases based on a number of business, industry, economic, legal, regulatory and other assumptions applicable to the proposed transaction. Although we expect a reasonable basis will exist for those assumptions, the assumptions will generally involve current estimates of future

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conditions. Realization of many of the assumptions will be beyond our control. Moreover, the uncertainty and risk of inaccuracy associated with any financial projection will increase with the length of the forecasted period. Some acquisitions may not be accretive in the near term and will be accretive in the long term only if we are able to timely and effectively integrate the underlying assets and such assets perform at or near the levels anticipated in our acquisition projections.

The process of integrating an acquired business may involve unforeseen costs and delays or other operational, technical and financial difficulties and may require a significant amount of time and resources. Our failure to successfully incorporate the acquired business and assets into our existing operations or to minimize any unforeseen operational difficulties could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, there is intense competition for acquisition opportunities in our industry. Competition for acquisitions may increase the cost of, or cause us to refrain from, completing acquisitions.

In addition, we may not have sufficient capital resources to complete any additional acquisitions. We may incur substantial indebtedness to finance future acquisitions and also may issue equity, debt or convertible securities in connection with such acquisitions. Debt service requirements could represent a significant burden on our results of operations and financial condition and the issuance of additional equity or convertible securities could be dilutive to our existing stockholders. Furthermore, we may not be able to obtain additional financing on satisfactory terms. Even if we have access to the necessary capital, we may be unable to continue to identify suitable acquisition opportunities, negotiate acceptable terms or successfully acquire identified targets.

Our Credit Agreement subjects us to various financial and other restrictive covenants. These restrictions may limit our operational or financial flexibility and could subject us to potential defaults under our Credit Agreement.

Our Credit Agreement subjects us to significant financial and other restrictive covenants, including restrictions on our ability to consolidate or merge with other companies, conduct asset sales, incur additional indebtedness, grant liens, issue guarantees, make investments, loans or advances, pay dividends and enter into certain transactions with affiliates.

Our Credit Agreement contains certain financial covenants, including the maintenance of a fixed charge coverage ratio of at least 1.0 to 1.0 at any time availability under the Credit Agreement is less than the greater of (i) 10% of the lesser of (A) the maximum revolver amount and (B) the then-effective borrowing base and (ii) $15.0 million and continuing through and including the first day after such time that availability under the Credit Agreement has equaled or exceeded the greater of (i) 10% of the lesser of (A) the maximum revolver amount and (B) the then-effective borrowing base and (ii) $15.0 million for 60 consecutive calendar days. Our ability to comply with such financial condition tests can be affected by events beyond our control and we may not be able to do so. The scheduled maturity date for our Credit Agreement is November 1, 2022. In addition, the Credit Agreement restricts SES Holdings’ and Select LLC’s ability to make distributions on, or redeem or repurchase, its respective equity interests, except for certain distributions, including distributions of cash so long as, both at the time of the distribution and after giving effect to the distribution, no default exists under the Credit Agreement and either (a) excess availability at all times during the preceding 30 consecutive days, on a pro forma basis and after giving effect to such distribution, is not less than the greater of (1) 25% of the lesser of (A) the maximum revolver amount and (B) the then-effective borrowing base and (2) $37.5 million or (b) if SES Holdings’ fixed charge coverage ratio is at least 1.0 to 1.0 on a pro forma basis, and excess availability at all times during the preceding 30 consecutive days, on a pro forma basis and after giving effect to such distribution, is not less than the greater of (1) 20% of the lesser of (A) the maximum revolver amount and (B) the then-effective borrowing base and (2) $30.0 million. For additional information regarding our Credit Agreement, please read “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Credit Agreement.”

If we are unable to remain in compliance with the covenants of our Credit Agreement, then the lenders may declare all amounts outstanding under the Credit Agreement to be immediately due and payable. Any such acceleration could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

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We may incur indebtedness or issue additional equity securities to execute our long-term growth strategy, which may reduce our profitability or result in significant dilution to our stockholders.

Constructing and maintaining water infrastructure used in the oil and gas industry requires significant capital. We may require additional capital in the future to develop and construct water sourcing, transfer and other related infrastructure to execute our growth strategy. For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, we spent $110.1 million, $165.4 million and $98.7 million, respectively, in capital expenditures (excluding expenditures connected with business combinations). Historically, we have financed these investments through cash flows from operations, our initial public offering (the “IPO”), external borrowings and capital contributions from the existing and former owners of outstanding membership interests in SES Holdings prior to the Select 144A Offering and the related reorganization (the “Legacy Owners”) and certain of the Legacy Owners who received shares of our Class A common stock in exchange for their common units in SES Holdings (each, an “SES Holdings LLC Unit”) received in connection with the corporate reorganization transactions related to the Select 144A Offering (the “Contributing Legacy Owners”). These sources of capital may not be available to us in the future. If we are unable to fund capital expenditures for any reason, we may not be able to capture available growth opportunities and any such failure could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. If we incur additional indebtedness or issue additional equity securities, our profitability may be reduced and our stockholders may experience significant dilution.

We have operated at a loss in the past, and there is no assurance of our profitability in the future.

Historically, we have experienced periods of low demand for our services and have incurred operating losses. In the future, we may not be able to reduce our costs, increase our revenues or reduce our debt service obligations sufficient to achieve or maintain profitability and generate positive operating income. Under such circumstances, we may incur further operating losses and experience negative operating cash flow.

Significant price volatility or interruptions in supply of our raw materials for our chemicals business may result in increased costs that we may be unable to pass on to our customers, which could reduce profitability.

We purchase a substantial portion of our raw materials for our chemicals business from third-party suppliers and the cost of these raw materials represents a substantial portion of our operating expenses. The prices of the raw materials that we purchase from third parties are cyclical and volatile. Our supply agreements provide us only limited protection against price volatility as they are entered into either on a short-term basis or are longer-term volume contracts, which provide for market-based pricing renegotiated several times per year. While we attempt to match cost increases with corresponding product price increases, we are not always able to raise product prices immediately or at all. Timing differences between raw material prices, which may change daily, and contractual product prices, which in many cases are negotiated only monthly or less often, have had and may continue to have a negative effect on our cash flow. Any cost increase that we are not able to pass on to our customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity.

There are several raw materials for which there are only a limited number of suppliers or a single supplier. To mitigate potential supply constraints, we enter into supply agreements with particular suppliers, evaluate alternative sources of supply and evaluate alternative technologies to avoid reliance on limited or sole-source suppliers. Where supply relationships are concentrated, particular attention is paid by the parties to ensure strategic intentions are aligned to facilitate long-term planning. If certain of our suppliers are unable to meet their obligations under present supply agreements, we may be forced to pay higher prices to obtain the necessary raw materials from other sources and we may not be able to increase prices for our finished products to recoup the higher raw materials costs. Any interruption in the supply of raw materials could increase our costs or decrease our revenue, which could reduce our cash flow. The inability of a supplier to meet our raw material needs could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

The number of sources for and availability of certain raw materials is also specific to the particular geographical region in which a facility is located. Political and economic instability in the countries from which we purchase our raw material supplies could adversely affect their availability. In addition, if raw materials become unavailable within a geographic area from which they are now sourced, then we may not be able to obtain suitable or cost-effective

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substitutes. We may also experience higher operating costs such as energy or transportation costs, which could affect our profitability. We may not always be able to increase our selling prices to offset the impact of any higher production costs or reduced production levels, which could reduce our earnings and decrease our liquidity.

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Changes in U.S. and international trade policies, particularly with regard to China, may adversely impact our business and operating results.

Though a comprehensive trade agreement has recently been agreed to and signed, the U.S. government has previously imposed tariffs affecting certain goods produced in China. A portion of the chemicals we use originate in China and are sold to us by our supplier partners. As a result, tariffs incurred by our supplier partners could increase our costs and reduce profitability. Additionally, delays or interruptions in the supply of some chemicals for any reason could impact our ability to generate chemicals revenue. If we are forced to source chemicals currently originating in China from other countries, such compounds might be more expensive, inferior in quality, or take longer to source. If we incur higher costs that we cannot pass on to our customers or if we are unable to adequately replace the chemicals we currently source with chemicals produced elsewhere, our business could be adversely affected.

We may be subject to claims for personal injury and property damage, which could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We operate with most of our customers under MSAs. We endeavor to allocate potential liabilities and risks between the parties in the MSAs. Generally, under our MSAs, including those relating to our services, we assume responsibility for, including control and removal of, pollution or contamination which originates above the surface and originates from our equipment or services. Our customers generally assume responsibility for, including control and removal of, all other pollution or contamination which may occur during operations, including that which may result from seepage or any other uncontrolled flow of drilling fluids. We may have liability in such cases if we are negligent or commit willful acts. Generally, our customers also agree to indemnify us against claims arising from their employees’ personal injury or death to the extent that, in the case of our operations, their employees are injured or their properties are damaged by such operations unless resulting from our gross negligence or willful misconduct. Similarly, we generally agree to indemnify our customers for liabilities arising from personal injury to or death of any of our employees, unless resulting from gross negligence or willful misconduct of the customer. In addition, our customers generally agree to indemnify us for loss or destruction of customer-owned property or equipment and in turn, we agree to indemnify our customers for loss or destruction of property or equipment we own. Losses due to catastrophic events, such as blowouts, are generally the responsibility of the customer. However, despite this general allocation of risk, we might not succeed in enforcing such contractual allocation, might incur an unforeseen liability falling outside the scope of such allocation or may be required to enter into an MSA with terms that vary from the above allocations of risk. As a result, we may incur substantial losses which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Legislation or regulatory initiatives intended to address seismic activity associated with oilfield wastewater disposal wells could restrict our ability to dispose of produced water gathered from our E&P customers and, accordingly, could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We dispose of wastewater gathered from oil and gas producing customers that result from their drilling and production operations pursuant to permits issued to us by government authorities overseeing such disposal activities. While these permits are issued pursuant to existing laws and regulations, these legal requirements are subject to change, which could result in the imposition of more stringent permitting or operating constraints or new monitoring and reporting requirements owing to, among other things, concerns of the public or governmental authorities regarding such disposal activities.

