Wednesday 1 August 2018

Rowan Companies plc announced that ARO Drilling was awarded six three-year contracts by Saudi Aramco for Rowan jack-up rigs currently operating in Saudi Arabia. These new contracts will commence upon completion of the rigs' existing contracts later this year.

The Rowan Middletown, Charles Rowan, and Arch Rowan are expected to be leased to ARO Drilling in September, and the Rowan Mississippi is expected to be leased to ARO Drilling in December to fulfill these new drilling contracts. The Scooter Yeargain and Hank Boswell, which as previously announced will be sold to ARO Drilling in October, will immediately commence their new drilling contracts upon the rig ownership transfer to the joint venture.

Rowan is a global provider of contract drilling services with a fleet of 27 mobile offshore drilling units, composed of 23 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, 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 five self-elevating jack-up rigs that operate in the Arabian Gulf.