Rig company Seadrill, controlled by John Fredriksen, has pushed back the date for when the hard-pressed company will present its annual report, according to a brief to the Oslo Stock Exchange.

According to plan, the rig company was set to publish numbers for the fourth quarter and the full-year 2016 this week, but the date has now been postponed until Tuesday Feb. 28. According to the statement, this is because the company needs more time to review the books in relation to the company's interest rate and exchange rate exposure, as a "material weakness" was found in the internal audit of the report, according to the company.

The company also reports that the 2015 report needs to be adjusted in order for accounting practice US GAAP to be correctly reflected. This could result in a "non-cash" adjustment of the 2015 result, which will increase shareholders' equity to between USD 100 million and USD 150 million.

For 2016, the changes concern the first, second, and third quarters. Shareholder equity is estimated to have increased by USD 20 million and USD 60 million, writes the company. However, the changes are not expected to impact the company's compliance with its financial covenants from before or now, Seadrill states.

The hard-pressed company is working to settle a rescue plan in which one goal is to raise USD 1 million in fresh capital. Seadrill has set a deadline of April 30, where one loan will expire. The company's debt has accumulated to USD 14 billion.

English Edit: Gretchen Deverell Pedersen

Media: Seadrill's debt has reached USD 14 billion

John Fredriksen is racing against time to save his empire 

Seadrill working actively on contingency plans for the company