One such concern relates to recent seismic events in the U.S. near underground disposal wells used for the disposal by injection of produced water resulting from oil and gas activities. Developing research suggests that the link between seismic activity and wastewater disposal may vary by region and that only a very small fraction of the tens of thousands of injection wells have been suspected to be, or have been, the likely cause of induced seismicity. In 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey identified six states with the most significant hazards from induced seismicity, including Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and Arkansas. The U.S. Geological Survey also noted the potential for induced seismicity in Ohio and Alabama. In response to concerns regarding induced seismicity, regulators in some states have imposed, or are considering imposing, additional requirements in the permitting of produced water disposal wells or otherwise to assess any relationship between seismicity and the use of such wells. For example, Oklahoma has issued new rules for wastewater disposal wells that imposed certain permitting and operating restrictions and reporting

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requirements on disposal wells in proximity to faults and also, from time to time, has developed and implemented plans directing certain wells where seismic incidents have occurred to restrict or suspend disposal well operations. In particular, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission released well completions seismicity guidelines in late 2016 for operators in the SCOOP and STACK that call for hydraulic fracturing operations to be suspended following earthquakes of certain magnitudes in the vicinity. The Texas Railroad Commission has also adopted similar rule. In addition, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s Oil and Gas Conservation Division has, from time to time, issued orders limiting future increases in the volume of oil and natural gas wastewater injected into the ground in an effort to reduce the number of earthquakes in the state. Additional consequences of this seismic activity are lawsuits alleging that disposal well operations have caused damage to neighboring properties or otherwise violated state and federal rules regulating waste disposal. These developments could result in additional regulation and restrictions on the use of injection wells. Increased regulation and attention given to induced seismicity could lead to greater opposition to oil and gas activities utilizing injection wells for waste disposal. The adoption and implementation of any new laws, regulations or directives that restrict our ability to dispose of wastewater gathered from our customers by limiting, volumes, disposal rates, disposal well locations or otherwise, or requiring us to shut down disposal wells, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to environmental and occupational health and safety laws and regulations that may expose us to significant liabilities for penalties, damages or costs of remediation or compliance.

Our operations and the operations of our customers are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations in the U.S. relating to protection of natural resources and the environment, health and safety aspects of our operations and waste management, including the transportation and disposal of waste and other materials. These laws and regulations may impose numerous obligations on our operations and the operations of our customers, including the acquisition of permits to take fresh water from surface and underground sources, construct pipelines or containment facilities, drill wells or conduct other regulated activities, the incurrence of capital expenditures to mitigate or prevent releases of materials from our facilities or from customer locations where we are providing services, the imposition of substantial liabilities for pollution resulting from our operations, and the application of specific health and safety criteria addressing worker protection. Any failure on our part or the part of our customers to comply with these laws and regulations could result in the assessment of sanctions, including administrative, civil and criminal penalties, the imposition of investigatory, remedial, and corrective action obligations or the incurrence of capital expenditures; the occurrence of restrictions, delays or cancellations in the permitting, development or expansion of projects; and the issuance of injunctions restricting or prohibiting some or all of our activities in a particular area.

Our business activities present risks of incurring significant environmental costs and liabilities, including costs and liabilities resulting from our handling of oilfield and other wastes, because of air emissions and wastewater discharges related to our operations, and due to historical oilfield industry operations and waste disposal practices. Our businesses include the operation of oilfield waste disposal injection wells that pose risks of environmental liability, including leakage from the wells to surface or subsurface soils, surface water or groundwater. In addition, private parties, including the owners of properties upon which we perform services and facilities where our wastes are taken for reclamation or disposal, also may have the right to pursue legal actions to enforce compliance as well as to seek damages for non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations or for personal injury or property or natural resource damages. Some environmental laws and regulations may impose strict liability, which means that in some situations we could be exposed to liability as a result of our conduct that was lawful at the time it occurred or the conduct of, or conditions caused by, prior operators or other third parties. Remedial costs and other damages arising as a result of environmental laws and costs associated with changes in environmental laws and regulations could be substantial and could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, results of operations and financial condition.

Over time, laws and regulations protecting the environment generally have the tendency to become more stringent, potentially leading to material increases in costs for future environmental compliance and remediation. For example, in 2015, the EPA issued a final rule under the CAA, lowering the NAAQS for ground-level ozone to 70 parts per million under both the primary and secondary standards to provide requisite protection of public health and welfare, respectively. Since that time, the EPA has issued area designations with respect to ground-level ozone and final requirements that apply to state, local, and tribal air agencies for implementing the 2015 NAAQS for ground-level ozone. State implementation of the revised NAAQS could also result in the imposition of more stringent requirements. However, in recent years, efforts have been made to mitigate the stringency of these legal initiatives. As an example, in

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2015, the EPA and the Corps published a final rule attempting to clarify the federal jurisdictional reach over waters of the U.S. In 2017, the EPA and the Corps agreed to reconsider the 2015 rule and, on October 22, 2019, the agencies published a final rule made effective on December 23, 2019, rescinding the 2015 rule and recodifying the regulatory text that governed waters of the U.S. prior to promulgation of the 2015 rule until such time as a final rule re-defining the Clean Water Act’s jurisdiction over waters of the U.S. was made effective in replacement of the 2015 rule. On January 23, 2019, the two agencies issued a final rule re-defining such jurisdiction. Upon being published in the Federal Register and the passage of 60 days thereafter, the January 23, 2020 final rule will become effective in replacement of the October 22, 2019 final rule over the entire U.S. but there remains the expectation that the January 23, 2020 final rule will be legally challenged in federal district court. The adoption of any new laws, or regulations, amendment of existing laws and regulations, re-interpretation of legal requirements or increased enforcement could restrict, delay or cancel exploratory or developmental drilling for oil and gas and could limit well servicing opportunities. We may not be able to recover some or any of our costs of compliance with these laws and regulations from insurance.

Unsatisfactory safety performance may negatively affect our customer relationships and, to the extent we fail to retain existing customers or attract new customers, adversely impact our revenues.

Our ability to retain existing customers and attract new business is dependent on many factors, including our ability to demonstrate that we can reliably and safely operate our business and stay current on constantly changing rules, regulations, training and laws. Existing and potential customers consider the safety record of their service providers to be of high importance in their decision to engage third-party services. If one or more accidents were to occur at one of our operating sites, the affected customer may seek to terminate or cancel its use of our facilities or services and may be less likely to continue to use our services, which could cause us to lose substantial revenues. Further, our ability to attract new customers may be impaired if they elect not to purchase our third-party services because they view our safety record as unacceptable. In addition, it is possible that we will experience numerous or particularly severe accidents in the future, causing our safety record to deteriorate. This may be more likely as we continue to grow, if we experience high employee turnover or labor shortage, or add inexperienced personnel.

Federal, state, and local legislative and regulatory initiatives in the U.S. relating to hydraulic fracturing could result in operating restrictions, delays or cancellations in the drilling and completion of oil and gas wells that may reduce demand for our services and could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, consolidated results of operations and consolidated financial condition.

Hydraulic fracturing is an important and common practice that is used to stimulate the production of hydrocarbons from dense subsurface rock formations. The process involves the injection of water, sand or other proppants and chemical additives under pressure into targeted geological formations to fracture the surrounding rock and stimulate production. In the U.S., hydraulic fracturing is currently generally exempt from regulation under the SDWA’s UIC program and is typically regulated by state oil and gas commissions or similar agencies. However, the practice continues to be controversial in certain parts of the country, resulting in increased scrutiny and regulation of the hydraulic fracturing process, including by federal agencies, several of which have asserted regulatory authority or pursued investigations over certain aspects of the hydraulic fracturing process. For example, the EPA has asserted regulatory authority pursuant to the SDWA UIC program over hydraulic fracturing activities involving the use of diesel and issued guidance covering such activities, as well as published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding TSCA reporting of the chemical substances and mixtures used in hydraulic fracturing. Additionally, the EPA has published an effluent limit guideline final rule prohibiting the discharge of wastewater from onshore unconventional oil and gas extraction facilities to publicly owned wastewater treatment plants. Also, in late 2016, the EPA released its final report on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, concluding that “water cycle” activities associated with hydraulic fracturing may impact drinking water resources under some circumstances.

Legislation has been introduced from time to time, but not enacted, in Congress to provide for federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing and to require disclosure of the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process. However, concern over the threat of climate change has resulted in proposals by certain candidates seeking the office of the President of the U.S. in 2020 to ban hydraulic fracturing of oil and natural gas wells and ban new leases for production of minerals on federal properties, including onshore lands and offshore waters.

