Debt (Details Textuals) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount of private placement	$ 700,000,000
Additional unsecured revolving credit facility	550,000,000
Debt (Textuals) [Abstract]
Maturity period of revolving credit facility	September, 2014
Purchase price of notes	equal to 101% of their principal amount,plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any
Federal Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument basis spread on variable	0.50%
Libor Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument basis spread on variable	1.00%
0.94% Senior Exchangeable Notes Due May 2011 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate on senior note due	0.94%
Remaining aggregate principal amount	1,400,000,000
6.15% Senior Notes Due February 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate on senior note due	6.15%
Aggregate principal amount of private placement	967,186,000	966,276,000
9.25% Senior Notes Due January 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate on senior note due	9.25%
Aggregate principal amount of private placement	1,125,000,000	1,125,000,000
5.375% Senior Notes Due August 2012 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate on senior note due	5.375%
Aggregate principal amount of private placement	274,448,000	273,977,000
5.00% senior notes due September 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate on senior note due	5.00%
Aggregate principal amount of private placement	697,266,000	697,037,000
4.625% senior notes due September 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate on senior note due	4.625%
Aggregate principal amount of private placement	697,607,000	0
Revolving Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowings under revolving credit facilities	1,200,000,000
Weighted average interest rate on revolving credit facilities	1.80%
Increase in aggregate principal amount of commitments	200,000,000
Unsecured revolving credit facility	1,400,000,000
Unsecured revolving credit facility borrowing capacity	800,000,000
Additional unsecured revolving credit facility	600,000,000	0
New Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving Credit facility Interest Rate Description	Borrowings under the senior unsecured revolving credit facilities bear interest, at Nabor’s option, for either (x) the “Base Rate” (as defined below) plus the applicable interest margin, calculated on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed in a year of 365 days and payable quarterly in arrears or (y) interest periods of one, two, three or six months at an annual rate equal to the LIBOR for the corresponding deposits of U.S. dollars, plus the applicable interest margin.
Revolving Credit facility Base Rate Description	The “Base Rate” is defined, for any day, as a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (i) the Federal Funds Rate, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, plus 1/2 of 1%, (ii) the prime commercial lending rate of the administrative agent, as established from time to time and (iii) LIBOR for an interest period of one month beginning on such day plus 1%
Nabors Delaware (Issuer/Guarantor) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Additional unsecured revolving credit facility	1,350,000,000
Consolidated Subsidiary [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Additional unsecured revolving credit facility	$ 50,000,000