Supplemental Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Cash Flow Information (Details 3) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Supplemental Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Cash Flow Information
Losses (gains) on sales, disposals and involuntary conversions	$ 3,474,000	$ 2,432,000
Net gain on merger(1)	52,574,000nbr_NetGainLossOnMerger
Litigation expenses	(4,077,000)us-gaap_LegalFees	3,060,000us-gaap_LegalFees
Foreign currency transaction losses (gains)	(2,345,000)	(3,293,000)
Other losses (gains)	(320,000)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherAssets	(723,000)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherAssets
Losses (gains) on sales and retirements of long-lived assets and other expense (income), net	(55,842,000)	1,476,000
Gross gain on merger	102,200,000nbr_GainLossOnMerger
Merger transaction expenses	49,600,000us-gaap_PaymentsForMergerRelatedCosts
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
Balance at the beginning of the period	77,522,000	216,140,000
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax	(68,386,000)	(55,842,000)
Amount reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (1)	5,632,000	168,000
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(62,754,000)	(55,674,000)
Balance at the end of the period	14,768,000	160,466,000
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
Balance at the beginning of the period	(2,044,000)	(2,419,000)
Amount reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (1)	93,000	93,000
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	93,000	93,000
Balance at the end of the period	(1,951,000)	(2,326,000)
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
Balance at the beginning of the period	14,996,000	71,742,000
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax	153,000	(19,248,000)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	153,000	(19,248,000)
Balance at the end of the period	15,149,000	52,494,000
Defined benefit pension plan items
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
Balance at the beginning of the period	(7,263,000)	(4,075,000)
Amount reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (1)	174,000	75,000
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	174,000	75,000
Balance at the end of the period	(7,089,000)	(4,000,000)
Foreign currency items
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
Balance at the beginning of the period	71,833,000	150,892,000
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax	(68,539,000)	(36,594,000)
Amount reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (1)	5,365,000
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(63,174,000)	(36,594,000)
Balance at the end of the period	$ 8,659,000	$ 114,298,000

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Represents the gain (loss) on merger transaction based on the difference between the consideration received and the carrying value of assets and liabilities of the transferred business line.

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Represents the gains (losses) on sales and retirements of long-lived assets other income expense net.

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No definition available.

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Represents the losses (gains) on sales, retirements and involuntary conversions of long-lived assets.

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Represents the gain (loss) on merger net of merger expenses.

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Accumulated change in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources, net of tax effect, at period end. Excludes Net Income (Loss), and accumulated changes in equity from transactions resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Includes foreign currency translation items, certain pension adjustments, unrealized gains and losses on certain investments in debt and equity securities, other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses related to factors other than credit losses on available-for-sale and held-to-maturity debt securities that an entity does not intend to sell and it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell before recovery of the amortized cost basis, as well as changes in the fair value of derivatives related to the effective portion of a designated cash flow hedge.

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Amount before tax of foreign currency transaction realized and unrealized gain (loss) recognized in the income statement.

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Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of other assets.

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The amount of expense provided in the period for legal costs incurred on or before the balance sheet date pertaining to resolved, pending or threatened litigation, including arbitration and mediation proceedings.

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Amount after tax, before reclassification adjustments of other comprehensive income (loss).

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No definition available.

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Amount after tax of other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to parent entity.

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The amount of cash paid during the reporting period for charges associated with the mergers.

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Amount after tax of reclassification adjustments of other comprehensive income (loss).

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