Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	$ (198,752)	$ (132,951)	$ (342,953)	$ (281,935)
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax:
Translation adjustment attributable to Nabors	(5,570)	10,879	(14,913)	14,739
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities:
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities		3,785		584
Less: reclassification adjustment for (gains) losses included in net income (loss)		1,341		1,341
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities		5,126		1,925
Pension liability amortization and adjustment	54	50	108	100
Unrealized gains (losses) and amortization on cash flow hedges	142	153	282	306
Adoption of ASU No. 2016-01			(9,144)
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax	(5,374)	16,208	(23,667)	17,070
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)	48	78	91	157
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(5,422)	16,130	(23,758)	16,913
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Nabors	(204,174)	(116,821)	(366,711)	(265,022)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	2,953	1,971	3,492	2,888
Translation adjustment attributable to noncontrolling interest	(63)	108	(159)	157
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	2,890	2,079	3,333	3,045
Comprehensive income (loss)	(201,284)	(114,742)	(363,378)	(261,977)
Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	(198,752)	(132,951)
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax:
Translation adjustment attributable to Nabors	(5,570)	10,879
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities:
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities		3,785
Less: reclassification adjustment for (gains) losses included in net income (loss)		1,341
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities		5,126
Pension liability amortization and adjustment	54	50
Unrealized gains (losses) and amortization on cash flow hedges	142	153
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax	(5,374)	16,208
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)	48	78
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(5,422)	16,130
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Nabors	(204,174)	(116,821)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	2,953	1,971
Translation adjustment attributable to noncontrolling interest	(63)	108
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	2,890	2,079
Comprehensive income (loss)	(201,284)	(114,742)
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	120,306	207,654	261,690	497,501
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax:
Translation adjustment attributable to Nabors	5,570	(10,879)	14,913	(14,739)
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities:
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities		(3,785)		(584)
Less: reclassification adjustment for (gains) losses included in net income (loss)		(1,341)		(1,341)
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities		(5,126)		(1,925)
Pension liability amortization and adjustment	(162)	(150)	(324)	(300)
Unrealized gains (losses) and amortization on cash flow hedges	(284)	(306)	(564)	(612)
Adoption of ASU No. 2016-01			9,144
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax	5,124	(16,461)	23,169	(17,576)
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)	(144)	(234)	(273)	(471)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	5,268	(16,227)	23,442	(17,105)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Nabors	125,574	191,427	285,132	480,396
Comprehensive income (loss)	125,574	191,427	285,132	480,396
Parent Company
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	(198,752)	(132,951)
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax:
Translation adjustment attributable to Nabors	(5,570)	10,879
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities:
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities		3,785
Less: reclassification adjustment for (gains) losses included in net income (loss)		1,341
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities		5,126
Pension liability amortization and adjustment	54	50
Unrealized gains (losses) and amortization on cash flow hedges	142	153
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax	(5,374)	16,208
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)	48	78
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(5,422)	16,130
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Nabors	(204,174)	(116,821)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(204,174)	(116,821)
Parent Company | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors			(342,953)	(281,935)
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax:
Translation adjustment attributable to Nabors			(14,913)	14,739
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities:
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities				584
Less: reclassification adjustment for (gains) losses included in net income (loss)				1,341
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities				1,925
Pension liability amortization and adjustment			108	100
Unrealized gains (losses) and amortization on cash flow hedges			282	306
Adoption of ASU No. 2016-01			(9,144)
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax			(23,667)	17,070
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)			91	157
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			(23,758)	16,913
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Nabors			(366,711)	(265,022)
Comprehensive income (loss)			(366,711)	(265,022)
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	12,080	(60,777)
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities:
Pension liability amortization and adjustment	54	50
Unrealized gains (losses) and amortization on cash flow hedges	142	153
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax	196	203
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)	48	78
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	148	125
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Nabors	12,228	(60,652)
Comprehensive income (loss)	12,228	(60,652)
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors			(14,445)	(157,016)
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities:
Pension liability amortization and adjustment			108	100
Unrealized gains (losses) and amortization on cash flow hedges			282	306
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax			390	406
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)			91	157
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			299	249
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Nabors			(14,146)	(156,767)
Comprehensive income (loss)			(14,146)	(156,767)
Other Subsidiaries (Non-Guarantors)
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors	(132,386)	(146,877)
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax:
Translation adjustment attributable to Nabors	(5,570)	10,879
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities:
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities		3,785
Less: reclassification adjustment for (gains) losses included in net income (loss)		1,341
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities		5,126
Pension liability amortization and adjustment	108	100
Unrealized gains (losses) and amortization on cash flow hedges	142	153
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax	(5,320)	16,258
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)	96	156
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(5,416)	16,102
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Nabors	(137,802)	(130,775)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	2,953	1,971
Translation adjustment attributable to noncontrolling interest	(63)	108
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	2,890	2,079
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (134,912)	$ (128,696)
Other Subsidiaries (Non-Guarantors) | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net income (loss) attributable to Nabors			(247,245)	(340,485)
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax:
Translation adjustment attributable to Nabors			(14,913)	14,739
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities:
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities				584
Less: reclassification adjustment for (gains) losses included in net income (loss)				1,341
Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities				1,925
Pension liability amortization and adjustment			216	200
Unrealized gains (losses) and amortization on cash flow hedges			282	306
Adoption of ASU No. 2016-01			(9,144)
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax			(23,559)	17,170
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)			182	314
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax			(23,741)	16,856
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Nabors			(270,986)	(323,629)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest			3,492	2,888
Translation adjustment attributable to noncontrolling interest			(159)	157
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest			3,333	3,045
Comprehensive income (loss)			$ (267,653)	$ (320,584)