Nature of Operations (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014 item
Nature of Operations
Number of major business lines	2
Number of platform rigs actively marketed	37
Number of jack-up rigs actively marketed	7
Number of hydraulic horsepower pressure pumping services in key basins throughout United States and Canada	805,000
Nature of operations
Number of actively marketed land drilling rigs	501
Minimum number of countries in which oil and gas land drilling operations are conducted	20
C&J Energy Services Ltd
Nature of Operations
Ownership percentage	53.00%
Joint Venture in Saudi Arabia
Nature of Operations
Ownership percentage	51.00%
Number of rigs actively markets in joint venture	5
UNITED STATES
Nature of Operations
Number of rigs marketing for land well-servicing and workover service	444
CANADA
Nature of Operations
Number of rigs marketing for land well-servicing and workover service	98