Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation	Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation Rowan Companies plc, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, is a global provider of offshore contract drilling services to the international oil and gas industry. Our fleet currently consists of 31 mobile offshore drilling units, including 27 self-elevating jack-up drilling units and four ultra-deepwater drillships. We contract our drilling rigs, related equipment and work crews primarily on a day-rate basis in markets throughout the world, currently including the United States Gulf of Mexico (US GOM), the United Kingdom (U.K.) and Norwegian sectors of the North Sea, the Middle East and Trinidad. The financial statements included in this Form 10-Q are presented in United States (U.S.) dollars and include the accounts of Rowan Companies plc (“Rowan plc”) and its direct and indirect subsidiaries. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Rowan,” “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” are used to refer to Rowan plc and its consolidated subsidiaries. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The financial statements included in this Form 10-Q have been prepared without audit in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (US GAAP) for interim financial information and the applicable rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Certain information and notes have been condensed or omitted as permitted by those rules and regulations. Management believes the accompanying financial statements contain all adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature unless otherwise noted, necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods presented. The Company’s results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. New Accounting Standards Revenue Recognition – In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which sets forth a global standard for revenue recognition and replaces most existing industry-specific guidance. We will be required to adopt the new standard in annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2018. The amendments may be applied retrospectively to each prior period presented or retrospectively with the cumulative effect recognized as of the date of initial application. We are evaluating the standard and have not yet determined our implementation method upon adoption or what impact adoption will have on our financial statements. Presentation of Deferred Taxes – In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes, which requires entities to present deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities in balance sheets as noncurrent. We will be required to adopt the new standard in annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2017. The amendments in this ASU may be applied either prospectively to all deferred tax liabilities and assets or retrospectively to all periods presented. We are evaluating the standard and have not yet determined our implementation method. Lease Accounting – In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, which requires the balance sheet recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities by lessees for leases previously classified as operating leases under prior GAAP. We will be required to adopt the new standard in annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2019. Lessees and lessors will be required to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach, including a number of optional practical expedients that entities may elect to apply. We have not yet evaluated the standard nor determined our implementation method upon adoption or what impact adoption will have on our financial statements. Stock Compensation – In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-based Payment Accounting, which simplifies several aspects of accounting for employee share-based payment awards, including the accounting for income taxes, withholding taxes and forfeitures, as well as classification on the statement of cash flows. We will be required to adopt the amended guidance in annual and interim reports beginning January 1, 2017, with early adoption permitted. We are in the process of determining the method of adoption and the impact this amendment will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation

Rowan Companies plc, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, is a global provider of offshore contract drilling services to the international oil and gas industry. Our fleet currently consists of 31 mobile offshore drilling units, including 27 self-elevating jack-up drilling units and four ultra-deepwater drillships. We contract our drilling rigs, related equipment and work crews primarily on a day-rate basis in markets throughout the world, currently including the United States Gulf of Mexico (US GOM), the United Kingdom (U.K.) and Norwegian sectors of the North Sea, the Middle East and Trinidad.

The financial statements included in this Form 10-Q are presented in United States (U.S.) dollars and include the accounts of Rowan Companies plc (“Rowan plc”) and its direct and indirect subsidiaries. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Rowan,” “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” are used to refer to Rowan plc and its consolidated subsidiaries. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The financial statements included in this Form 10-Q have been prepared without audit in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (US GAAP) for interim financial information and the applicable rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Certain information and notes have been condensed or omitted as permitted by those rules and regulations. Management believes the accompanying financial statements contain all adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature unless otherwise noted, necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods presented. The Company’s results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.

New Accounting Standards

Revenue Recognition – In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which sets forth a global standard for revenue recognition and replaces most existing industry-specific guidance. We will be required to adopt the new standard in annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2018. The amendments may be applied retrospectively to each prior period presented or retrospectively with the cumulative effect recognized as of the date of initial application. We are evaluating the standard and have not yet determined our implementation method upon adoption or what impact adoption will have on our financial statements.

Presentation of Deferred Taxes – In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes, which requires entities to present deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities in balance sheets as noncurrent. We will be required to adopt the new standard in annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2017. The amendments in this ASU may be applied either prospectively to all deferred tax liabilities and assets or retrospectively to all periods presented. We are evaluating the standard and have not yet determined our implementation method.

Lease Accounting – In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, which requires the balance sheet recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities by lessees for leases previously classified as operating leases under prior GAAP. We will be required to adopt the new standard in annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2019. Lessees and lessors will be required to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach, including a number of optional practical expedients that entities may elect to apply. We have not yet evaluated the standard nor determined our implementation method upon adoption or what impact adoption will have on our financial statements.

Stock Compensation – In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-based Payment Accounting, which simplifies several aspects of accounting for employee share-based payment awards, including the accounting for income taxes, withholding taxes and forfeitures, as well as classification on the statement of cash flows. We will be required to adopt the amended guidance in annual and interim reports beginning January 1, 2017, with early adoption permitted. We are in the process of determining the method of adoption and the impact this amendment will have on our consolidated financial statements.