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Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Change in unrecognized tax benefits      
Balance as of January 1 $ 47,552,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits $ 83,950,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits $ 68,848,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year 167,107,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions 145,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions 922,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions
Additions for tax positions of prior years 1,744,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions 3,360,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions 16,372,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Reductions for tax positions of prior years (4,473,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions (30,320,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions (1,174,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Settlements (8,223,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities (9,583,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities (1,018,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
Balance as of December 31 203,707,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 47,552,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 83,950,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year due to internal restructuring 166,000,000nbr_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositionsDueToInternalReorganization    
Reductions for tax positions for prior years due to expiration of statutes 8,700,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations    
Interest and penalties on unrecognized tax benefits 16,900,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense 20,600,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense 42,800,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense
Liability related to unrecognized tax benefit for accrued interest and penalties 6,100,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued 5,200,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued 2,700,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued
Mexico Audit Assessment      
Change in unrecognized tax benefits      
Addition to unrecognized tax benefits   10,400,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= nbr_MexicoAuditAssessmentMember
 
Algeria Canada And Oman Settlements      
Change in unrecognized tax benefits      
Settlements $ 21,600,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= nbr_AlgeriaCanadaAndOmanSettlementsMember