Rowan Provides Fleet Contract Status Update

HOUSTON, March 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Rowan Companies plc ("Rowan" or the "Company") (NYSE: RDC) announced today that its monthly report of drilling rig status and contract information has been updated as of March 20, 2014.  The report titled "Monthly Fleet Status Report" can be found on the Company's website at www.rowancompanies.com.

Notable events in the current report include:

• J.P. Bussell:  Awarded an estimated 209 day contract with Petrofac in Malaysia at $143,000 per day, above prior day rate at $140,000, which commenced at the beginning of March 2014. 
• Gorilla VI:  Increased off rate time by 61 days during 2Q 2014 for additional repairs and testing that have been identified as the project nears completion.  Rig is currently expected to return to service the end of June 2014.
• Gorilla V:  Increased off rate time by 12 days to 42 days during the end of 1Q and early 2Q 2014 for repairs and inspections.  As previously scheduled, the rig is also expected to be off rate for seven days during 2Q 2014 for planned maintenance. 
• Hank Boswell:  Previously scheduled 28 days off rate time for inspections has been deferred to 1Q 2015 from 2Q 2014.
• Rowan Stavanger:  Extended contract term one month to September 2014 with Talisman in the U.K. sector of the North Sea and deferred previously scheduled 30 days out of service time to 4Q 2014 from 3Q 2014.

For the first quarter and full-year of 2014, the Company expects jack-up out of service time to be approximately 13% and 7-9%, respectively.  The Company does not currently expect any out of service days in 2014 for the drillships, and following a break in period is expecting operational downtime to be approximately 5%.

Out-of-service days include days for which no revenues are recognized other than operational downtime and cold-stacked days.  The Company may be compensated for certain out-of-service days, such as for shipyard stays or for transit periods preceding a contract.  However, recognition of any such compensation received is deferred and recognized over the period of drilling operations.  Operational downtime is when a rig is under contract and unable to conduct planned operations due to equipment breakdowns or procedural failures.  No operational downtime is included in projected out-of-service days, but the company estimates operational downtime to account for approximately 2.5% of in-service days in current and future quarters. 

This summary is provided as a courtesy and is not intended to replace a detailed review of the Monthly Fleet Status Report.  While the Company has attempted to include items it believes are significant, we encourage you to review the Monthly Fleet Status Report in detail.

Rowan Companies plc is a global provider of international and domestic contract drilling services in the ultra-deepwater and shallow water jack-up market with a fleet of 34 offshore drilling units, including four ultra-deepwater drillships, three of which are currently under construction, and 30 jack-up rigs, 19 of which are rated high-specification.  The Company's fleet is located worldwide, including West Africa, the Middle East, the North Sea, Trinidad, Egypt, Southeast Asia and the Gulf of Mexico.  Three of the four ultra-deepwater drillships are under three year contracts.  The Company's Class A Ordinary Shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "RDC."  For more information on the Company, please visit www.rowancompanies.com.   

Statements herein that are not historical facts are forward looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements as to the expectations, beliefs and future expected business, financial performance and prospects of the Company.  These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to certain risks, assumptions, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements.  Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include oil and natural gas prices, the level of offshore expenditures by energy companies, variations in energy demand, changes in day rates, cancellation by our customers of drilling contracts, letter agreements or letters of intent or the exercise of early termination provisions, risks associated with fixed cost drilling operations, cost overruns or delays on shipyard repair, construction or transportation of drilling units, maintenance and repair costs, costs or delays for conversion or upgrade projects, operating hazards and equipment failure, risks of collision and damage, casualty losses and limitations on insurance coverage, customer credit and risk of customer bankruptcy, conditions in the general economy and energy industry, weather conditions and severe weather in the Company's operating areas, increasing complexity and costs of compliance with environmental and other laws and regulations, changes in tax laws and interpretations by taxing authorities, civil unrest and instability, terrorism and hostilities in our areas of operations that may result in loss or seizure of assets, the outcome of disputes and legal proceedings, effects of the change in our corporate structure, and other risks disclosed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

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SOURCE Rowan Companies plc