HOUSTON, April 23, 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 April 23, 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:

• Rowan Renaissance:  Commenced a three-year drilling contract with Repsol on April 22, 2014 for operations offshore West Africa at an effective day rate of $619,000 during the first year.
• Rowan Mississippi:  Saudi Aramco exercised its option to extend the primary term for one year in the Middle East at $195,000 per day commencing December 2014, above the previous base day rate of $170,000 after excluding the impact of mobilization and capex fees.
• Hank Boswell:  Saudi Aramco exercised its option to extend the primary term for one year in the Middle East at $180,000 per day commencing August 2014, above the previous effective day rate of $128,000.
• Scooter Yeargain:  Saudi Aramco exercised its option to extend the primary term for one year in the Middle East at $180,000 per day commencing November 2014, above the previous effective day rate of $128,000.
• Rowan Gorilla II:  Awarded a 120-day contract with Pertamina in Indonesia at a day rate of $150,000 per day, no change from the previous base day rate.  
• Ralph Coffman:  Assigned an estimated 80-120 day contract with Galp in Morocco commencing the beginning of May, 2014 at an effective day rate of $243,000, above the previous effective day rate of $227,000.

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.  No operational downtime is included in projected out-of-service days, but the company estimates jack-up operational downtime to account for approximately 2.5% of in-service days in current and future quarters.  The Company does not currently expect any out of service days in 2014 for the Rowan Renaissance, 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.  

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