Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 436,675	$ 501,149	$ 410,958	$ 389,915
Short-term investments	33,222	35,020
Assets held for sale	136,677	146,467
Accounts receivable, net	908,563	1,517,503
Inventory	183,775	230,067
Deferred income taxes		118,230
Other current assets	270,243	193,438
Total current assets	1,969,155	2,741,874
Long-term investments	2,617	2,806
Property, plant and equipment, net	7,405,441	8,599,125
Goodwill	139,756	173,928
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	676,234	58,251
Other long-term assets	324,080	303,958
Total assets	10,517,283	11,879,942
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt	66,359	6,190
Trade accounts payable	363,058	780,060
Accrued liabilities	773,287	728,004
Income taxes payable	20,049	53,221
Total current liabilities	1,222,753	1,567,475
Long-term debt	3,691,357	4,348,859
Other long-term liabilities	626,511	601,816
Deferred income taxes	37,287	443,003
Total liabilities	5,577,908	6,961,153
Shareholders' equity	4,931,960	4,908,619
Noncontrolling interest	7,415	10,170
Total equity	4,939,375	4,918,789	6,081,922	5,981,177
Total liabilities and equity	10,517,283	11,879,942
Nabors (Parent/Guarantor)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,436	1,170	1,107	730
Other current assets	50	50
Total current assets	1,486
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	195	111
Accrued liabilities	88	263
Total current liabilities	283
Nabors Delaware (Issuer)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	10	7	4	7,029
Other current assets	13,908	5,242
Total current assets	13,918
Property, plant and equipment, net		30,330
Other long-term assets	28,465	30,298
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable	6	2
Accrued liabilities	64,286	64,390
Total current liabilities	64,292
Long-term debt	3,731,816	4,389,299
Other long-term liabilities	35,546	35,480
Deferred income taxes	(330,586)	(294,655)
Other Subsidiaries (Non-Guarantors)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	435,229	499,972	$ 409,847	$ 382,156
Short-term investments	33,222	35,020
Assets held for sale	136,677	146,467
Accounts receivable, net	908,563	1,517,503
Inventory	183,775	230,067
Deferred income taxes		118,230
Other current assets	256,285	188,146
Total current assets	1,953,751
Long-term investments	2,617	2,806
Property, plant and equipment, net	7,405,441	8,568,795
Goodwill	139,756	173,928
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	676,234	58,251
Other long-term assets	295,615	273,660
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt	66,359	6,190
Trade accounts payable	362,857	779,947
Accrued liabilities	708,913	663,351
Income taxes payable	20,049	53,221
Total current liabilities	1,158,178
Long-term debt	(40,459)	(40,440)
Other long-term liabilities	590,965	566,336
Deferred income taxes	367,873	737,658
Noncontrolling interest	7,415	10,170
Reportable Legal Entities | Nabors (Parent/Guarantor)
Current assets:
Total current assets		1,220
Intercompany receivables	125,042	136,360
Investment in consolidated affiliates	4,805,715	4,771,413
Total assets	4,932,243	4,908,993
Current liabilities:
Total current liabilities		374
Total liabilities	283	374
Shareholders' equity	4,931,960	4,908,619
Total equity	4,931,960	4,908,619
Total liabilities and equity	4,932,243	4,908,993
Reportable Legal Entities | Nabors Delaware (Issuer)
Current assets:
Short-term intercompany note		880,820
Total current assets		886,069
Intercompany receivables	62,000
Investment in consolidated affiliates	5,022,430	5,014,743
Total assets	5,126,813	5,961,440
Current liabilities:
Total current liabilities		64,392
Intercompany payable	1,335,010	1,422,882
Total liabilities	4,836,078	5,617,398
Shareholders' equity	290,735	344,042
Total equity	290,735	344,042
Total liabilities and equity	5,126,813	5,961,440
Reportable Legal Entities | Other Subsidiaries (Non-Guarantors)
Current assets:
Total current assets		2,735,405
Intercompany receivables	1,147,968	1,286,522
Investment in consolidated affiliates	1,394,834	1,448,688
Total assets	13,016,216	14,548,055
Current liabilities:
Short-term intercompany note		880,820
Total current liabilities		2,383,529
Total liabilities	2,076,557	3,647,083
Shareholders' equity	10,932,244	10,890,802
Total equity	10,939,659	10,900,972
Total liabilities and equity	13,016,216	14,548,055
Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets:
Short-term intercompany note		(880,820)
Total current assets		(880,820)
Intercompany receivables	(1,335,010)	(1,422,882)
Investment in consolidated affiliates	(11,222,979)	(11,234,844)
Total assets	(12,557,989)	(13,538,546)
Current liabilities:
Short-term intercompany note		(880,820)
Total current liabilities		(880,820)
Intercompany payable	(1,335,010)	(1,422,882)
Total liabilities	(1,335,010)	(2,303,702)
Shareholders' equity	(11,222,979)	(11,234,844)
Total equity	(11,222,979)	(11,234,844)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (12,557,989)	$ (13,538,546)