Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Current assets:
Cash	$ 389,915	$ 524,922		$ 398,575	$ 641,702
Short-term investments	117,218	253,282
Assets held for sale	243,264	383,857
Accounts receivable, net	1,399,543	1,382,623
Inventory	209,793	251,133	262,587
Deferred income taxes	121,316	110,480
Other current assets	272,781	226,560
Total current assets	2,753,830	3,132,857	3,126,024
Long-term investments	3,236	4,269
Property, plant and equipment, net	8,597,813	8,712,088		8,629,946
Goodwill	512,964	472,326		501,258
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	64,260	61,690	324,849
Other long-term assets	227,708	272,792
Total assets	12,159,811	12,656,022	13,166,740
Current liabilities:
Current debt	10,185	364
Trade accounts payable	545,512	499,010
Accrued liabilities	697,093	599,380
Income taxes payable	58,634	33,628
Total current liabilities	1,311,424	1,132,382
Long-term debt	3,904,117	4,379,336
Other long-term liabilities	377,744	518,664
Deferred income taxes	516,161	599,335	852,650
Total liabilities	6,109,446	6,629,717	7,253,419
Subsidiary preferred stock	69,188	69,188
Shareholders' equity	5,969,086	5,944,929	5,831,876
Noncontrolling interest	12,091	12,188
Total equity	5,981,177	5,957,117	5,844,133	5,600,424	5,337,225
Total liabilities and equity	12,159,811	12,656,022	13,169,147
Nabors (Parent/Guarantor)
Current assets:
Cash	730	1,639		203	10,847
Accounts receivable, net	27
Other current assets	50	50
Total current assets	807	1,689
Intercompany receivables	160,136	174,948
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	5,808,606	5,769,518
Total assets	5,969,549	5,946,155
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	86	116
Accrued liabilities	378	1,110
Total current liabilities	464	1,226
Total liabilities	464	1,226
Shareholders' equity	5,969,085	5,944,929
Total equity	5,969,085	5,944,929
Total liabilities and equity	5,969,549	5,946,155
Nabors Delaware (Issuer/Guarantor)
Current assets:
Cash	7,029	106,778		21	20
Other current assets	26,378
Total current assets	33,407	106,778
Property, plant and equipment, net	33,815	37,300
Intercompany receivables	3,891	1,690,636
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	6,097,337	5,129,458
Other long-term assets	34,487	31,904
Total assets	6,202,937	6,996,076
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	25	23
Accrued liabilities	65,947	91,520
Total current liabilities	65,972	91,543
Long-term debt	3,904,059	4,379,263
Other long-term liabilities	31,071	30,983
Deferred income taxes	(213,233)	(24,906)
Intercompany payable	1,747,566	2,535,988
Total liabilities	5,535,435	7,012,871
Shareholders' equity	667,502	(16,795)
Total equity	667,502	(16,795)
Total liabilities and equity	6,202,937	6,996,076
Other Subsidiaries (Non-Guarantors)
Current assets:
Cash	382,156	416,505		398,351	630,835
Short-term investments	117,218	253,282
Assets held for sale	243,264	383,857
Accounts receivable, net	1,399,516	1,382,623
Inventory	209,793	251,133
Deferred income taxes	121,316	110,480
Other current assets	246,353	226,510
Total current assets	2,719,616	3,024,390
Long-term investments	3,236	4,269
Property, plant and equipment, net	8,563,998	8,674,788
Goodwill	512,964	472,326
Intercompany receivables	1,583,539	670,404
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	1,854,111	395,246
Other long-term assets	193,221	240,888
Total assets	15,430,685	13,482,311
Current liabilities:
Current debt	10,185	364
Trade accounts payable	545,401	498,871
Accrued liabilities	630,768	506,750
Income taxes payable	58,634	33,628
Total current liabilities	1,244,988	1,039,613
Long-term debt	58	73
Other long-term liabilities	346,673	487,681
Deferred income taxes	729,394	624,241
Total liabilities	2,321,113	2,151,608
Subsidiary preferred stock	69,188	69,188
Shareholders' equity	13,028,293	11,249,327
Noncontrolling interest	12,091	12,188
Total equity	13,040,384	11,261,515
Total liabilities and equity	15,430,685	13,482,311
Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets:
Intercompany receivables	(1,747,566)	(2,535,988)
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	(13,695,794)	(11,232,532)
Total assets	(15,443,360)	(13,768,520)
Current liabilities:
Intercompany payable	(1,747,566)	(2,535,988)
Total liabilities	(1,747,566)	(2,535,988)
Shareholders' equity	(13,695,794)	(11,232,532)
Total equity	(13,695,794)	(11,232,532)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (15,443,360)	$ (13,768,520)