Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 524,922	$ 398,575	$ 641,702	$ 927,815
Short-term investments	253,282	140,914
Assets held for sale	383,857	401,500
Accounts receivable, net	1,382,623	1,576,555
Inventory	251,133	272,852
Deferred income taxes	110,480	127,874
Other current assets	226,560	170,044
Total current assets	3,132,857	3,088,314
Long-term investments	4,269	11,124
Property, plant and equipment, net	8,712,088	8,629,946	7,815,419
Goodwill	472,326	501,258	494,372
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	61,690	371,021
Other long-term assets	272,792	310,477
Total assets	12,656,022	12,912,140	11,646,569
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	364	275,326
Trade accounts payable	499,010	782,753
Accrued liabilities	633,008	744,483
Total current liabilities	1,132,382	1,802,562
Long-term debt	4,379,336	4,348,490
Other long-term liabilities	518,664	292,758
Deferred income taxes	599,335	797,925
Total liabilities	6,629,717	7,241,735
Subsidiary preferred stock	69,188	69,188
Shareholders' equity	5,944,929	5,587,815
Noncontrolling interest	12,188	13,402
Total equity	5,957,117	5,601,217	5,342,863	5,181,979
Total liabilities and equity	12,656,022	12,912,140
Nabors (Parent/Guarantor)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,639	203	10,847	11,702
Other current assets	50	50
Total current assets	1,689	253
Intercompany receivables	174,948	164,760
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	5,769,518	5,429,029
Total assets	5,946,155	5,594,042
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	116	42
Accrued liabilities	1,110	6,185
Total current liabilities	1,226	6,227
Total liabilities	1,226	6,227
Shareholders' equity	5,944,929	5,587,815
Total equity	5,944,929	5,587,815
Total liabilities and equity	5,946,155	5,594,042
Nabors Delaware (Issuer/Guarantor)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	106,778	21	20	135
Other current assets		671
Total current assets	106,778	692
Property, plant and equipment, net	37,300	40,792
Intercompany receivables	1,690,636	1,620,365
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	5,129,458	6,084,868
Other long-term assets	31,904	32,037
Total assets	6,996,076	7,778,754
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt		274,604
Trade accounts payable	23	23
Accrued liabilities	91,520	100,101
Total current liabilities	91,543	374,728
Long-term debt	4,379,263	4,297,500
Other long-term liabilities	30,983	32,303
Deferred income taxes	(24,906)	11,221
Intercompany payable	2,535,988	1,999,765
Total liabilities	7,012,871	6,715,517
Shareholders' equity	(16,795)	1,063,237
Total equity	(16,795)	1,063,237
Total liabilities and equity	6,996,076	7,778,754
Other Subsidiaries (Non-Guarantors)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	416,505	398,351	630,835	915,978
Short-term investments	253,282	140,914
Assets held for sale	383,857	401,500
Accounts receivable, net	1,382,623	1,576,555
Inventory	251,133	272,852
Deferred income taxes	110,480	127,874
Other current assets	226,510	169,323
Total current assets	3,024,390	3,087,369
Long-term investments	4,269	11,124
Property, plant and equipment, net	8,674,788	8,589,154
Goodwill	472,326	501,258
Intercompany receivables	670,404	214,640
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	395,246	1,843,654
Other long-term assets	240,888	278,440
Total assets	13,482,311	14,525,639
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	364	722
Trade accounts payable	498,871	782,688
Accrued liabilities	540,378	638,197
Total current liabilities	1,039,613	1,421,607
Long-term debt	73	50,990
Other long-term liabilities	487,681	260,455
Deferred income taxes	624,241	786,704
Total liabilities	2,151,608	2,519,756
Subsidiary preferred stock	69,188	69,188
Shareholders' equity	11,249,327	11,923,293
Noncontrolling interest	12,188	13,402
Total equity	11,261,515	11,936,695
Total liabilities and equity	13,482,311	14,525,639
Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets:
Intercompany receivables	(2,535,988)	(1,999,765)
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	(11,232,532)	(12,986,530)
Total assets	(13,768,520)	(14,986,295)
Current liabilities:
Intercompany payable	(2,535,988)	(1,999,765)
Total liabilities	(2,535,988)	(1,999,765)
Shareholders' equity	(11,232,532)	(12,986,530)
Total equity	(11,232,532)	(12,986,530)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (13,768,520)	$ (14,986,295)