Geokinetics Inc.

6/25/18

Just when we thought companies had mysteriously figured out how to stay out of bankruptcy court, alas, a filing!

And just when we thought oil and gas-related distress had ridden off into the proverbial Texan sunset, in walks Houston-based geophysical services provider Geokinetics Inc. into the Southern District of Texas with a plan to sell substantially all of its assets to (one-time bankruptcy candidate) SAE Exploration Inc. for $20mm. Looks like the oil and gas downturn still has some appetite for prey. And it must be tasty prey: this is the second time in four years that this company is in bankruptcy. #Scarlet22. Indeed, this company is so good at bankruptcy that, the first time, it emerged from chapter 11 a full year before it even confirmed its plan!! From paragraph 24 of the First Day Declaration:

"On March 10, 2014, GOK and certain affiliated subsidiaries confirmed a prepackaged chapter 11 plan of reorganization in the District of Delaware. Pursuant to the Plan, GOK equitized over $300 million of debt and paid off its revolving credit facility. On May 10, 2013, GOK and certain affiliated subsidiaries emerged from chapter 11."

And we thought Westworld had mind-bending timelines. Whoops. 

The company blames the prolonged downturn and certain discreet "operational difficulties" that resulted in uncollectable receivables for its bankruptcy. Wanting to jump ship as the iceberg approached, Wells Fargo sought to minimize its exposure but the company and its bankers, Moelis, weren't able to find a suitable secured loan facility to refinance its revolving loan. So Moelis toggled to "strategic alternatives" mode which, seemingly, included dumping this turd on unsuspecting public equity investors as the company -- under the guidance of Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson -- filed a confidential S-1 under the JOBS Act. Sounds a lot like Domo Inc. Or Tintri Inc., for that matter. #HailMary

Obviously the company didn't IPO. Instead, it continued to bleed cash. Ascribe Capital replaced Wells Fargo and funded bridge loans for some time until they were no longer willing to perform triage. The company and its advisors stepped on the gas, lined up the stalking horse bidder, and secured interest in a $15mm DIP credit facility -- from Whitebox Advisors and Highbridge Capital, two funds that are stakeholders in the stalking horse bidder -- and filed for bankruptcy. The proceeds of the DIP will be used, in part, to pay off Ascribe's bridge loans. 

Meanwhile, remember that IPO? It seems the company thought that that was a gigantic waste of time: among the top creditors are Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP and Moelis & Co. ($MO). Savage. 

• Jurisdiction: S.D of Texas (Judge Jones)
• Capital Structure: $15.6mm Term Loan A (Ascribe Capital, Wilmington Trust), $6.8mm RCF (Ascribe Capital, Wilmington Trust)
• Company Professionals:
  • Legal: Porter & Hedges LLP (John Higgins, Joshua Wolfshohl, Aaron Power)
  • Financial Advisor: FTI Consulting Inc. 
  • Investment Banker: Moelis & Co. 
  • Claims Agent: Prime Clerk LLC (*click on company name above for free docket access)
• Other Parties in Interest:
  • Ascribe Investments LLC
    • Legal: Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (Michael Torkin, Bryce Friedman, Randi Lynn Veenstra, Megan Tweed, Sandeep Qusba, Yun Joo Lim) & (local) Haynes and Boone LLP (Charles Beckham Jr., Martha Wyrick)
  • SAExploration Inc.
    • Legal: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (Sarah Link Schultz, Eric Seitz)
  • DIP Lenders: Whitebox Advisors LLC, Highbridge Capital Management LLC
    • Legal: Brown Rudnick LLP (Andreas Andromalos, Steven Levine, Jeffrey Jonas, Robert Stark, Kimberly Cohen)

Updated 6/26 6:54 PT