Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 item	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014 item	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Financial information with respect to reportable segments
Number of Major Business Lines	2								2
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:	$ 1,783,407,000	$ 1,810,911,000	$ 1,616,405,000	$ 1,587,173,000	$ 1,605,390,000	$ 1,548,965,000	$ 1,459,326,000	$ 1,538,373,000	$ 6,797,896,000	$ 6,152,054,000	$ 6,554,333,000
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities									597,998,000	558,219,000	908,550,000
U.S. oil and gas joint venture earnings (losses)	(400,000)	(2,900,000)	(600,000)	(2,400,000)	(1,600,000)	(2,600,000)	1,400,000	2,900,000	(6,301,000)	39,000	(288,718,000)
Interest expense									(177,948,000)	(223,418,000)	(251,904,000)
Investment income (loss)									11,831,000	96,577,000	63,137,000
Gains (losses) on sales and disposals of long-lived assets and other income (expense), net									(9,073,000)	(37,977,000)	136,636,000
Impairments and other charges									(1,027,423,000)	(287,241,000)	(290,260,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									(604,615,000)	106,160,000	276,960,000
Income tax expense (benefit)									62,666,000	(55,181,000)	40,986,000
Subsidiary preferred stock dividend									1,984,000	3,000,000	3,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	(886,401,000)	102,430,000	65,729,000	48,977,000	128,516,000	(90,510,000)	28,128,000	92,207,000	(669,265,000)	158,341,000	232,974,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(4,467,000)	4,005,000	(1,032,000)	1,515,000	23,113,000	(14,430,000)	(26,873,000)	7,011,000	21,000	(11,179,000)	(67,526,000)
Net income (loss)									(669,244,000)	147,162,000	165,448,000
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(202,000)	(387,000)	(253,000)	(573,000)	(1,026,000)	(441,000)	(5,616,000)	(97,000)	(1,415,000)	(7,180,000)	(621,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	(891,070,000)	106,048,000	64,444,000	49,919,000	150,603,000	(105,381,000)	(4,361,000)	99,121,000	(670,659,000)	139,982,000	164,827,000
ASSETS
Total assets	11,879,942,000				12,159,811,000				11,879,942,000	12,159,811,000
Assets held for sale	146,467,000				243,264,000				146,467,000	243,264,000
Equity in earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates, net									(7,102,000)	(800,000)	(299,717,000)
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization									1,145,100,000	1,086,677,000	1,039,923,000
Capital expenditures and acquisitions of businesses
Capital expenditures and acquisitions									1,923,779,000	1,365,994,000	1,433,586,000
Subtotal drilling and rig services
Financial information with respect to reportable segments
Number of operating segments									4
Production and Completion Services
Financial information with respect to reportable segments
Number of operating segments									2
Oil and Gas
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities
U.S. oil and gas joint venture earnings (losses)											(289,199,000)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									21,000	(27,396,000)	(66,033,000)
ASSETS
Assets held for sale	146,467,000				239,936,000				146,467,000	239,936,000
Operating Segments | Subtotal drilling and rig services
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:									4,805,564,000	4,256,730,000	4,659,589,000
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities									713,227,000	550,604,000	759,846,000
ASSETS
Total assets	9,164,796,000				8,915,262,000				9,164,796,000	8,915,262,000
Equity in earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates, net									(6,800,000)	(400,000)
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates accounted for using equity method	48,100,000				57,000,000				48,100,000	57,000,000
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization									922,396,000	876,694,000	825,936,000
Capital expenditures and acquisitions of businesses
Capital expenditures and acquisitions									1,781,092,000	1,023,989,000	1,142,456,000
Operating Segments | Subtotal drilling and rig services | Reportable Subsegments | US Segment
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:									2,159,968,000	1,914,786,000	2,276,808,000
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities									370,173,000	315,496,000	509,894,000
ASSETS
Total assets	4,184,854,000				4,248,630,000				4,184,854,000	4,248,630,000
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization									465,506,000	440,210,000	406,740,000
Capital expenditures and acquisitions of businesses
Capital expenditures and acquisitions									839,536,000	644,792,000	758,555,000
Operating Segments | Subtotal drilling and rig services | Reportable Subsegments | Canada Segment
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:									335,192,000	361,676,000	429,411,000
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities									52,468,000	61,193,000	91,360,000
ASSETS
Total assets	615,269,000				608,018,000				615,269,000	608,018,000
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization									55,986,000	57,796,000	59,191,000
Capital expenditures and acquisitions of businesses
Capital expenditures and acquisitions									49,317,000	59,386,000	78,729,000
Operating Segments | Subtotal drilling and rig services | Reportable Subsegments | International Excluding Canada
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:									1,623,102,000	1,464,264,000	1,265,060,000
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities									242,818,000	177,833,000	91,226,000
ASSETS
Total assets	3,815,051,000				3,584,339,000				3,815,051,000	3,584,339,000
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization									367,345,000	346,659,000	330,388,000
Capital expenditures and acquisitions of businesses
Capital expenditures and acquisitions									788,748,000	248,980,000	265,249,000
Operating Segments | Subtotal drilling and rig services | Reportable Subsegments | Rig Services
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:									687,302,000	516,004,000	688,310,000
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities									47,768,000	(3,918,000)	67,366,000
ASSETS
Total assets	549,622,000				474,275,000				549,622,000	474,275,000
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization									33,559,000	32,029,000	29,617,000
Capital expenditures and acquisitions of businesses
Capital expenditures and acquisitions									103,491,000	70,831,000	39,923,000
Operating Segments | Production and Completion Services
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:									2,251,899,000	2,083,927,000	2,463,640,000
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities									78,336,000	153,852,000	297,353,000
ASSETS
Total assets	1,933,387,000				2,394,865,000				1,933,387,000	2,394,865,000
Equity in earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates, net									500,000	400,000	500,000
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates accounted for using equity method	10,200,000				7,400,000				10,200,000	7,400,000
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization									224,422,000	212,744,000	216,602,000
Capital expenditures and acquisitions of businesses
Capital expenditures and acquisitions									156,106,000	325,449,000	238,300,000
Operating Segments | Production and Completion Services | Reportable Subsegments | Pressure Pumping
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:									1,218,361,000	1,074,713,000	1,462,767,000
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities									(15,078,000)	51,722,000	188,518,000
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization									109,917,000	109,242,000	112,401,000
Operating Segments | Production and Completion Services | Reportable Subsegments | United States Land Well Servicing
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:									1,033,538,000	1,009,214,000	1,000,873,000
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities									93,414,000	102,130,000	108,835,000
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization									114,505,000	103,502,000	104,201,000
Intersegment Eliminations
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:
Operating revenues and Earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates:									(259,567,000)	(188,603,000)	(568,896,000)
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities
Adjusted income (loss) derived from operating activities									(193,565,000)	(146,237,000)	(148,649,000)
ASSETS
Total assets	781,759,000				849,684,000				781,759,000	849,684,000
Assets held for sale	146,500,000				239,900,000				146,500,000	239,900,000
Depreciation and amortization:
Depreciation and amortization									(1,718,000)	(2,761,000)	(2,615,000)
Capital expenditures and acquisitions of businesses
Capital expenditures and acquisitions									$ (13,419,000)	$ 16,556,000	$ 52,830,000