Related Party Transactions (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Apr. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2010 Shona [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 Shona [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Shona [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Gene M Isenberg [Member] Nabors Delaware [Member]	Oct. 28, 2011 Gene M Isenberg [Member] Nabors Delaware [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Purchase price of Shona's common stock	$ 112,262,000	$ 40,936,000	$ 125,076,000			$ 900,000
Purchase of preferred and warrants					900,000
Equity Method Investment ownership percentage							7.55%
Fair Value of Equity Security investment	5,900,000	7,400,000					10,500,000
Possible Payment in Connection with termination of employment	100,000,000	0							100,000,000
Amount to be paid into the escrow account								6,600,000
Term of appointment as chairman								3 years
Term of additional extension as chairman								1 year
Related Party Transactions (Textual) [Abstract]
Premium payments to date related to life insurance policies	6,300,000
Cash surrender value included in other long-term assets	5,800,000	9,500,000
Revenues from business transactions with unconsolidated affiliates	218,400,000	271,600,000	327,300,000
Expenses from business transactions with unconsolidated affiliates	900,000	3,400,000	9,800,000
Accounts receivable from affiliated entities	110,700,000	97,800,000
Accounts payable to affiliated entities	46,100,000	12,700,000
Long-term payables with affiliated entities	800,000	800,000
Face value of investment in senior note				20,000,000
Interest rate of investment in senior note	9.75%
Recognized Interest Income	$ 2,000,000	$ 1,400,000
Guaranteed interest rate per annum compounded daily	6.00%