Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 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. The preparation of our condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. 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. Customer Contract Termination and Settlement On May 23, 2016, the Company reached an agreement with Freeport-McMoRan Oil and Gas LLC (“FMOG”) and its parent company, Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (“FCX”) in connection with the drilling contract for the drillship Rowan Relentless (“FMOG Agreement”), which was scheduled to terminate in June 2017. The FMOG Agreement provided that the drilling contract be terminated immediately, and that FCX pay the Company $215 million to settle outstanding receivables and early termination of the contract, of which $85 million was received through June 30, 2016 and the remaining $130 million was received in the third quarter 2016. In addition, the Company may also receive two additional contingent payments from FCX, payable on September 30, 2017, of $10 million and $20 million depending on the average price of West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) crude oil over a 12-month period beginning June 30, 2016. The $10 million payment will be due if the average price over the period is greater than $50 per barrel and the additional $20 million payment will be due if the average price over the period is greater than $65 per barrel (“FMOG Provision”) (See Note 6). The Company warm-stacked the Rowan Relentless in order to reduce costs. During the quarter ended June 30, 2016, the Company recognized $173.2 million in revenue for the Rowan Relentless, including $130.9 million for the cancelled contract value, $6.2 million for the fair value of the derivative associated with the FMOG Provision (See Note 6), $5.6 million for previously deferred revenue related to the contract, and $30.5 million for operations through May 22, 2016. Day Rate Concessions On June 1, 2016, the Company executed a contract extension for the Rowan Viking of 270 days for $275,000 per day following the primary term of the original contract in exchange for day rate concessions reducing the day rate for the primary term from $345,528 per day to $275,000 per day. This reduced day rate was applied to January 1, 2016 through November 6, 2017, and as a result, the Company recorded a reduction to revenue for amounts earned under this contract during the period from January 1, 2016 through March 31, 2016 of $6.3 million in the second quarter of 2016. Customer Contract Amendment On September 15, 2016, the Company amended its contract with Cobalt International Energy, L.P. (“Cobalt”), for the drillship Rowan Reliance, which was scheduled to conclude on February 1, 2018. The amendment provides that the Company will receive cash settlement payments totaling $95.9 million, that the drillship remains at its current day rate of approximately $582,000 and that the drilling contract may be terminated as early as March 31, 2017. The Company received cash payments of $45.0 million on September 15, 2016 and $31.3 million on October 3, 2016, and expects to receive a final cash payment of $19.6 million on or before March 31, 2017. In addition, if Cobalt continues its operations with the Rowan Reliance after March 31, 2017, the day rate will be reduced to approximately $262,000 per day for the remaining operating days through February 1, 2018 (subject to further adjustment thereafter). Cobalt International Energy, Inc., the parent of Cobalt, also committed to use the Company as its exclusive provider of comparable drilling services for a period of five years. As the Company has the obligation and intent to have the drillship or a substitute available through the pre-amended contract scheduled end date, in certain circumstances, the $95.9 million settlement was recorded as a deferred revenue liability. As of September 30, 2016, $57.5 million and $38.4 million of the deferred revenue liability is classified as current and noncurrent, respectively, and is included in Deferred Revenue, and Other Liabilities, respectively, in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet. Amortization of deferred revenue will begin on April 1, 2017 and extend no further than the pre-amended contract scheduled end date. New Accounting Pronouncements 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 using a retrospective, modified retrospective or prospective with a cumulative catch-up approach. 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 are evaluating the standard and have not yet determined our implementation method upon adoption or what impact adoption will have on our consolidated 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. Financial Instruments – In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which amends the FASB's guidance on the impairment of financial instruments. The ASU adds to US GAAP an impairment model that is based on expected losses rather than incurred losses. Under the new guidance, an entity recognizes as an allowance its estimate of expected credit losses. We will be required to adopt the amended guidance in annual and interim reports beginning January 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. We are in the process of evaluating the impact this amendment will have on our consolidated financial statements. Statement of Cash Flows - In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which provides guidance on eight cash flow classification issues with the objective of reducing differences in practice. We will be required to adopt the amendments in this ASU in annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. Adoption is required to be on a retrospective basis, unless impracticable for any of the amendments, in which case a prospective application is permitted. We are in the process of evaluating the impact these amendments will have on our consolidated financial statements. Income Taxes - In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other than Inventory, which eliminates the exception that prohibits the recognition of current and deferred income tax effects for intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory until the asset has been sold to an outside party. We will be required to adopt the amendments in this ASU in the annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted at the beginning of an annual reporting period for which financial statements (interim or annual) have not been issued or made available for issuance. The application of the amendments will require the use of a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. We are evaluating the standard and the impact it 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. The preparation of our condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. 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.

