Debt (Details 3) (USD $)	12 Months Ended														1 Months Ended					0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended						12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 Nabors Delaware	Dec. 31, 2012 Nabors Delaware	Dec. 31, 2011 Nabors Delaware	Dec. 31, 2013 2.35% and 5.10% Senior Notes Due September 2016 and September 2023 Nabors Delaware	Sep. 30, 2013 2.35% and 5.10% Senior Notes Due September 2016 and September 2023 Nabors Delaware	Dec. 31, 2013 2.35% senior notes due September 2016	Sep. 30, 2013 2.35% senior notes due September 2016	Sep. 30, 2013 2.35% senior notes due September 2016 Nabors Delaware	Dec. 31, 2013 5.10% senior notes due September 2023	Sep. 30, 2013 5.10% senior notes due September 2023	Sep. 30, 2013 5.10% senior notes due September 2023 Nabors Delaware	Sep. 30, 2013 9.25% senior notes due January 2019	Dec. 31, 2013 9.25% senior notes due January 2019	Sep. 30, 2013 9.25% senior notes due January 2019 A consolidated affiliate	Dec. 31, 2013 9.25% senior notes due January 2019 Nabors Delaware	Dec. 31, 2013 6.15% senior notes due February 2018	Jul. 22, 2008 6.15% senior notes due February 2018 Nabors Delaware	Dec. 31, 2013 6.15% senior notes due February 2018 Nabors Delaware	Feb. 29, 2008 6.15% senior notes due February 2018 Nabors Delaware	Dec. 31, 2013 5.00% senior notes due September 2020	Dec. 31, 2013 5.00% senior notes due September 2020 Nabors Delaware	Sep. 30, 2010 5.00% senior notes due September 2020 Nabors Delaware	Dec. 31, 2013 4.625% senior notes due September 2021	Aug. 31, 2011 4.625% senior notes due September 2021 Nabors Delaware	Dec. 31, 2013 4.625% senior notes due September 2021 Nabors Delaware	Aug. 31, 2012 5.375% senior notes due August 2012 Nabors Delaware	Dec. 31, 2013 5.375% senior notes due August 2012 Nabors Delaware	Dec. 31, 2013 0.94% Senior Exchangeable Notes Due May 2011	May 31, 2011 0.94% Senior Exchangeable Notes Due May 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 0.94% Senior Exchangeable Notes Due May 2011 Nabors Delaware	Dec. 31, 2013 Revolving Credit Facility	Dec. 31, 2013 Revolving Credit Facility Minimum	Dec. 31, 2013 Commercial paper	Dec. 31, 2013 Commercial paper Nabors Delaware	Apr. 30, 2013 Commercial paper Nabors Delaware	Apr. 30, 2013 Commercial paper Nabors Delaware Maximum
Debt
Interest rate on senior notes due (as a percent)									2.35%	2.35%		5.10%	5.10%			9.25%		9.25%	6.15%		6.15%		5.00%	5.00%		4.625%		4.625%		5.375%	0.94%		0.94%
Aggregate amount of senior notes								$ 700,000,000			$ 350,000,000			$ 350,000,000		$ 339,600,000				$ 975,000,000		$ 575,000,000			$ 700,000,000				$ 275,000,000								$ 329,800,000
Principal amount redeemed															785,400,000		14,000,000
Issuance of notes	698,753,000		697,578,000			697,578,000														400,000,000							700,000,000
Redemption price of debt instrument (as a percent)																					100.00%
Redemption price of principal amount of debt instrument including accrued and unpaid interest (as a percent)							101.00%														101.00%			101.00%				101.00%
Payment of debt	994,181,000	276,258,000	1,404,281,000	994,112,000	224,997,000	1,404,246,000									1,000,000,000														282,400,000
Premium and related fees paid in the redemption															211,900,000
Payment of debt, portion financed through line of credit borrowings																													270,000,000
Payment of debt accrued interest																													7,400,000
Current portion of long-term debt	10,185,000	364,000																														1,400,000,000
Maximum borrowing capacity																																						1,500,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity term																																							397 days
Remaining period to maturity																																			1 year
Remaining availability under credit facility																																		1,300,000,000
Maximum borrowing capacity																																		$ 1,500,000,000
Weighted average interest rate on revolving credit facilities (as a percent)																																		1.49%		0.446%