Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 586,001	$ 501,149	$ 326,881	$ 389,915
Short-term investments	35,170	35,020
Assets held for sale	134,709	146,467
Accounts receivable, net	971,601	1,517,503
Inventory	190,423	230,067
Deferred income taxes	91,050	118,230
Other current assets	161,378	193,438
Total current assets	2,170,332	2,741,874
Long-term investments	2,627	2,806
Property, plant and equipment, net	7,333,808	8,599,125
Goodwill	80,947	173,928
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	730,487	58,251
Other long-term assets	286,397	303,958
Total assets	10,604,598	11,879,942
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt	8,739	6,190
Trade accounts payable	403,038	780,060
Accrued liabilities	669,812	728,004
Income taxes payable	75,007	53,221
Total current liabilities	1,156,596	1,567,475
Long-term debt	3,816,717	4,348,859
Other long-term liabilities	604,526	601,816
Deferred income taxes	58,997	443,003
Total liabilities	5,636,836	6,961,153
Shareholders' equity	4,958,813	4,908,619
Noncontrolling interest	8,949	10,170
Total equity	4,967,762	4,918,789	5,971,269	5,981,177
Total liabilities and equity	10,604,598	11,879,942
Nabors (Parent/Guarantor)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	4,370	1,170	892	730
Other current assets	50	50
Total current assets	4,420
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	117	111
Accrued liabilities	17,004	263
Total current liabilities	17,121
Nabors Delaware (Issuer)
Condensed Consolidating Financial Information
Ownership percentage	100.00%
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	18	7	4	7,029
Other current assets	18,394	5,242
Total current assets	18,412
Property, plant and equipment, net		30,330
Intercompany receivables	150,058
Other long-term assets	29,578	30,298
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	5	2
Accrued liabilities	18,202	64,390
Total current liabilities	18,207
Long-term debt	3,857,176	4,389,299
Other long-term liabilities	35,487	35,480
Deferred income taxes	(313,447)	(294,655)
Other Subsidiaries (Non-Guarantors)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	581,613	499,972	325,985	382,156
Short-term investments	35,170	35,020
Assets held for sale	134,709	146,467
Accounts receivable, net	971,601	1,517,503
Inventory	190,423	230,067
Deferred income taxes	91,050	118,230
Other current assets	142,934	188,146
Total current assets	2,147,500
Long-term investments	2,627	2,806
Property, plant and equipment, net	7,333,808	8,568,795
Goodwill	80,947	173,928
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	730,487
Other long-term assets	256,819	273,660
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt	8,739	6,190
Trade accounts payable	402,916	779,947
Accrued liabilities	634,606	663,351
Income taxes payable	75,007	53,221
Total current liabilities	1,121,268
Long-term debt	(40,459)	(40,440)
Other long-term liabilities	569,039	566,336
Deferred income taxes	372,444	737,658
Noncontrolling interest	8,949	10,170
Reportable Legal Entities | Nabors (Parent/Guarantor)
Current assets:
Total current assets		1,220
Intercompany receivables	136,729	136,360
Investment in consolidated affiliates	4,848,785
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates		4,771,413
Total assets	4,989,934	4,908,993
Current liabilities:
Total current liabilities		374
Intercompany payable	14,000
Total liabilities	31,121	374
Shareholders' equity	4,958,813	4,908,619
Total equity	4,958,813	4,908,619
Total liabilities and equity	4,989,934	4,908,993
Reportable Legal Entities | Nabors Delaware (Issuer)
Current assets:
Short-term intercompany note		880,820
Total current assets		886,069
Investment in consolidated affiliates	4,968,528
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates		5,014,743
Total assets	5,166,576	5,961,440
Current liabilities:
Total current liabilities		64,392
Intercompany payable	1,303,231	1,422,882
Total liabilities	4,900,654	5,617,398
Shareholders' equity	265,922	344,042
Total equity	265,922	344,042
Total liabilities and equity	5,166,576	5,961,440
Reportable Legal Entities | Other Subsidiaries (Non-Guarantors)
Current assets:
Total current assets		2,735,405
Intercompany receivables	1,030,444	1,286,522
Investment in consolidated affiliates	1,370,331
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates		1,506,939
Total assets	12,952,963	14,548,055
Current liabilities:
Short-term intercompany note		880,820
Total current liabilities		2,383,529
Total liabilities	2,022,292	3,647,083
Shareholders' equity	10,921,722	10,890,802
Total equity	10,930,671	10,900,972
Total liabilities and equity	12,952,963	14,548,055
Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets:
Short-term intercompany note		(880,820)
Total current assets		(880,820)
Intercompany receivables	(1,317,231)	(1,422,882)
Investment in consolidated affiliates	(11,187,644)
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates		(11,234,844)
Total assets	(12,504,875)	(13,538,546)
Current liabilities:
Short-term intercompany note		(880,820)
Total current liabilities		(880,820)
Intercompany payable	(1,317,231)	(1,422,882)
Total liabilities	(1,317,231)	(2,303,702)
Shareholders' equity	(11,187,644)	(11,234,844)
Total equity	(11,187,644)	(11,234,844)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (12,504,875)	$ (13,538,546)