Customer Contract Termination and Settlement

On May 23, 2016, the Company reached an agreement with Freeport-McMoRan Oil and Gas LLC (“FMOG”) and its parent company, Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (“FCX”) in connection with the drilling contract for the drillship Rowan Relentless (“FMOG Agreement”), which was scheduled to terminate in June 2017. The FMOG Agreement provided that the drilling contract be terminated immediately, and that FCX pay the Company $215 million to settle outstanding receivables and early termination of the contract, of which $85 million was received through June 30, 2016 and the remaining $130 million was received in the third quarter 2016. In addition, the Company may also receive two additional contingent payments from FCX, payable on September 30, 2017, of $10 million and $20 million depending on the average price of West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) crude oil over a 12-month period beginning June 30, 2016. The $10 million payment will be due if the average price over the period is greater than $50 per barrel and the additional $20 million payment will be due if the average price over the period is greater than $65 per barrel (“FMOG Provision”) (See Note 6). The Company warm-stacked the Rowan Relentless in order to reduce costs. During the quarter ended June 30, 2016, the Company recognized $173.2 million in revenue for the Rowan Relentless, including $130.9 million for the cancelled contract value, $6.2 million for the fair value of the derivative associated with the FMOG Provision (See Note 6), $5.6 million for previously deferred revenue related to the contract, and $30.5 million for operations through May 22, 2016.

Day Rate Concessions

On June 1, 2016, the Company executed a contract extension for the Rowan Viking of 270 days for $275,000 per day following the primary term of the original contract in exchange for day rate concessions reducing the day rate for the primary term from $345,528 per day to $275,000 per day. This reduced day rate was applied to January 1, 2016 through November 6, 2017, and as a result, the Company recorded a reduction to revenue for amounts earned under this contract during the period from January 1, 2016 through March 31, 2016 of $6.3 million in the second quarter of 2016.

Customer Contract Amendment

On September 15, 2016, the Company amended its contract with Cobalt International Energy, L.P. (“Cobalt”), for the drillship Rowan Reliance, which was scheduled to conclude on February 1, 2018. The amendment provides that the Company will receive cash settlement payments totaling $95.9 million, that the drillship remains at its current day rate of approximately $582,000 and that the drilling contract may be terminated as early as March 31, 2017. The Company received cash payments of $45.0 million on September 15, 2016 and $31.3 million on October 3, 2016, and expects to receive a final cash payment of $19.6 million on or before March 31, 2017. In addition, if Cobalt continues its operations with the Rowan Reliance after March 31, 2017, the day rate will be reduced to approximately $262,000 per day for the remaining operating days through February 1, 2018 (subject to further adjustment thereafter). Cobalt International Energy, Inc., the parent of Cobalt, also committed to use the Company as its exclusive provider of comparable drilling services for a period of five years. As the Company has the obligation and intent to have the drillship or a substitute available through the pre-amended contract scheduled end date, in certain circumstances, the $95.9 million settlement was recorded as a deferred revenue liability. As of September 30, 2016, $57.5 million and $38.4 million of the deferred revenue liability is classified as current and noncurrent, respectively, and is included in Deferred Revenue, and Other Liabilities, respectively, in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet. Amortization of deferred revenue will begin on April 1, 2017 and extend no further than the pre-amended contract scheduled end date.

New Accounting Pronouncements

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 using a retrospective, modified retrospective or prospective with a cumulative catch-up approach. 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 are evaluating the standard and have not yet determined our implementation method upon adoption or what impact adoption will have on our consolidated 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.

Financial Instruments – In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which amends the FASB's guidance on the impairment of financial instruments. The ASU adds to US GAAP an impairment model that is based on expected losses rather than incurred losses. Under the new guidance, an entity recognizes as an allowance its estimate of expected credit losses. We will be required to adopt the amended guidance in annual and interim reports beginning January 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. We are in the process of evaluating the impact this amendment will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Statement of Cash Flows - In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which provides guidance on eight cash flow classification issues with the objective of reducing differences in practice. We will be required to adopt the amendments in this ASU in annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. Adoption is required to be on a retrospective basis, unless impracticable for any of the amendments, in which case a prospective application is permitted. We are in the process of evaluating the impact these amendments will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Income Taxes - In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other than Inventory, which eliminates the exception that prohibits the recognition of current and deferred income tax effects for intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory until the asset has been sold to an outside party. We will be required to adopt the amendments in this ASU in the annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted at the beginning of an annual reporting period for which financial statements (interim or annual) have not been issued or made available for issuance. The application of the amendments will require the use of a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. We are evaluating the standard and the impact it will have on our consolidated financial statements.