Bristow Group Announces Pricing of $450 Million Senior Notes Offering

HOUSTON, Sept. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE: BRS) announced today the pricing of its previously announced offering of senior notes.  The offering was upsized to $450 million aggregate principal amount and will be issued as a single series of senior notes due 2022 (the "notes") pursuant to a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission").

The notes will bear interest at a rate of 6.25% per annum and will mature on October 15, 2022. The notes priced at par. The closing of the offering is expected to occur on October 12, 2012 and is subject to customary closing conditions.

The company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to fund its concurrent tender offer for its 7 1/2% senior notes due 2017 and, if applicable, to redeem any and all of its 7 1/2% senior notes due 2017 that have not been accepted and paid for in the tender offer and to pay related fees and expenses, and to use the remaining net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including the repayment or repurchase of other indebtedness.

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. are acting as joint global coordinators and joint book-running managers and representatives of the underwriters. The other joint book-running managers include Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC  and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC.  HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. are acting as co-managers.

The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus and related preliminary prospectus supplement, which will be filed with the Commission. A copy of the prospectus and preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the offering may be obtained from the offices of Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Prospectus Department, One Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010, 1-800-221-1037. An electronic copy of the prospectus will be available on the website of the Commission at www.sec.gov.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase these notes nor shall there be any sale of the notes in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration of qualification under the securities laws of any such state.

ABOUT BRISTOW GROUP INC.

Bristow Group Inc. is the leading provider of helicopter services to the worldwide offshore energy industry based on the number of aircraft operated and one of two helicopter service providers to the offshore energy industry with global operations. Bristow has major transportation operations in the North Sea, Nigeria and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, and in most of the other major offshore oil and gas producing regions of the world, including Alaska, Australia, Brazil, Russia and Trinidad. For more information, visit Bristow's website at www.bristowgroup.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements contained in this news release that state Bristow's or management's intentions, expectations or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements. Specifically, Bristow cannot assure you that the proposed transactions described above will be consummated on the terms currently contemplated, if at all.  Actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially is contained from time to time in Bristow's filings with the Commission, including but not limited to Bristow's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012.  Bristow Group Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to revise any forward-looking statements, including financial estimates, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:
Linda McNeill
Investor Relations
(713) 267-7622

SOURCE Bristow Group Inc.