Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 4) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities	$ 1,781,911,000	$ 1,418,223,000	$ 1,562,705,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of investments	(319,000)		(949,000)
Sales and maturities of investments	23,992,000	164,510,000	31,944,000
Cash paid for acquisition of businesses, net	(72,534,000)	(116,971,000)
Proceeds from sale of unconsolidated affiliates	750,000	12,640,000	159,529,000
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	(2,365,000)	(5,967,000)	(1,325,000)
Capital expenditures	(1,821,315,000)	(1,178,205,000)	(1,518,628,000)
Proceeds from sales of assets and insurance claims	156,761,000	308,538,000	149,801,000
Other	(1,879,000)	(13,000)
Net cash used for investing activities	(1,716,909,000)	(815,468,000)	(1,179,628,000)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Increase (decrease) in cash overdrafts	(6,151,000)	(4,421,000)	1,612,000
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt		698,753,000
Debt issuance costs		(4,500,000)	(3,433,000)
Proceeds from revolving credit facilities	465,000,000		710,000,000
Proceeds from (payments for) issuance of common shares	30,263,000	5,383,000	(3,625,000)
Repurchase of common shares	(250,037,000)
Reduction in long-term debt		(994,181,000)	(276,258,000)
Proceeds from (payments for) commercial paper, net	203,275,000	329,844,000
Reduction in revolving credit facilities	(230,932,000)	(720,000,000)	(680,000,000)
Purchase of preferred stock	(70,875,000)
Other	(11,550,000)	6,704,000	(2,423,000)
Dividends to shareholders	(59,145,000)	(47,168,000)
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	69,848,000	(729,586,000)	(254,127,000)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(23,616,000)	(8,176,000)	(2,603,000)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	111,234,000	(135,007,000)	126,347,000
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	389,915,000	524,922,000	398,575,000
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	501,149,000	389,915,000	524,922,000
Parent Company
Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities	26,943,000	16,746,000	7,253,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash paid for acquisition of businesses, net			(35,000)
Cash paid for investments in consolidated affiliates		(100,000)
Net cash used for investing activities		(100,000)	(35,000)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from (payments for) issuance of common shares	30,263,000	37,455,000	(3,622,000)
Proceeds from intercompany debt	55,000,000
Paydown of intercompany debt	55,000,000
Proceeds from (payments for) issuance of parent common shares to affiliates	16,424,000
Other	(7,740,000)	(3,296,000)	(2,160,000)
Dividends to shareholders	(65,450,000)	(51,713,000)
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(26,503,000)	(17,554,000)	(5,782,000)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	440,000	(908,000)	1,436,000
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	730,000	1,639,000	203,000
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	1,170,000	730,000	1,639,000
Nabors Delaware (Issuer/Guarantor)
Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities	(71,982,000)	(157,952,000)	39,708,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash paid for investments in consolidated affiliates		(772,000,000)
Changes in intercompany balances	(418,315,000)	748,537,000	274,482,000
Net cash used for investing activities	(418,315,000)	(23,463,000)	274,482,000
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt		698,434,000
Debt issuance costs		(4,500,000)	(3,433,000)
Proceeds from revolving credit facilities	450,000,000		710,000,000
Reduction in long-term debt		(994,112,000)	(224,997,000)
Proceeds from (payments for) commercial paper, net	203,275,000	329,844,000
Reduction in revolving credit facilities	(170,000,000)	(720,000,000)	(680,000,000)
Proceeds from parent contributions		772,000,000
Dividends to shareholders			(9,003,000)
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	483,275,000	81,666,000	(207,433,000)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(7,022,000)	(99,749,000)	106,757,000
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	7,029,000	106,778,000	21,000
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	7,000	7,029,000	106,778,000
Other Subsidiaries (Non-Guarantors)
Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities	1,816,831,000	1,531,902,000	1,546,250,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of investments	(319,000)		(949,000)
Sales and maturities of investments	23,992,000	164,510,000	31,944,000
Cash paid for acquisition of businesses, net	(72,534,000)	(116,971,000)
Proceeds from sale of unconsolidated affiliates	750,000	12,640,000	159,529,000
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	(2,365,000)	(5,967,000)	(1,325,000)
Capital expenditures	(1,821,315,000)	(1,178,205,000)	(1,518,628,000)
Proceeds from sales of assets and insurance claims	156,761,000	308,538,000	149,801,000
Cash paid for investments in consolidated affiliates		(1,544,000,000)
Other	(1,879,000)	(13,000)
Changes in intercompany balances	418,315,000	(748,537,000)	(274,482,000)
Net cash used for investing activities	(1,298,594,000)	(3,108,005,000)	(1,454,110,000)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Increase (decrease) in cash overdrafts	(6,151,000)	(4,421,000)	1,612,000
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt		319,000
Proceeds from revolving credit facilities	15,000,000
Proceeds from (payments for) issuance of common shares			(3,000)
Repurchase of common shares	(250,037,000)
Proceeds from intercompany debt	(55,000,000)
Paydown of intercompany debt	(55,000,000)
Reduction in long-term debt		(69,000)	(51,261,000)
Reduction in revolving credit facilities	(60,932,000)
Purchase of preferred stock	(70,875,000)
Other	(3,810,000)	10,000,000	(263,000)
Proceeds from parent contributions		1,544,100,000	35,000
Dividends to shareholders			(21,503,000)
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(376,805,000)	1,549,929,000	(71,383,000)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(23,616,000)	(8,176,000)	(2,603,000)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	117,816,000	(34,350,000)	18,154,000
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	382,156,000	416,505,000	398,351,000
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	499,972,000	382,156,000	416,505,000
Consolidation, Eliminations
Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Cash Flows
Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities	10,119,000	27,527,000	(30,506,000)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash paid for acquisition of businesses, net			35,000
Cash paid for investments in consolidated affiliates		2,316,100,000
Net cash used for investing activities		2,316,100,000	35,000
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from (payments for) issuance of common shares		(32,072,000)
Proceeds from (payments for) issuance of parent common shares to affiliates	(16,424,000)
Proceeds from parent contributions		(2,316,100,000)	(35,000)
Dividends to shareholders	6,305,000	4,545,000	30,506,000
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	$ (10,119,000)	$ (2,343,627,000)	$ 30,471,000