Rowan Relentless has First Two Options Exercised by ExxonMobil

HOUSTON, Dec. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Rowan Companies plc ("Rowan" or the "Company") (NYSE: RDC) announced today that ExxonMobil has exercised the first two options for the Rowan Relentless, an R-Class ultra-deepwater drillship.  The options will be used for operations in the US Gulf of Mexico and have an expected duration of 30 days each.  The Rowan Relentless has been under contract since September 2018 to ExxonMobil, who has two remaining one-well options for the rig.  

Rowan is a global provider of contract drilling services with a fleet of 25 mobile offshore drilling units, composed of 21 self-elevating jack-up rigs and four ultra-deepwater drillships. The Company's fleet operates worldwide, including the United States Gulf of Mexico, the United Kingdom and Norwegian sectors of the North Sea, the Middle East, the Mediterranean Sea, and Trinidad. Additionally, the Company is a 50/50 partner in a joint venture with Saudi Aramco, entitled ARO Drilling, that owns a fleet of seven self-elevating jack-up rigs that operate in the Arabian Gulf. 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.rowan.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 effective commencement dates of the options and duration of the contract. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to numerous 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 and the impact of the economic climate; changes in the offshore drilling market, including fluctuations in supply and demand; variable levels of drilling activity and expenditures in the energy industry; changes in day rates; ability to secure future drilling contracts; cancellation, early termination or renegotiation by our customers of drilling contracts; customer credit and risk of customer bankruptcy; risks associated with fixed cost drilling operations; unplanned downtime; risks related to our joint venture with Saudi Aramco, including the timing and amount of future distributions from the joint venture or contributions to the joint venture; cost overruns or delays in transportation of drilling units; cost overruns or delays in maintenance, repairs, or other rig projects; operating hazards and equipment failure; risks of collision and damage; casualty losses and limitations on insurance coverage; weather conditions in the Company's operating areas; increasing costs of compliance with regulations; changes in tax laws and interpretations by taxing authorities; hostilities, terrorism, and piracy; impairments; cyber incidents; the outcomes of disputes, including tax disputes and legal proceedings; 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.

SOURCE Rowan Companies plc