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Moreover, some states and local governments have adopted, and other governmental entities are considering adopting, regulations that could impose more stringent permitting, disclosure and well construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing operations, including states where we or our customers operate. For example, Texas, Oklahoma, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania and North Dakota, among others, have adopted regulations that impose new or more stringent permitting, disclosure, disposal and well construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing operations. Also, in April 2019, the Governor of Colorado signed Senate Bill 19-181 into law, which legislation, among other things, revises the mission of the state oil and gas agency from fostering energy development in the state to instead focusing on regulating the oil and natural gas industry in a manner that is protective of public health and safety and the environment, as well as authorizing cities and counties to regulate oil and natural gas operations within their jurisdiction as they do other developments. Among other things, the Colorado oil and gas agency will consider enhanced safety and environmental protections during well development operations, including drilling and hydraulic fracturing activities. States could also elect to place certain prohibitions on hydraulic fracturing, following the approach taken by the States of Maryland, New York and Vermont. Additionally, non-governmental organizations may seek to restrict hydraulic fracturing, as has been the case in Colorado in recent years. Notwithstanding the adoption of Colorado Senate Bill 19-181 in 2019, one or more interest groups in the state have already filed new ballot initiatives with the state in January 2020, in hopes of extending drilling setbacks from oil and natural gas development. In the event that new federal, state or local restrictions on the hydraulic fracturing process are adopted in areas where we or our customers conduct business, we or our customers may incur additional costs or permitting requirements to comply with such requirements that may be significant in nature and our customers could experience added restrictions, delays or cancellations in their exploration, development, or production activities, which would in turn reduce the demand for our services and have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, consolidated results of operations, and consolidated financial condition.

In addition, in light of concerns about seismic activity being triggered by the injection of produced wastewaters into underground disposal wells, certain regulators are also considering additional requirements related to seismic safety for hydraulic fracturing activities. For example, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission released well completion seismicity guidelines in December 2016 for operators in the SCOOP and STACK that call for hydraulic fracturing operations to be suspended following earthquakes of certain magnitudes in the vicinity. In addition, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s Oil and Gas Conservation Division has, from time to time, issued orders limiting future increases in the volume of oil and natural gas wastewater injected into the ground in an effort to reduce the number of earthquakes in the state. In addition to state laws, local land use restrictions, such as city ordinances, may restrict drilling in general and/or hydraulic fracturing in particular, as certain local governments in California have done. Other states, such as Texas, Oklahoma and Ohio have taken steps to limit the authority of local governments to regulate oil and gas development. The adoption and implementation of any new laws, regulations or directives that restrict our ability to dispose of wastewater gathered from our customers by limiting volumes, disposal rates, disposal well locations or otherwise, or requiring us to shut down disposal wells, could have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition, and consolidated results of operations.

Increased regulation and attention given to the hydraulic fracturing process could lead to greater opposition to oil and gas production activities using hydraulic fracturing techniques. Additional legislation or regulation could also lead to operational delays or increased operating costs for our customers in the production of oil and gas, including from the developing shale plays, or could make it more difficult to perform hydraulic fracturing. Also, presidential executive orders could be issued seeking to ban hydraulic fracturing activities or new leases for production of minerals on federal properties. The adoption of any federal, state or local laws or the implementation of regulations or issuance of executive orders regarding hydraulic fracturing or leasing activities on federal properties could potentially cause a decrease in the completion of new oil and gas wells and an associated decrease in demand for our services and increased compliance costs and time, which could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, consolidated results of operations, and consolidated financial condition.

Our and our customers' operations are subject to a number of risks arising out of the threat of climate change, including regulatory, political, litigation, and financial risks, which could result in increased operating and capital costs for our customers and reduced demand for the products and services we provide.

The threat of climate change continues to attract considerable attention in the U.S. and foreign countries. As a result, numerous proposals have been made and are likely to continue to be made at the international, national, regional

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and state levels of government to monitor and limit emissions of GHGs as well as to eliminate such future emissions. As a result, our operations as well as the operations of our customers are subject to a series of regulatory, political, litigation and financial risks associated with the production and processing of fossil fuels and emission of GHGs.

In the U.S., no comprehensive climate change legislation has been implemented at the federal level. However, with the U.S. Supreme Court finding that GHG emissions constitute a pollutant under the CAA, the EPA has adopted rules that, among other things, establish construction and operating permit reviews for GHG emissions from certain large stationary sources, require the monitoring and annual reporting of GHG emissions from certain petroleum and natural gas system sources, implement New Source Performance Standards directing the reduction of methane from certain new, modified, or reconstructed facilities in the oil and natural gas sector, and together with the U.S. Department of Transportation, implement GHG emissions limits on vehicles manufactured for operation in the U.S. Additionally, various states and groups of states have adopted or are considering adopting legislation, regulations or other regulatory initiatives that are focused on such areas as GHG cap-and-trade programs, carbon taxes, reporting and tracking programs, and restriction of emissions. At the international level, there exists the United Nations-sponsored “Paris Agreement,” which is a non-binding agreement for nations to limit their GHG emissions through individually-determined reduction goals every five years after 2020, although the U.S. has announced its withdrawal from such agreement, effective November 4, 2020.

Governmental, scientific, and public concern over the threat of climate change arising from GHG emissions has resulted in federal political risks in the U.S. in the form of pledges made by certain candidates seeking the office of the President of the U.S. in 2020. Critical declarations made by one or more presidential candidates include proposals to ban hydraulic fracturing of oil and natural gas wells and ban new leases for production of minerals on federal properties, including onshore lands and offshore waters. Other actions to oil and natural gas production activities that could be pursued by presidential candidates may include more restrictive requirements for the establishment of pipeline infrastructure or the permitting of liquefied natural gas export facilities, as well as the rescission of the U.S.’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement in November 2020. Litigation risks are also increasing, as a number of cities, local governments and other plaintiffs have sought to bring suit against the largest oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in state or federal court, alleging, among other things, that such companies created public nuisances by producing fuels that contributed to global warming effects, such as rising sea levels, and therefore are responsible for roadway and infrastructure damages as a result, or alleging that the companies have been aware of the adverse effects of climate change for some time but defrauded their investors by failing to adequately disclose those impacts.

There are also increasing financial risks for fossil fuel producers as stockholders and bondholders currently invested in fossil-fuel energy companies concerned about the potential effects of climate change may elect in the future to shift some or all of their current energy investments into non-fossil fuel energy related sectors. Institutional lenders who provide financing to fossil-fuel energy companies also have become more attentive to sustainable lending practices and some of them may elect not to provide funding for fossil fuel energy companies. Additionally, the lending and investment practices of institutional lenders have been the subject of intensive lobbying efforts in recent years, oftentimes public in nature, by environmental activists, proponents of the international Paris Agreement, and foreign citizenry concerned about climate change, not to provide funding for fossil fuel producers. Limitation of investment in and financing for fossil fuel energy companies could result in the restriction, delay or cancellation of drilling programs or development or production activities.

The adoption and implementation of any international, federal, regional or state legislation, regulations or other regulatory initiatives that impose more stringent standards for GHG emissions from the oil and natural gas sector or otherwise restrict the areas in which this sector may produce oil and natural gas or generate GHG emissions could result in increased compliance costs or costs of consuming fossil fuels. Such legislation or regulations could, consequently, reduce demand for oil and natural gas, which could reduce demand for our products and services. Additionally, political, financial and litigation risks may result in our oil and natural gas customers restricting or canceling production activities, incurring liability for infrastructure damages as a result of climatic changes, or impairing the ability to continue to operate in an economic manner, which also could reduce demand for our products and services. The occurrence of one or more of these developments could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Finally, increasing concentrations of GHG in the Earth’s atmosphere may produce climate changes that have significant physical effects, such as increased frequency and severity of storms, droughts, floods,

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rising sea levels and other climatic events. If any such climate changes were to occur, they could have an adverse effect on our and our customers’ financial condition and results of operations.

The Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act govern both our and our oil and gas producing customers’ operations and additional restrictions may be imposed in the future, which constraints could have an adverse impact on our ability to expand some of our existing operations or limit our customers’ ability to develop new oil and gas wells.

The ESA restricts activities that may affect endangered or threatened species or their habitats. Similar protections are offered to migratory birds under the MBTA. To the degree that species listed under the ESA or similar state laws, or are protected under the MBTA, live in the areas where we or our oil and gas producing customers’ operate, both our and our customers’ abilities to conduct or expand operations and construct facilities could be limited or be forced to incur additional material costs. Moreover, our customers’ drilling activities may be delayed, restricted or precluded in protected habitat areas or during certain seasons, such as breeding and nesting seasons. Some of our operations and the operations of our customers are located in areas that are designated as habitats for protected species.

In addition, the FWS may make determinations on the listing of unlisted species as endangered or threatened under the ESA. The designation of previously unidentified endangered or threatened species could indirectly cause us to incur additional costs, cause our or our oil and gas producing customers’ operations to become subject to operating restrictions or bans and limit future development activity in affected areas. The FWS and similar state agencies may designate critical or suitable habitat areas that they believe are necessary for the survival of threatened or endangered species. Such a designation could materially restrict the use of or access to federal, state and private lands.

Our chemical products are subject to stringent chemical control laws that could result in increased costs on our business.

We are subject to a wide array of laws and regulations governing chemicals, including the regulation of chemical substances and inventories, such as the TSCA. These laws and regulations change frequently and have the potential to limit or ban altogether the types of chemicals we may use in our products, as well as result in increased costs related to testing, storing, and transporting our products prior to providing them to our customers. For example, in 2016, President Obama signed into law the Lautenberg Act, which substantially revised TSCA. Among other items, the Lautenberg Act eliminated the cost-benefit approach to analyzing chemical safety concerns with a health-based safety standard and requires all chemicals in commerce, including those “grandfathered” under TSCA, to undergo a safety review. The Lautenberg Act also requires safety findings before a new chemical can enter the market. Although it is not possible at this time to predict how EPA will implement and interpret the new provisions of the Lautenberg Act, or how legislation or new regulations that may be adopted pursuant to these regulatory and legislative efforts would impact our business, any new restrictions on the development of new products, increases in regulation, or disclosure of confidential, competitive information could have an adverse effect on our operations and our cost of doing business.

