Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Revenues and other income:
Operating revenues	$ 1,813,762	$ 1,551,593	$ 5,020,361	$ 4,545,037
Earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	(2,851)	(2,628)	(5,872)	1,627
Investment income (loss)	2,189	1,229	10,235	95,471
Total revenues and other income	1,813,100	1,550,194	5,024,724	4,642,135
Costs and other deductions:
Direct costs	1,181,986	981,685	3,310,220	2,948,987
General and administrative expenses	138,967	127,943	406,863	390,023
Depreciation and amortization	286,581	273,444	851,528	809,019
Interest expense	43,138	56,059	134,251	176,343
Losses (gains) on sales and disposals of long-lived assets and other expense (income), net	(1,513)	3,266	16,467	27,245
Impairments and other charges		242,241		287,241
Total costs and other deductions	1,649,159	1,684,638	4,719,329	4,638,858
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	163,941	(134,444)	305,395	3,277
Income tax expense (benefit)	61,511	(44,684)	86,275	(28,798)
Subsidiary preferred stock dividend		750	1,984	2,250
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	102,430	(90,510)	217,136	29,825
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	4,005	(14,430)	4,488	(34,292)
Net income (loss)	106,435	(104,940)	221,624	(4,467)
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(387)	(441)	(1,213)	(6,154)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	106,048	(105,381)	220,411	(10,621)
Nabors (Parent/Guarantor)
Revenues and other income:
Earnings (losses) from consolidated affiliates	116,378		235,970
Total revenues and other income	116,378		235,970
Costs and other deductions:
General and administrative expenses	3,097		7,989
Intercompany interest expense	7		66
Losses (gains) on sales and disposals of long-lived assets and other expense (income), net	7,226		7,504
Total costs and other deductions	10,330		15,559
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	106,048		220,411
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	106,048		220,411
Net income (loss)	106,048		220,411
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	106,048		220,411
Nabors Delaware (Issuer)
Revenues and other income:
Earnings (losses) from consolidated affiliates	67,504		112,112
Investment income (loss)	1,694		1,840
Total revenues and other income	69,198		113,952
Costs and other deductions:
General and administrative expenses	7,957		7,607
Depreciation and amortization	902	902	2,706	2,707
Interest expense	49,415	59,417	148,097	184,871
Losses (gains) on sales and disposals of long-lived assets and other expense (income), net			(223)
Total costs and other deductions	58,274		158,187
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	10,924		(44,235)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(20,935)	(100,626)	(57,849)	(147,803)
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	31,859		13,614
Net income (loss)	31,859		13,614
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	31,859		13,614
Other Subsidiaries (Non-Guarantors)
Revenues and other income:
Operating revenues	1,813,762	1,551,593	5,020,361	4,545,037
Earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	(2,851)	(2,628)	(5,872)	1,627
Earnings (losses) from consolidated affiliates	31,859		13,614
Investment income (loss)	2,199		12,371
Total revenues and other income	1,844,969		5,040,474
Costs and other deductions:
Direct costs	1,181,986	981,685	3,310,220	2,948,987
General and administrative expenses	128,065		391,697
Depreciation and amortization	285,679	272,542	848,822	806,312
Interest expense	(6,277)	(3,358)	(13,846)	(8,528)
Intercompany interest expense	(7)		(66)
Losses (gains) on sales and disposals of long-lived assets and other expense (income), net	(8,891)		8,756
Impairments and other charges		242,241		287,241
Total costs and other deductions	1,580,555		4,545,583
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	264,414		494,891
Income tax expense (benefit)	82,446	55,942	144,124	119,005
Subsidiary preferred stock dividend		750	1,984	2,250
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	181,968		348,783
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	4,005	(14,430)	4,488	(34,292)
Net income (loss)	185,973		353,271
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(387)	(441)	(1,213)	(6,154)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	185,586		352,058
Reportable Legal Entities | Nabors (Parent/Guarantor)
Revenues and other income:
Earnings (losses) from consolidated affiliates		(102,137)		4,731
Investment income (loss)				1
Total revenues and other income		(102,137)		4,732
Costs and other deductions:
General and administrative expenses		3,089		8,144
Losses (gains) on sales and disposals of long-lived assets and other expense (income), net		155		7,209
Total costs and other deductions		3,244		15,353
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax		(105,381)		(10,621)
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax		(105,381)		(10,621)
Net income (loss)		(105,381)		(10,621)
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest		(441)		(6,154)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	106,048	(105,381)	220,411	(10,621)
Reportable Legal Entities | Nabors Delaware (Issuer)
Revenues and other income:
Earnings (losses) from consolidated affiliates		88,554		144,574
Investment income (loss)		3		55
Intercompany interest income		31		92
Total revenues and other income		88,588		144,721
Costs and other deductions:
General and administrative expenses		(311)		116
Losses (gains) on sales and disposals of long-lived assets and other expense (income), net		211,989		211,921
Total costs and other deductions		271,997		399,615
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax		(183,409)		(254,894)
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax		(82,783)		(107,091)
Net income (loss)		(82,783)		(107,091)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	31,859	(82,783)	13,614	(107,091)
Reportable Legal Entities | Other Subsidiaries (Non-Guarantors)
Revenues and other income:
Earnings (losses) from consolidated affiliates		(82,783)		(107,091)
Investment income (loss)		2,363		98,825
Total revenues and other income		1,468,545		4,538,398
Costs and other deductions:
General and administrative expenses		125,319		382,197
Intercompany interest expense		31		92
Losses (gains) on sales and disposals of long-lived assets and other expense (income), net		(209,032)		(192,319)
Total costs and other deductions		1,409,428		4,223,982
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax		59,117		314,416
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax		2,425		193,161
Net income (loss)		(12,005)		158,869
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(387)	(441)	(1,213)	(6,154)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	185,586	(12,446)	352,058	152,715
Consolidating Adjustments
Revenues and other income:
Earnings (losses) from consolidated affiliates	(215,741)	96,366	(361,696)	(42,214)
Investment income (loss)	(1,704)	(1,137)	(3,976)	(3,410)
Intercompany interest income		(31)		(92)
Total revenues and other income	(217,445)	95,198	(365,672)	(45,716)
Costs and other deductions:
General and administrative expenses	(152)	(154)	(430)	(434)
Intercompany interest expense		(31)		(92)
Losses (gains) on sales and disposals of long-lived assets and other expense (income), net	152	154	430	434
Total costs and other deductions		(31)		(92)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	(217,445)	95,229	(365,672)	(45,624)
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	(217,445)	95,229	(365,672)	(45,624)
Net income (loss)	(217,445)	95,229	(365,672)	(45,624)
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest		441		6,154
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	$ (217,445)	$ 95,229	$ (365,672)	$ (45,624)