Leases - Position Costs (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Assets [Abstract]
Right of use assets	$ 29,798
Operating Lease, Right-of-Use Asset, Statement of Financial Position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherCurrentAssets
Lease Assets	$ 29,798
Liabilities, Current [Abstract]
Operating lease liability, current	$ 10,991
Operating Lease, Liability, Current, Statement of Financial Position [Extensible List]	nbr:CurrentLeaseLiabilities
Liabilities, Noncurrent [Abstract]
Operating lease liability, noncurrent	$ 18,807
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent, Statement of Financial Position [Extensible List]	Other Liabilities, Noncurrent
Lease liability	$ 29,798
Lease, Cost [Abstract]
Operating lease cost	3,669
Short-term lease cost	1,390
Total lease cost	5,059
Other Information [Abstract]
Operating cash flows for operating leases	$ 3,669
Lease Terms And Discount Rates [Abstract]
Weighted-average remaining lease term - operating leases	2 years 7 months 17 days
Weighted-average discount rate - operating leases	5.71%
Undiscounted Cash Flows [Abstract]
2019	$ 9,407
2020	8,846
2021	5,832
2022	3,301
2023	1,918
Thereafter	7,682
Total undiscounted lease liability	36,986
Less: amount of lease payments representing interest	7,188
Present value of future minimum lease payments	29,798
Operating Lease, Liability, Current	10,991
Operating lease liability, noncurrent	18,807
Minimum rental commitments under non cancellable operating leases
2019		$ 10,701
2020		7,104
2021		3,774
2022		2,356
2023		1,538
Thereafter		7,482
Total		$ 32,955
Adjustment | Accounting Standards Update 2016-02
Assets [Abstract]
Right of use assets	33,100
Undiscounted Cash Flows [Abstract]
Present value of future minimum lease payments	$ 33,100