Furthermore, governmental, regulatory and societal demands for increasing levels of product safety and environmental protection could result in increased pressure for more stringent regulatory control with respect to the chemical industry. In addition, these concerns could influence public perceptions regarding our products and operations, the viability of certain products, our reputation, the cost to comply with regulations, and the ability to attract and retain employees. Moreover, changes in environmental, health and safety regulations could inhibit or interrupt our operations, or require us to modify our facilities or operations. Accordingly, environmental or regulatory matters may cause us to incur significant unanticipated losses, costs or liabilities, which could reduce our profitability.

Disruptions in production at our chemical manufacturing facilities may have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and/or financial condition.

Chemical manufacturing facilities in our industry are subject to outages and other disruptions. Any serious disruption at any of our facilities could impair our ability to use our facilities and have a material adverse impact on our revenue and increase our costs and expenses. Alternative facilities with sufficient capacity may not be available, may cost substantially more or may take a significant time to increase production or qualify with our customers, any of which

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could negatively impact our business, results of operations and/or financial condition. Long-term production disruptions may cause our customers to seek alternative supply which could further adversely affect our profitability.

Unplanned production disruptions may occur for external reasons including natural disasters, weather, disease, strikes, transportation interruption, government regulation, political unrest or terrorism, or internal reasons, such as fire, unplanned maintenance or other manufacturing problems. Any such production disruption could have a material impact on our operations, operating results and financial condition.

In addition, we rely on a number of vendors, suppliers, and in some cases sole-source suppliers, service providers, toll manufacturers and collaborations with other industry participants to provide us with chemicals, feedstocks and other raw materials, along with energy sources and, in certain cases, facilities that we need to operate our business. If the business of these third parties is disrupted, some of these companies could be forced to reduce their output, shut down their operations or file for bankruptcy protection. If this were to occur, it could adversely affect their ability to provide us with the raw materials, energy sources or facilities that we need, which could materially disrupt our operations, including the production of certain of our chemical products. Moreover, it could be difficult to find replacements for certain of our business partners without incurring significant delays or cost increases. All of these risks could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity.

While we maintain business recovery plans that are intended to allow us to recover from natural disasters or other events that could disrupt our business, we cannot provide assurances that our plans would fully protect us from the effects of all such disasters or from events that might increase in frequency or intensity due to climate change. In addition, insurance may not adequately compensate us for any losses incurred as a result of natural or other disasters. In areas prone to frequent natural or other disasters, insurance may become increasingly expensive or not available at all.

We operate in a highly competitive industry, which may intensify as our competitors expand their operations, thereby causing us to lose market share, and which could negatively affect our ability to expand our operations.

The water solutions business is highly competitive and includes numerous small companies capable of competing effectively in our markets on a local basis. Some of our larger diversified competitors have a similarly broad geographic scope, as well as greater financial and other resources than us, while others focus on specific basins only and may have locally competitive cost efficiencies as a result. Additionally, there may be new companies that enter the water solutions business, or our existing and potential customers may develop their own water solutions businesses. Our ability to maintain current revenue and cash flows, and our ability to expand our operations, could be adversely affected by the activities of our competitors and our customers. If our competitors substantially increase the resources they devote to the development and marketing of competitive services or substantially decrease the prices at which they offer their services; we may be unable to effectively compete. If our existing and potential customers develop their own water solutions businesses, we may not be able to effectively replace that revenue. All of these competitive pressures could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The oil and gas industry is intensely competitive, and in certain businesses we compete with other companies that have greater resources than us. Many of our larger competitors provide a broader base of services on a regional, national or worldwide basis. These companies may have a greater ability to continue oilfield service activities during periods of low commodity prices, to contract for equipment, to secure trained personnel, to secure contracts and permits and to absorb the burden of present and future federal, state, provincial, local and other laws and regulations (as applicable). Any inability to compete effectively with larger companies could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

We may be unable to implement price increases or maintain existing prices on our core services.

We periodically seek to increase the prices on our services to offset rising costs and to generate returns on investment for our stockholders. However, we operate in a very competitive industry and as a result, we are not always successful in raising, or maintaining, our existing prices. Additionally, during periods of increased market demand, a significant amount of new service capacity, including new water transfer equipment, fluid hauling trucks and pipelines, may enter the market, which also puts pressure on the pricing of our services and limits our ability to increase prices.

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Even when we are able to increase our prices, we may not be able to do so at a rate that is sufficient to offset rising costs. In periods of high demand for oilfield services, a tighter labor market may result in higher labor costs. During such periods, our labor costs could increase at a greater rate than our ability to raise prices for our services. Also, we may not be able to successfully increase prices without adversely affecting our activity levels. The inability to maintain our pricing and to increase our pricing as costs increase could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations.

Our operations involve risks that may increase our operating costs, which could reduce our profitability.

Although we take precautions to enhance the safety of our operations and minimize the risk of disruptions, our operations are subject to hazards inherent in the manufacturing and marketing of chemical and other products. These hazards include chemical spills, pipeline leaks and ruptures, storage tank leaks, discharges or releases of toxic or hazardous substances or gases and other hazards incident to the manufacturing, processing, handling, transportation and storage of hazardous chemicals. We are also potentially subject to other hazards, including natural disasters and severe weather; explosions and fires; transportation problems, including interruptions, spills and leaks; mechanical failures; unscheduled downtimes; labor difficulties; remediation complications; and other risks. Many potential hazards can cause bodily injury and loss of life, severe damage to or destruction of property and equipment and environmental damage, and may result in suspension of operations and the imposition of civil or criminal penalties and liabilities. Furthermore, we are subject to present and future claims with respect to workplace exposure, exposure of contractors on our premises as well as other persons located nearby, workers’ compensation and other matters.

We maintain property, business interruption, products liability and casualty insurance policies which we believe are in accordance with customary industry practices, as well as insurance policies covering other types of risks, including pollution legal liability insurance, but we are not fully insured against all potential hazards and risks incident to our business. Each of these insurance policies is subject to customary exclusions, deductibles and coverage limits, in accordance with industry standards and practices. As a result of market conditions, premiums and deductibles for certain insurance policies can increase substantially and, in some instances, certain insurance may become unavailable or available only for reduced amounts of coverage. If we were to incur a significant liability for which we were not fully insured, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity.

In addition, we are subject to various claims and litigation in the ordinary course of business. We are a party to various pending lawsuits and proceedings. For more information, see “Item 3. Legal Proceedings.”

Our success depends on key members of our management, the loss of any of whom could disrupt our business operations.

We depend to a large extent on the services of some of our executive officers. The loss of the services of one or more of our key executives could increase our exposure to the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section. We do not maintain key man insurance on any of our personnel.

Our industry has experienced a high rate of employee turnover. Any difficulty we experience replacing or adding personnel could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, results of operations and financial condition.

We are dependent upon the available labor pool of skilled employees and may not be able to find enough skilled labor to meet our needs, which could have a negative effect on our growth. We are also subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act, which governs such matters as minimum wage, overtime and other working conditions. Our services require skilled workers who can perform physically demanding work. As a result of our industry volatility, pronounced declines in drilling and completions activity, as well as the demanding nature of the work, many workers have left the oilfield services section to pursue employment in different fields. If we are unable to retain or meet the growing demand for skilled technical personnel, our operating results and our ability to execute our growth strategies may be adversely affected.

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Delays or restrictions in obtaining permits by us for our operations or by our customers for their operations could impair our business.

In the U.S., our operations and the operations of our oil and gas producing customers in most states require permits from one or more governmental agencies in order to perform drilling and completion activities, secure water rights, construct impoundments tanks and operate pipelines or trucking services. Such permits are typically issued by state agencies, but federal and local governmental permits may also be required. In addition, some of our customers’ drilling and completion activities in the U.S. may take place on federal land or Native American lands, requiring leases and other approvals from the federal government or Native American tribes to conduct such drilling and completion activities. Under certain circumstances, federal agencies may cancel proposed leases for federal lands and refuse to grant or delay required approvals. Therefore, our customers’ operations in certain areas of the U.S. may be interrupted or suspended for varying lengths of time, causing a loss of revenue to us and adversely affecting our results of operations in support of those customers.

We are subject to cybersecurity risks. A cyber incident could occur and result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.

The oil and gas industry has become increasingly dependent on digital technologies to conduct certain processing activities. For example, we depend on digital technologies to perform many of our services and to process and record financial and operating data. At the same time, cyber incidents, including deliberate attacks or unintentional events, have increased. The U.S. government has issued public warnings that indicate that energy assets might be specific targets of cybersecurity threats. Our technologies, systems and networks, and those of our vendors, suppliers and other business partners, may become the target of cyber attacks or information security breaches that could result in the unauthorized release, gathering, monitoring, misuse, loss or destruction of proprietary and other information, or other disruption of business operations. In addition, certain cyber incidents, such as surveillance, may remain undetected for an extended period. Our systems for protecting against cybersecurity risks may not be sufficient. As cyber incidents continue to evolve, we may be required to expend additional resources to continue to modify or enhance our protective measures or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to cyber incidents. Our insurance coverage for cyber attacks may not be sufficient to cover all the losses we may experience as a result of such cyber attacks.

In the future, we may face increased obligations relating to the closing of our wastewater disposal facilities and may be required to provide an increased level of financial assurance to guarantee that the appropriate closure activities will occur for a wastewater disposal facility.

