Rowan lays off another 50 workers due to drillship cancellation

Offshore drilling firm Rowan Companies has announced a further round of worker layoffs, with up to 50 employees to lose their jobs this time.

Houston-based Rowan informed the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) of the plan, which will hit workers on the Rowan Reliance drillship contracted by Cobalt International Energy in the Gulf of Mexico off Morgan City, Louisiana.

The layoffs are necessitated by the early termination of the contract, which was scheduled through to February 2018. They will begin taking effect from August 21 onwards.

Rowan told TWC that it will retain some staff to maintain the rig while it is idle.

This announcement follows a similar, larger round of layoffs in early May affecting around 150 people, also because of this contract cancellation.