Martin S. Craighead
Analyst
Thanks, Trey, and good morning, everyone. Let me start off with a few comments about our results this quarter. First, North America took a step in the right direction, with growth in both revenue and margins. The results were driven by strong activity in Canada, along with improved utilization in our Pressure Pumping business. And we're starting to see the U.S. market settle down. The declines in spot pricing for well stimulation are showing signs of tapering off, and the onshore rig count is projected to begin climbing after more than a year of consecutive quarterly declines. Offshore, our customers experienced significant delays as the industry continues to adapt to changing regulations, and this is having an impact on our Gulf of Mexico business. Although these headwinds will probably persist for the short term, the long-term outlook remains bright. The number of ultra-deepwater projects continues to grow, and Baker Hughes is very well positioned to capitalize on these opportunities. Turning to our international business. Results were mixed. As expected, strong seasonal year-end product sales dropped off in the first quarter. Also, as we have previously communicated, startup costs to support our new contract in Norway had a negative impact on profitability for our Europe/Africa/Russia Caspian segment. Although our first quarter's results in this segment are disappointing, the long-term outlook is positive. The transition of Baker Hughes to the #1 provider of drilling services in the North Sea, an area known for the early adoption of new technologies, is more than just strategically important. This new business will drive long-term growth and profitability for years to come. And during the first quarter, we saw improved performance of our Middle East/Asia Pacific segment. We're building a strong integrated operations business in Iraq and growing our Saudi Arabia geomarket to include new work in the unconventionals. And gains in these markets were enough to overcome seasonal declines, and I'm pleased to see growth in both revenues and margins for this segment. And finally, I am pleased with the evolution of our product portfolio and our service offering, and I believe we are commercializing the very best innovations to meet our customers' needs, especially as we migrate unconventional technologies, such as our highly successful FracPoint sliding sleeve system from North America to places like China, Russia and now, Mexico. Later in the call, I'll provide more details on our outlook. But first, let me turn it over to Peter for details on the quarter and our guidance. Peter?