In the U.S., obtaining a permit to own or operate wastewater disposal facilities generally requires us to establish performance bonds, letters of credit or other forms of financial assurance to address remediation and closure obligations. As we acquire additional wastewater disposal facilities or expand our existing wastewater disposal facilities, these obligations will increase. Additionally, in the future, regulatory agencies may require us to increase the amount of our closure bonds at existing wastewater disposal facilities. Moreover, actual costs could exceed our current expectations, as a result of, among other things, federal, state or local government regulatory action, increased costs charged by service providers that assist in closing wastewater disposal facilities and additional environmental remediation requirements. Increased regulatory requirements regarding our existing or future wastewater disposal facilities, including the requirement to pay increased closure and post-closure costs or to establish increased financial assurance for such activities could substantially increase our operating costs and cause the available cash that we have to distribute to our stockholders to decline.

Constraints in the supply of equipment used in providing services to our customers and replacement parts for such could affect our ability to execute our growth strategies.

Equipment used in providing services to our customers is normally readily available. Market conditions could trigger constraints in the supply chain of certain equipment or replacement parts for such equipment, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. The majority of our risk associated with supply chain constraints occurs in those situations where we have a relationship with a single supplier for a particular resource.

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If we are unable to fully protect our intellectual property rights, we may suffer a loss in our competitive advantage or market share.

We do not have patents or patent applications relating to many of our proprietary chemicals. If we are not able to maintain the confidentiality of our trade secrets, or if our competitors are able to replicate our technology or services, our competitive advantage would be diminished. We also cannot assure you that any patents we may obtain in the future would provide us with any significant commercial benefit or would allow us to prevent our competitors from employing comparable technologies or processes.

Technology advancements in well service technologies, including those involving recycling of saltwater or the replacement of water in fracturing fluid, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The oilfield services industry is characterized by rapid and significant technological advancements and introductions of new products and services using new technologies. The saltwater disposal industry is subject to the introduction of new waste treatment and disposal techniques and services using new technologies including those involving recycling of saltwater, some of which may be subject to patent protection. As competitors and others use or develop new technologies or technologies comparable to ours in the future, we may lose market share or be placed at a competitive disadvantage. For example, some oil and gas producers are focusing on developing and utilizing non-water fracturing techniques, including those utilizing propane, carbon dioxide or nitrogen instead of water. Further, we may face competitive pressure to implement or acquire certain new technologies at a substantial cost. Some of our competitors may have greater financial, technical and personnel resources than we do, which may allow them to gain technological advantages or implement new technologies before we can. Additionally, we may be unable to implement new technologies or products at all, on a timely basis or at an acceptable cost. New technology could also make it easier for our customers to vertically integrate their operations or reduce the amount of waste produced in oil and gas drilling and production activities, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for third-party disposal. Limits on our ability to effectively use or implement new technologies may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may be adversely affected by uncertainty in the global financial markets and a worldwide economic downturn.

Our future results may be impacted by uncertainty caused by a worldwide economic downturn, continued volatility or deterioration in the debt and equity capital markets, inflation, deflation or other adverse economic conditions that may negatively affect us or parties with whom we do business resulting in a reduction in our customers’ spending and their non-payment or inability to perform obligations owed to us, such as the failure of customers to honor their commitments or the failure of major suppliers to complete orders. Additionally, credit market conditions may change, slowing our collection efforts as customers may experience increased difficulty in obtaining requisite financing, potentially leading to lost revenue and higher than normal accounts receivable. In the event of the financial distress or bankruptcy of a customer, we could lose all or a portion of such outstanding accounts receivable associated with that customer. Further, if a customer was to enter into bankruptcy, it could also result in the cancellation of all or a portion of our service contracts with such customer at significant expense to us.

The current global economic environment may adversely impact our ability to issue debt. Any economic uncertainty may cause institutional investors to respond to their borrowers by increasing interest rates, enacting tighter lending standards or refusing to refinance existing debt upon its maturity or on terms similar to the expiring debt. Due to the above-listed factors, we cannot be certain that additional funding will be available if needed and, to the extent required, on acceptable terms.

Our operations are subject to inherent risks, some of which are beyond our control. These risks may be self-insured, or may not be fully covered under our insurance policies.

Our operations are subject to hazards inherent in the oil and gas industry, such as, but not limited to, accidents, blowouts, explosions, craterings, fires, oil spills and releases of drilling, completion or fracturing fluids or wastewater into the environment. These conditions can cause:

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The occurrence of a significant event or adverse claim in excess of the insurance coverage that we maintain or that is not covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, consolidated results of operations and consolidated financial condition. Any interruption in our services due to pipeline breakdowns or necessary maintenance or repairs could reduce sales revenues and earnings. In addition, claims for loss of oil and gas production and damage to formations can occur in the well services industry. Litigation arising from a catastrophic occurrence at a location where our equipment and services are being used may result in our being named as a defendant in lawsuits asserting large claims.

We do not have insurance against all foreseeable risks, either because insurance is not available or because of the high premium costs. The occurrence of an event not fully insured against or the failure of an insurer to meet its insurance obligations could result in substantial losses. In addition, we may not be able to maintain adequate insurance in the future at rates we consider reasonable. Insurance may not be available to cover any or all of the risks to which we are subject, or, even if available, it may be inadequate, or insurance premiums or other costs could rise significantly in the future so as to make such insurance prohibitively expensive.

The deterioration of the financial condition of our customers could adversely affect our business.

During times when the gas or crude oil markets weaken, our customers are more likely to experience financial difficulties, including being unable to access debt or equity financing, which could result in a reduction in our customers’ spending for our services. In addition, in the course of our business we hold accounts receivable from our customers. In the event of the financial distress or bankruptcy of a customer, we could lose all or a portion of such outstanding accounts receivable associated with that customer. Further, if a customer was to enter into bankruptcy, it could also result in the cancellation of all or a portion of our service contracts with such customer at significant expense or loss of expected revenues to us.

We may be required to take write-downs of the carrying values of our long-lived assets and finite-lived intangible assets.

We evaluate our long-lived assets, such as property and equipment, and finite-lived intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying value may not be recoverable. Recoverability is measured by a comparison of their carrying amount to the estimated undiscounted cash flows to be generated by those assets. Based on specific market factors and circumstances at the time of prospective impairment reviews and the continuing evaluation of development plans, economics and other factors, we may be required to write down the carrying value of our long-lived and finite-lived intangible assets. For the year ended December 31, 2019, we recorded $3.7 million of impairment charges to write down the carrying value of our long-lived assets. We did not record an impairment on our definite-lived and indefinite-lived intangible assets.

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We may be required to take a write-down of the carrying value of goodwill.

We conduct our annual goodwill impairment assessment during the fourth quarter of each year, or more frequently if an event or circumstance indicates that the carrying value of a reporting unit may exceed the fair value. When possible impairment is indicated, we value the implied goodwill to compare it with the carrying amount of goodwill. If the carrying amount of goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, an impairment charge is recorded. The fair value of goodwill is based on estimates and assumptions applied by us such as revenue growth rates, operating margins, weighted-average costs of capital, market multiples, and future market conditions and as affected by numerous factors, including the general economic environment and levels of exploration and production activity of oil and gas companies, our financial performance and trends, and our strategies and business plans, among others. As a result of this annual impairment assessment, we may be required to write down the carrying value of goodwill. For the year ended December 31, 2019, we recorded $4.4 million of goodwill impairment in connection with the Affirm reporting unit based on the then-expected proceeds from the sale of our Affirm business.

Seasonal weather conditions and natural disasters could severely disrupt normal operations and harm our business.

Our water solutions operations are located primarily in the southern, mid-western and eastern U.S. Certain of these areas are adversely affected by seasonal weather conditions, primarily in the winter and spring. During periods of heavy snow, ice or rain, we may be unable to move our equipment between locations, thereby reducing our ability to provide services and generate revenues. Additionally, extended drought conditions in our operating regions could impact our ability to source sufficient water for our customers or increase the cost for such water. As a result, a natural disaster or inclement weather conditions could severely disrupt the normal operation of our business and adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations.

A terrorist attack or armed conflict could harm our business.

The occurrence or threat of terrorist attacks in the U.S. or other countries, anti-terrorist efforts and other armed conflicts involving the U.S. or other countries, including continued hostilities in the Middle East, may adversely affect the U.S. and global economies and could prevent us from meeting our financial and other obligations. Additionally, destructive forms of protest and opposition by extremists and other disruptions, including acts of sabotage or eco-terrorism, against oil and natural gas development and production activities could potentially result in personal injury to persons, damages to property, natural resources or the environment, or lead to extended interruptions of our or our customers’ operations. If any of these events occur, the resulting political instability and societal disruption could reduce overall demand for oil and gas, potentially putting downward pressure on demand for our services and causing a reduction in our revenues. Oil and gas related facilities could be direct targets of terrorist attacks, and our operations could be adversely impacted if infrastructure integral to our customers’ operations is destroyed or damaged. Costs for insurance and other security may increase as a result of these threats, and some insurance coverage may become more difficult to obtain, if available at all.

We engage in transactions with related parties and such transactions present possible conflicts of interest that could have an adverse effect on us.

We have historically entered into a number of transactions with related parties. Related party transactions create the possibility of conflicts of interest with regard to our management. Such a conflict could cause an individual in our management to seek to advance his or her economic interests above ours. Further, the appearance of conflicts of interest created by related party transactions could impair the confidence of our investors. Our board of directors regularly reviews these transactions, in accordance with our Related Party Transactions policy. Notwithstanding this, it is possible that a conflict of interest could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, results of operations and financial condition.

