Supplemental Balance Sheet Income Statement and Cash Flow Information (Details Textuals) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Impaired Long-Lived Assets Held and Used [Line Items]
Impairment of long-lived assets	$ 98,100,000	$ 34,832,000
Supplemental Balance Sheet Income Statement and Cash Flow Information (Textuals) [Abstract]
Net unrealized gains (losses) from trading securities	8,100,000
Realized gain on long-term investments	12,900,000
Foreign currency exchange losses for operations in venezuela related to currency devaluation	8,200,000
Comprehensive loss	276,632,000	29,503,000
Impairment of oil and gas-related assets	0	54,347,000
Goodwill impairments	0	10,707,000
Equity Interest acquired	50.00%
Equity Method Investment ownership percentage	50.00%
Remeasurement gain on acquisition of equity interest in Acquiree	(12,178,000)
Impairment of long-lived assets	98,100,000	34,832,000
U.S. Lower 48 Land Drilling [Member]
Impaired Long-Lived Assets Held and Used [Line Items]
Impairment of long-lived assets	63,200,000
Supplemental Balance Sheet Income Statement and Cash Flow Information (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairments	0
Impairment of long-lived assets	63,200,000
U.S. Land Well-servicing [Member]
Impaired Long-Lived Assets Held and Used [Line Items]
Impairment of long-lived assets	8,900,000
Supplemental Balance Sheet Income Statement and Cash Flow Information (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairments	0
Impairment of long-lived assets	8,900,000
International [Member]
Impaired Long-Lived Assets Held and Used [Line Items]
Impairment of long-lived assets	26,100,000
Supplemental Balance Sheet Income Statement and Cash Flow Information (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairments	0
Impairment of long-lived assets	26,100,000
U.S. Offshore [Member]
Supplemental Balance Sheet Income Statement and Cash Flow Information (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairments	0
Other Operating Segments [Member]
Supplemental Balance Sheet Income Statement and Cash Flow Information (Textuals) [Abstract]
Goodwill impairments	$ 0