Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 404,453	$ 389,915	$ 395,923	$ 524,922
Short-term investments	60,365	117,218
Assets held for sale	158,327	243,264
Accounts receivable, net	1,624,441	1,399,543
Inventory	242,876	209,793
Deferred income taxes	91,837	121,316
Other current assets	210,172	272,781
Total current assets	2,792,471	2,753,830
Long-term investments	2,568	3,236
Property, plant and equipment, net	9,016,508	8,597,813
Goodwill	512,203	512,964
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	60,451	64,260
Other long-term assets	235,139	227,708
Total assets	12,619,340	12,159,811
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt	196	10,185
Trade accounts payable	693,931	545,512
Accrued liabilities	702,508	697,093
Income taxes payable	18,946	58,634
Total current liabilities	1,415,581	1,311,424
Long-term debt	4,255,136	3,904,117
Other long-term liabilities	596,968	377,744
Deferred income taxes	478,421	516,161
Total liabilities	6,746,106	6,109,446
Subsidiary preferred stock		69,188
Shareholders' equity	5,862,873	5,969,086
Noncontrolling interest	10,361	12,091
Total equity	5,873,234	5,981,177	5,837,593	5,957,117
Total liabilities and equity	12,619,340	12,159,811
Nabors (Parent/Guarantor)
Condensed Consolidating Financial Information
Ownership percentage	100.00%
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	2,423	730	1,794	1,639
Accounts receivable, net		27
Other current assets	50	50
Total current assets	2,473	807
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	65	86
Accrued liabilities	5,786	378
Total current liabilities	5,851	464
Intercompany payable	29,000
Nabors Delaware (Issuer)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	7	7,029	7,018	106,778
Other current assets	5,428	26,378
Total current assets	5,435	33,407
Property, plant and equipment, net	31,201	33,815
Other long-term assets	30,618	34,487
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	5	25
Accrued liabilities	17,810	65,947
Total current liabilities	17,815	65,972
Long-term debt	4,277,063	3,904,059
Other long-term liabilities	30,076	31,071
Deferred income taxes	(276,525)	(213,233)
Other Subsidiaries (Non-Guarantors)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	402,023	382,156	387,111	416,505
Short-term investments	60,365	117,218
Assets held for sale	158,327	243,264
Accounts receivable, net	1,624,441	1,399,516
Inventory	242,876	209,793
Deferred income taxes	91,837	121,316
Other current assets	204,694	246,353
Total current assets	2,784,563	2,719,616
Long-term investments	2,568	3,236
Property, plant and equipment, net	8,985,307	8,563,998
Goodwill	512,203	512,964
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	60,451	64,260
Other long-term assets	204,521	193,221
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt	196	10,185
Trade accounts payable	693,861	545,401
Accrued liabilities	678,912	630,768
Income taxes payable	18,946	58,634
Total current liabilities	1,391,915	1,244,988
Long-term debt	(21,927)	58
Other long-term liabilities	566,892	346,673
Deferred income taxes	754,946	729,394
Subsidiary preferred stock		69,188
Noncontrolling interest	10,361	12,091
Reportable Legal Entities | Nabors (Parent/Guarantor)
Current assets:
Intercompany receivables	182,433	160,136
Investment in consolidated affiliates	5,712,818	5,808,607
Total assets	5,897,724	5,969,550
Current liabilities:
Total liabilities	34,851	464
Shareholders' equity	5,862,873	5,969,086
Total equity	5,862,873	5,969,086
Total liabilities and equity	5,897,724	5,969,550
Reportable Legal Entities | Nabors Delaware (Issuer)
Current assets:
Intercompany receivables		3,891
Investment in consolidated affiliates	6,209,501	6,097,337
Total assets	6,276,755	6,202,937
Current liabilities:
Intercompany payable	1,539,572	1,747,566
Total liabilities	5,588,001	5,535,435
Shareholders' equity	688,754	667,502
Total equity	688,754	667,502
Total liabilities and equity	6,276,755	6,202,937
Reportable Legal Entities | Other Subsidiaries (Non-Guarantors)
Current assets:
Intercompany receivables	1,386,139	1,583,539
Investment in consolidated affiliates	1,812,792	1,789,851
Total assets	15,748,544	15,430,685
Current liabilities:
Total liabilities	2,691,826	2,321,113
Shareholders' equity	13,046,357	13,028,293
Total equity	13,056,718	13,040,384
Total liabilities and equity	15,748,544	15,430,685
Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets:
Intercompany receivables	(1,568,572)	(1,747,566)
Investment in consolidated affiliates	(13,735,111)	(13,695,795)
Total assets	(15,303,683)	(15,443,361)
Current liabilities:
Intercompany payable	(1,568,572)	(1,747,566)
Total liabilities	(1,568,572)	(1,747,566)
Shareholders' equity	(13,735,111)	(13,695,795)
Total equity	(13,735,111)	(13,695,795)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (15,303,683)	$ (15,443,361)