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The adoption of more stringent trucking legislation or regulations may increase our costs and could have an adverse effect on our liquidity, consolidated results of operations, and consolidated financial condition.

In connection with the services we provide in the U.S., we operate as a motor carrier and therefore are subject to regulation by the U.S. DOT and analogous U.S. state agencies. These regulatory authorities exercise broad powers, governing activities such as the authorization to engage in motor carrier operations and regulatory safety. There are additional regulations specifically relating to the trucking industry, including testing and specification of equipment and product handling requirements. The trucking industry is subject to possible legislative and regulatory changes that may affect the economics of the industry by requiring changes in operating practices or by changing the demand for common or contract carrier services or the cost of providing truckload services. Some of these possible changes include increasingly stringent environmental regulations and changes in the regulations that govern the amount of time a driver may drive in any specific period, onboard black box recorder devices or limits on vehicle weight and size.

In the U.S., interstate motor carrier operations are subject to safety requirements developed and implemented by the U.S. DOT. Intrastate motor carrier operations often are subject to state safety regulations that mirror federal regulations. Such matters as weight and dimension of equipment are also subject to federal and state laws and regulations. Consequently, we may experience an increase in costs related to truck purchases and maintenance, impairment of equipment productivity, a decrease in the residual value of vehicles, unpredictable fluctuations in fuel prices and an increase in operating expenses. Increased truck traffic may contribute to deteriorating road conditions in some areas where our operations are performed. Our operations, including routing and weight restrictions, could be affected by road construction, road repairs, detours and state and local regulations and ordinances restricting access to certain roads. In addition, proposals to increase taxes, including taxes on motor fuels, are also made from time to time, and any such increase would increase our operating costs. Also, local regulation of permitted routes and times on specific roadways could adversely affect our operations. We cannot predict whether, or in what form, any legislative or regulatory changes or municipal ordinances applicable to our logistics operations will be enacted and to what extent any such legislation or regulations could increase our costs or otherwise adversely affect our business or operations.

From time to time, various legislative proposals are introduced, including proposals to increase federal, state or local taxes, including taxes on motor fuels, which may increase our costs or adversely affect the recruitment of drivers. Management cannot predict whether, or in what form, any increase in such taxes applicable to us will be enacted. We may be required to increase operating expenses or capital expenditures in order to comply with any new laws, regulations or other restrictions.

Disruptions in the transportation services of trucking companies transporting wastewater and other oilfield products could have an adverse effect on our results.

We use trucks to transport some produced water to our wastewater disposal facilities. In recent years, certain states, such as North Dakota and Texas, and state counties have increased enforcement of weight limits on trucks used to transport raw materials on their public roads. It is possible that the states, counties and cities in which we operate our business may modify their laws to further reduce truck weight limits or impose curfews or other restrictions on the use of roadways. Such legislation and enforcement efforts could result in delays in, and increased costs to, transport produced water to our wastewater disposal facilities, which may either increase our operating costs or reduce the amount of produced water transported to our facilities. Such developments could decrease our operating margins or amounts of produced water and thereby have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

A significant increase in fuel prices may adversely affect our transportation costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Fuel is one of our significant operating expenses, and a significant increase in fuel prices could result in increased transportation costs. The price and supply of fuel is unpredictable and fluctuates based on events such as geopolitical developments, supply and demand for oil and gas, actions by oil and gas producers, war and unrest in oil producing countries and regions, regional production patterns and weather concerns. A significant increase in fuel prices could increase the price of, and therefore reduce demand for, our services, which could affect our results of operations and financial condition.

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Risks Related to our Class A Common Stock

We do not currently pay any dividends to the holders of the Class A common stock and the availability and timing of future dividends, if any, is uncertain.

We do not currently pay any dividends on our Class A common stock, and consequently, in the near term, your only opportunity to achieve a return on your investment in us will be if you sell your Class A common stock at a price greater than you paid for it. There is no guarantee that the price of our Class A common stock that will prevail in the market will ever exceed the price that you pay. Additionally, our Credit Agreement places certain restrictions on our ability to pay dividends. We may amend our Credit Agreement or enter into new debt arrangements that also prohibit or restrict our ability to pay dividends on our Class A common stock.

Subject to such restrictions, our board of directors will periodically review the amount and timing of stockholder dividends, if any, that we may pay in future periods. In making this determination, our directors will consider all relevant factors, including the amount of cash available for dividends, capital expenditures, covenants, prohibitions or limitations with respect to dividends, applicable law, general operational requirements and other variables. We cannot predict the amount or timing of any future dividends you may receive, and if we do commence the payment of dividends, we may be unable to pay, maintain or increase dividends over time. Therefore, you may not be able to realize any return on your investment in our Class A common stock for an extended period of time, if at all. Please read “Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities—Dividend Policy.”

If we fail to maintain and enhance an effective system of internal controls, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud. As a result, current and potential stockholders could lose confidence in our financial reporting, which would harm our business and the trading price of our Class A common stock.

Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports, prevent fraud and operate successfully as a public company. We are subject to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”) and therefore are required to make a formal assessment of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting for that purpose. We cannot be certain that our efforts to maintain and enhance our internal controls will be successful, that we will be able to maintain adequate controls over our financial processes and reporting in the future or that we will be able to comply with our obligations under Sections 302 and 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley. Any failure to maintain effective internal controls, or difficulties encountered in implementing or improving our internal controls, could harm our operating results or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations. Ineffective internal controls could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which would likely have a negative effect on the trading price of our Class A common stock.

A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the Company's annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Management identified control deficiencies related to the purchase price accounting related to the Rockwater Merger and the reconciliation of fixed assets physical counts with the general ledger that constituted material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018. Specifically, the Company did not design and maintain effective controls with respect to the identification and substantiation of fixed assets purchased in the Rockwater Merger and to the reconciliation of our fixed assets physical counts with the general ledger.

These control deficiencies did not result in a material misstatement to the Company's consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018. However, the control deficiencies could result in a misstatement of fixed assets, goodwill, depreciation expense or loss on disposition of assets that could result in a material misstatement to the annual or interim consolidated financial statements that would not be prevented or detected. Accordingly, our management determined that the control deficiencies constitute material weaknesses. Because of the material weaknesses, management concluded that the Company did not maintain effective internal control over financial

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reporting as of December 31, 2018 based on criteria in "Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013)" issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

The Company took actions in 2019 to remediate the material weaknesses related to our internal control over financial reporting. We implemented changes, including designing and implementing new controls, to validate the completeness and accuracy of fixed assets related to mergers and acquisitions as well as reconciling fixed assets physical counts with the general ledger. Testing of these remedial actions was completed as of the end of the period covered by this report and management has concluded that these material weaknesses have been remediated.

Future sales of our equity securities, or the perception that such sales may occur, may depress our share price, and any additional capital raised through the sale of equity or convertible securities may dilute your ownership in us.

Subject to certain limitations and exceptions, SES Legacy Holdings, LLC (“Legacy Owner Holdco”) and its permitted transferees may exchange their SES Holdings LLC Units (together with a corresponding number of shares of Class B common stock) for shares of Class A common stock (on a one-for-one basis, subject to conversion rate adjustments for stock splits, stock dividends and reclassification and other similar transactions) and then sell those shares of Class A common stock. Additionally, we may in the future issue our previously authorized and unissued securities. We are authorized to issue 350 million shares of Class A common stock, 40 million shares of Class A-2 common stock, 150 million shares of Class B common stock and 50 million shares of preferred stock with such designations, preferences and rights as determined by our board of directors. The potential issuance of such additional shares of equity securities will result in the dilution of the ownership interests of the holders of our Class A common stock and may create downward pressure on the trading price, if any, of our Class A common stock.

In addition, Legacy Owner Holdco, Crestview Partners II SES Investment B, LLC, the SCF Group (as defined below) and WDC Aggregate LLC (collectively, the “Registration Rights Holders”), who collectively own in excess of 27.9 million shares of our common stock, are party to a registration rights agreement which provides, among other things, for parties to that agreement to initiate or participate in an underwritten public offering of all or a portion of their shares. The Registration Rights Holders may exercise their rights under such agreement in their sole discretion, and sales pursuant to such rights may be material in amount and occur at any time.

The sales of substantial amounts of our Class A common stock following the effectiveness of registration statements for the benefit of such holders, or the perception that these sales may occur, could cause the market price of our Class A common stock to decline and impair our ability to raise capital. We also may grant additional registration rights in connection with any future issuance of our capital stock.

We cannot predict the size of future issuances of our Class A common stock or securities convertible into Class A common stock or the effect, if any, that future issuances and sales of shares of our Class A common stock will have on the market price of our Class A common stock. Sales of substantial amounts of our Class A common stock (including shares issued in connection with an acquisition), or the perception that such sales could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices of our Class A common stock.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, if they adversely change their recommendations regarding our Class A common stock or if our operating results do not meet their expectations, the share price for our Class A common stock could decline.

The trading market for our Class A common stock will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us or our business. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause the price or trading volume of our Class A common stock to decline. Moreover, if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our Class A common stock or if our operating results do not meet their expectations, the share price of our Class A common stock could decline.

Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and Delaware law may discourage a takeover attempt even if a takeover might be beneficial to our stockholders.

