Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
Smith Newton Pharr
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ROWAN COMPANIES PLC [RDC]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Senior Vice President
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
2800 POST OAK BLVD., SUITE 5450
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/13/2017
(Street)

HOUSTON, TX 77056
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Class A Ordinary Shares 01/13/2017   F V 18,221 (1) D $ 19.91 (2) 75,999 (3) D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Smith Newton Pharr
2800 POST OAK BLVD.
SUITE 5450
HOUSTON, TX 77056
      Senior Vice President  

Signatures

 /s/ Melanie M. Trent   01/18/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) These shares were surrendered to the Company's employee benefit trust in payment of a tax liability due to the vesting of 60,263 restricted share units (RSUs). Such RSUs vested on January 13, 2017 upon the reporting person's retirement from the Company.
(2) Sales price is the fair market value share price on January 14, 2017.
(3) On January 13, 2017, in connection with the retirement of the reporting person from the Company, the restrictions on all unvested RSUs granted to the reporting person lapsed.
 
Remarks:
Reporting person holds 19,554 vested Share Appreciation Rights (SARs) granted in 2013 with an exercise price of $34.35.  Such SARs must be exercised on or before the earlier of (i) their original expiration date and (ii) the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date of the reporting person's release agreement.  In addition, Reporting person holds 4,539 Performance Units (PUs) granted in 2014, 4,695 PUs granted in 2015 and 4,696 PUs granted in 2016.  Such PUs will continue to be paid (in cash or in the case of PUs granted in 2016, in cash or shares) upon the original vesting dates, as per their terms based on the Company's relative total shareholder return, and when and as paid to other executives.

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