Related-Party Transactions (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended					3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Mr. Linn LINN	Dec. 31, 2012 Mr. Crane CCG	Mar. 31, 2010 Shona	Dec. 31, 2011 Shona	Dec. 31, 2012 Canacol Energy Ltd	Dec. 31, 2012 Key employees, including Messrs. Isenberg and Petrello	Dec. 31, 2011 Key employees, including Messrs. Isenberg and Petrello	Dec. 31, 2012 Gene M Isenberg Nabors Delaware	Oct. 28, 2011 Gene M Isenberg Nabors Delaware
Related Party Transactions
Premium payments to date related to life insurance policies									$ 6,300,000
Cash surrender value included in other long-term assets									5,800,000	5,800,000
Revenue from related party	164,000,000	218,400,000	271,600,000	12,500,000
Expenses from business transactions with unconsolidated affiliates	100,000	900,000	3,400,000
Accounts receivable from affiliated entities	68,700,000	110,700,000		1,900,000
Accounts payable to affiliated entities	3,200,000	46,100,000			1,400,000
Amount paid to related party for services provided					42,000,000
Long-term payables with affiliated entities	800,000
Possible Payment in Connection with termination of employment												100,000,000
Term of appointment as chairman											3 years
Term of additional extension as chairman											1 year
Amount to be paid into the escrow account											6,600,000
Guaranteed interest rate per annum compounded daily (as a percent)											6.00%
Purchase price of Shona's common stock						$ 900,000
Equity Method Investment ownership percentage							7.55%	2.17%