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Provisions contained in our Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and our Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, which we refer to herein as our “amended and restated certificate of incorporation” and “amended and restated bylaws,” respectively, could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us. Provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws impose various procedural and other requirements, which could make it more difficult for stockholders to effect certain corporate actions. For example, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes our board of directors to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of unissued series of preferred stock without any vote or action by our stockholders. Thus, our board of directors can authorize and issue shares of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting or other rights of holders of our capital stock. These rights may have the effect of delaying or deterring a change of control of our company. Additionally, our amended and restated bylaws establish limitations on the removal of directors and on the ability of our stockholders to call special meetings and include advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors and for proposing matters that can be acted upon at stockholder meetings. These provisions could limit the price that certain investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our Class A common stock.

In addition, certain change of control events have the effect of accelerating the payment due under our Tax Receivable Agreements (as defined herein), which could be substantial and accordingly serve as a disincentive to a potential acquirer of our company. See “—Risks Related to Our Organizational Structure—In certain cases, payments under the Tax Receivable Agreements may be accelerated and/or significantly exceed the actual benefits, if any, we realize in respect of the tax attributes subject to the Tax Receivable Agreements.”

Legacy Owner Holdco controls a significant percentage of our voting power.

Legacy Owner Holdco beneficially owns 100% of our Class B common stock which represents approximately 15.7% of our outstanding voting capital stock. In addition, certain of our directors are currently employed by Crestview Advisors, L.L.C. (“Crestview Partners”), our private equity sponsor and, through Crestview Partners II GP, L.P. (“Crestview GP”), the manager of funds that hold the largest equity interest in Legacy Owner Holdco. Other funds controlled by Crestview GP also have an interest in our currently outstanding shares of our Class A common stock, representing an additional 3.7% of our outstanding voting capital. Collectively, these holders control approximately 19.4% of our voting shares. Holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock generally will vote together as a single class on all matters presented to our stockholders for their vote or approval. Consequently, Legacy Owner Holdco will be able to significantly influence all matters that require approval by our stockholders, including the election and removal of directors, changes to our organizational documents and approval of acquisition offers and other significant corporate transactions, regardless of whether other stockholders believe that a transaction is in their own best interests. This concentration of ownership will limit your ability to influence corporate matters, and as a result, actions may be taken that you may not view as beneficial.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains a provision renouncing our interest and expectancy in certain corporate opportunities, which could adversely affect our business or prospects.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, we renounce any interest or expectancy in any business opportunity that involves any aspect of the energy business or industry and that may be from time to time presented to any member of (i) Legacy Owner Holdco; Crestview Partners II SES Investment, LLC (“Crestview Holdings A”); any funds, limited partnerships or other investment entities or vehicles managed by Crestview Partners or controlled by Crestview GP; B-29 Investments, LP; Sunray Capital, LP; Proactive Investments, LP and their respective affiliates, other than us (collectively, the “SES Group”); (ii) SCF-VI, L.P., SCF-VII, L.P. and SCF-VII(A), L.P. and their respective affiliates, other than us (collectively, the “SCF Group”); (iii) the other entities (existing and future) that participate in the energy industry and in which the SES Group and SCF Group own substantial equity interests (the “Portfolio Companies”) or (iv) any director or officer of the corporation who is also an employee, partner, member, manager, officer or director of any member of the SES Group, the SCF Group or the Portfolio Companies, including our Chairman, John D. Schmitz, our director, David C. Baldwin, and our Executive Vice President, Business Strategy, Cody Ortowski, even if the opportunity is one that we might reasonably have pursued or had the ability or desire to pursue if granted the opportunity to do so. Mr. Schmitz controls both B-29 Investments, LP and Sunray Capital, LP and is a direct and indirect beneficiary of these provisions in our amended and restated certificate

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of incorporation. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation further provides that no such person or party shall be liable to us by reason of the fact that such person pursues any such business opportunity, or fails to offer any such business opportunity to us.

As a result, any member of the SES Group, SCF Group or the Portfolio Companies or any director or officer of the corporation who is also an employee, partner, member, manager, officer or director of any member of the SES Group, SCF Group or the Portfolio Companies may become aware, from time to time, of certain business opportunities, such as acquisition opportunities, and may direct such opportunities to other businesses in which they have invested, in which case we may not become aware of or otherwise have the ability to pursue such opportunity. Further, such businesses may choose to compete with us for these opportunities. As a result, by renouncing our interest and expectancy in any business opportunity that may be from time to time presented to any member of the SES Group, SCF Group or the Portfolio Companies or any director or officer of the corporation who is also an employee, partner, member, manager, officer or director of any member of the SES Group, SCF Group or the Portfolio Companies, our business or prospects could be adversely affected if attractive business opportunities are procured by such parties for their own benefit rather than for ours. See “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.”

A significant reduction by Crestview GP or the SCF Group of either of their respective ownership interests in us could adversely affect us.

We believe that Crestview GP’s and the SCF Group’s beneficial ownership interests in us provides each with an economic incentive to assist us to be successful. Neither Crestview GP nor the SCF Group is subject to any obligation to maintain its ownership interest in us and either may elect at any time to sell all or a substantial portion of or otherwise reduce its ownership interest in us. If either Crestview GP or the SCF Group sells all or a substantial portion of its ownership interest in us, it may have less incentive to assist in our success and its affiliate(s) that are expected to serve as members of our board of directors may resign. Such actions could adversely affect our ability to successfully implement our business strategies which could adversely affect our cash flows or results of operations.

We may issue preferred stock whose terms could adversely affect the voting power or value of our Class A common stock.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue, without the approval of our stockholders, one or more classes or series of preferred stock having such designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights, including preferences over our Class A common stock respecting dividends and distributions, as our board of directors may determine. The terms of one or more classes or series of preferred stock could adversely impact the voting power or value of our Class A common stock. For example, we might grant holders of preferred stock the right to elect some number of our directors in all events or on the happening of specified events or the right to veto specified transactions. Similarly, the repurchase or redemption rights or liquidation preferences we might assign to holders of preferred stock could affect the residual value of the Class A common stock.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, employees or agents to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us or any director or officer or other employee or agent of ours arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against us or any director or officer or other employee or agent of ours that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each such case subject to such Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein.

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The exclusive forum provision would not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. To the extent that any such claims may be based upon federal law claims, Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Furthermore, Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.

The enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation or similar governing documents has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that a court could find the choice of forum provisions contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable, including with respect to claims arising under the U.S. federal securities laws.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of, and consented to, the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation described in the preceding sentence. This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and such persons. Alternatively, if a court were to find these provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Risks Related to Our Organizational Structure

We are a holding company. Our sole material asset is our equity interest in SES Holdings, and accordingly, we are dependent upon distributions and payments from SES Holdings to pay taxes, make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreements and cover our corporate and other overhead expenses.

We are a holding company and have no material assets other than our equity interest in SES Holdings. We have no independent means of generating revenue. To the extent SES Holdings has available cash, we intend to cause SES Holdings to make (i) generally pro rata distributions to its unitholders, including us, in an amount at least sufficient to allow us to pay our taxes and to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreements that we entered into in connection with our restructuring at the Select 144A Offering and any subsequent tax receivable agreements that we may enter into in connection with future acquisitions and (ii) non-pro rata payments to us to reimburse us for our corporate and other overhead expenses. We will be limited, however, in our ability to cause SES Holdings and its subsidiaries to make these and other distributions or payments to us due to certain limitations, including the restrictions under our Credit Agreement and the cash requirements and financial condition of SES Holdings. To the extent that we need funds and SES Holdings or its subsidiaries are restricted from making such distributions or payments under applicable law or regulations or under the terms of their financing arrangements or are otherwise unable to provide such funds, our liquidity and financial condition could be adversely affected.

We will be required to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreements for certain tax benefits we may claim, and the amounts of such payments could be significant.

In connection with our restructuring at the Select 144A Offering, we entered into two tax receivable agreements (the “Tax Receivable Agreements”) with certain affiliates of the then-holders of SES Holdings LLC Units (each such person and any permitted transferee thereof, a “TRA Holder,” and together, the “TRA Holders”) which generally provide for the payment by us to the TRA Holders of 85% of the net cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income and franchise tax that we actually realize (computed using simplifying assumptions to address the impact of state and local taxes) or are deemed to realize in certain circumstances as a result of certain tax basis increases, net operating losses available to us as a result of certain reorganization transactions entered into in connection with the Select 144A Offering, and certain tax benefits attributable to imputed interest. We will retain the benefit of the remaining 15% of these cash savings.

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The term of each Tax Receivable Agreement commenced upon the completion of the Select 144A Offering and will continue until all tax benefits that are subject to such Tax Receivable Agreement have been utilized or expired, unless we exercise our right to terminate the Tax Receivable Agreements (or the Tax Receivable Agreements are terminated due to other circumstances, including our breach of a material obligation thereunder or certain mergers or other changes of control) and we make the termination payment specified in the Tax Receivable Agreements. In addition, payments we make under the Tax Receivable Agreements will be increased by any interest accrued from the due date (without extensions) of the corresponding tax return. In the event that the Tax Receivable Agreements are not terminated and we have sufficient taxable income to utilize all of the tax benefits subject to the Tax Receivable Agreements, the payments due under the Tax Receivable Agreement entered into with Legacy Owner Holdco and Crestview GP are expected to commence at a yet to be determined future date, and to continue for 20 years after the date of the last exchange of SES Holdings LLC Units, and the payments due under the Tax Receivable Agreement entered into with an affiliate of the Contributing Legacy Owners are expected to commence at a yet to be determined future date, and to continue for 25 taxable years following the Select 144A Offering.

