Amount of sale price attributable to the disposal group, including a component of the entity (discontinued operation).

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	nbr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of proceeds from sale attributable to the disposal group, including a component of the entity (discontinued operation), received during the reporting period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	nbr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

Current assets (normally turning over within one year or one business cycle if longer) that are held for sale apart from normal operations and anticipated to be sold within one year.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 10

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6892542&loc=d3e1107-107759

+ Details

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- Details

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Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

The aggregate amount of write-downs for impairments recognized during the period for long-lived assets held for abandonment, exchange or sale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 360

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 15

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8077374&loc=d3e2611-110228

+ Details

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Assets Held-for-Sale and Discontinued Operations (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2013 Oil and gas	Sep. 30, 2013 Oil and gas	Dec. 31, 2012 Oil and gas	Sep. 30, 2013 Rig Services	Apr. 02, 2013 Rig Services	Dec. 31, 2012 Rig Services
Assets held-for-sale
Assets held for sale	$ 396,201,000	$ 396,201,000		$ 383,857,000		$ 264,710,000	$ 377,625,000	$ 131,491,000		$ 6,232,000
Adjustment to carrying value of assets	14,044,000	14,044,000	46,264,000			34,400,000
Initial proceeds					90,000,000
Sale price									$ 9,300,000