The payment obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreements are our obligations and not obligations of SES Holdings, and we expect that the payments we will be required to make under the Tax Receivable Agreements will be substantial. Estimating the amount and timing of payments that may become due under the Tax Receivable Agreements is by its nature imprecise. For purposes of the Tax Receivable Agreements, cash savings in tax generally will be calculated by comparing our actual tax liability (using the actual applicable U.S. federal income tax rate and an assumed combined state and local income and franchise tax rate) to the amount we would have been required to pay had we not been able to utilize any of the tax benefits subject to the Tax Receivable Agreements. The amounts payable, as well as the timing of any payments, under the Tax Receivable Agreements are dependent upon future events and significant assumptions, including the timing of the exchanges of SES Holdings LLC Units, the market price of our Class A common stock at the time of each exchange (since such market price will determine the amount of tax basis increases resulting from the exchange), the extent to which such exchanges are taxable transactions, the amount of the exchanging unitholder’s tax basis in its SES Holdings LLC Units at the time of the relevant exchange, the depreciation and amortization periods that apply to the increase in tax basis, the amount of net operating losses available to us as a result of reorganization transactions entered into in connection with the Select 144A Offering, the amount and timing of taxable income we generate in the future, the U.S. federal income tax rate then applicable, and the portion of our payments under the Tax Receivable Agreements that constitute imputed interest or give rise to depreciable or amortizable tax basis.

Certain of the TRA Holders’ rights under the Tax Receivable Agreements are transferable in connection with a permitted transfer of SES Holdings LLC Units or if the TRA Holder no longer holds SES Holdings LLC Units. The payments under the Tax Receivable Agreements are not conditioned upon the continued ownership interest in either SES Holdings or us of any holder of rights under the Tax Receivable Agreements. See “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.”

In certain cases, payments under the Tax Receivable Agreements may be accelerated and/or significantly exceed the actual benefits, if any, we realize in respect of the tax attributes subject to the Tax Receivable Agreements.

If we elect to terminate the Tax Receivable Agreements early or they are terminated early due to our failure to honor a material obligation thereunder or due to certain mergers, asset sales, other forms of business combinations or other changes of control, our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreements would accelerate and we would be required to make an immediate payment equal to the present value of the anticipated future payments to be made by us under the Tax Receivable Agreements (determined by applying a discount rate of the lesser of 6.50% per annum, compounded annually, or one-year London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) plus 100 basis points); and such payment is expected to be substantial. The calculation of anticipated future payments will be based upon certain assumptions and deemed events set forth in the Tax Receivable Agreements, including (i) the assumption that we have sufficient taxable income to fully utilize the tax benefits covered by the Tax Receivable Agreements, (ii) the assumption that any SES Holdings LLC Units (other than those held by us) outstanding on the termination date are exchanged on the termination date and (iii) certain loss or credit carryovers will be utilized in the taxable year that includes the termination date. Any early termination payment may be made significantly in advance of the actual realization, if any, of the future tax benefits to which the termination payment relates.

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As a result of either an early termination or a “change of control” (as defined in the Tax Receivable Agreements, as amended), we could be required to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreements that exceed our actual cash tax savings under the Tax Receivable Agreements. In these situations, our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreements could have a substantial negative impact on our liquidity and could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing certain mergers, asset sales or other forms of business combinations or changes of control. For example, if the Tax Receivable Agreements were terminated on December 31, 2019, the estimated termination payments would have been approximately $58.1 million (calculated using a discount rate equal to the lesser of 6.50% per annum, compounded annually, or one-year LIBOR plus 100 basis points, applied against an undiscounted liability of $78.4 million, based upon the last reported closing sale price of our Class A common stock on December 31, 2019) in the aggregate. The foregoing number is merely an estimate and the actual payment could differ materially. There can be no assurance that we will be able to finance our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreements.

Payments under the Tax Receivable Agreements will be based on the tax reporting positions that we will determine. The TRA Holders will not reimburse us for any payments previously made under the Tax Receivable Agreements if any tax benefits that have given rise to payments under the Tax Receivable Agreements are subsequently disallowed, except that excess payments made to the TRA Holders will be netted against payments that would otherwise be made to the TRA Holders, if any, after our determination of such excess. As a result, in such circumstances, we could make payments that are greater than our actual cash tax savings, if any, and may not be able to recoup those payments, which could adversely affect our liquidity. See “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.”

If SES Holdings were to become a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we and SES Holdings might be subject to potentially significant tax inefficiencies, and we would not be able to recover payments previously made by us under the Tax Receivable Agreements even if the corresponding tax benefits were subsequently determined to have been unavailable due to such status.

We intend to operate such that SES Holdings does not become a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A “publicly traded partnership” is a partnership, the interests of which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof. Under certain circumstances, exchanges of SES Holdings LLC Units for shares of our Class A common stock or cash pursuant to the Eighth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of SES Holdings (the “SES Holdings LLC Agreement”) or other transfers of SES Holdings LLC Units could cause SES Holdings to be treated as a publicly traded partnership. Applicable U.S. Treasury regulations provide for certain safe harbors from treatment as a publicly traded partnership, and we intend to operate such that exchanges or other transfers of SES Holdings LLC Units qualify for one or more such safe harbors. For example, we intend to limit the number of unitholders of SES Holdings and Legacy Owner Holdco, and the SES Holdings LLC Agreement provides for limitations on the ability of unitholders of SES Holdings to transfer their SES Holdings LLC Units and will provide us, as managing member of SES Holdings, with the right to impose restrictions (in addition to those already in place) on the ability of unitholders of SES Holdings to exchange their SES Holdings LLC Units pursuant to the SES Holdings LLC Agreement to the extent we believe it is necessary to ensure that SES Holdings will continue to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If SES Holdings were to become a publicly traded partnership, significant tax inefficiencies might result for us and for SES Holdings. In addition, we may not be able to realize tax benefits covered under the Tax Receivable Agreements, and we would not be able to recover any payments previously made by us under the Tax Receivable Agreements, even if the corresponding tax benefits (including any claimed increase in the tax basis of SES Holdings’ assets) were subsequently determined to have been unavailable.

Legacy Owner Holdco and the Legacy Owners may have interests that conflict with holders of shares of our Class A common stock.

Legacy Owner Holdco owns approximately 15.7% of the outstanding SES Holdings LLC Units. Because it holds a portion of its ownership interest in our business in the form of direct ownership interests in SES Holdings rather than through us, Legacy Owner Holdco may have conflicting interests with holders of shares of Class A common stock. For example, Legacy Owner Holdco may have different tax positions from us, and decisions we make in the course of running our business, such as with respect to mergers, asset sales, other forms of business combinations or other changes

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in control, may affect the timing and amount of payments that are received by the TRA Holders under the Tax Receivable Agreements. See “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.”

Our ability to use Rockwater’s net operating loss carryforwards may be limited.

As of December 31, 2019, Rockwater had approximately $105.1 million of U.S. federal net operating loss carryforwards (“NOLs”), which will begin to expire in 2035, approximately $62.6 million of state NOLs which will begin to expire in 2023, and approximately $5.5 million of foreign NOLs, which will begin to expire in 2037. Utilization of these NOLs depends on many factors, including our future income, which cannot be assured. In addition, Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), generally imposes an annual limitation on the amount of NOLs that may be used to offset taxable income when a corporation has undergone an “ownership change” (as determined under Section 382 of the Code). An ownership change generally occurs if one or more stockholders (or groups of stockholders) who are each deemed to own at least 5% of the relevant corporation’s stock change their ownership by more than 50 percentage points over their lowest ownership percentage within a rolling three-year period. In the event that an ownership change has occurred, or were to occur, utilization of the NOLs would be subject to an annual limitation under Section 382 of the Code, determined by multiplying the value of the relevant corporation’s stock at the time of the ownership change by the applicable long-term tax-exempt rate as defined in Section 382 of the Code, and potentially increased for certain gains recognized within five years after the ownership change if we have a net built-in gain in our assets at the time of the ownership change. Any unused annual limitation may be carried over to later years until they expire. Rockwater experienced an ownership change in connection with the Rockwater Merger. As a result, some or all of our U.S. federal, state or foreign NOLs could expire before they can be used. In addition, future ownership changes or changes to the U.S. tax laws could limit our ability to utilize our NOLs. To the extent we are not able to offset our future income with our NOLs, this would adversely affect our operating results and cash flows if we attain profitability.

Final regulations relating to and interpretations of provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act may vary from our current interpretation of such legislation.

The U.S. federal income tax legislation enacted in Public Law No. 115-97, commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, is highly complex and subject to interpretation. The presentation of our financial condition and results of operations is based upon our current interpretation of the provisions contained in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. In the future, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service are expected to issue final regulations and additional interpretive guidance with respect to the provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Any significant variance of our current interpretation of such provisions from any future final regulations or interpretive guidance could result in a change to the presentation of our financial condition and results of operations and could negatively affect our business.

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The following table shows our active leased and owned properties categorized by segment as of December 31, 2019:

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Dividend Policy

We have not previously paid dividends to holders of our Class A common stock. We currently intend to retain future earnings, if any, to finance the expansion of our business and repay any debt we may incur. While we have no current intention of declaring or paying any cash dividends to holders of our Class A common stock in the near future, our dividend policy is periodically reviewed. Our future dividend policy is within the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon then-existing conditions, including our results of operations and financial condition, capital requirements, business prospects, statutory and contractual restrictions on our ability to pay dividends, including restrictions contained in our Credit Agreement and other factors our board of directors may deem relevant.

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EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA each have limitations as an analytical tool and should not be considered as alternatives to net income, operating income, cash flow from operating activities or any other measure of financial performance presented in accordance with GAAP. Other companies in our industry may calculate EBITDA or Adjusted EBITDA differently, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure.

The following table shows a reconciliation of (i) EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, as applicable, to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, net loss.