Acquisitions - 2018 and 2017 Acquisitions (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands				1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Oct. 03, 2018	Dec. 15, 2017	Sep. 05, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Acquisitions
Cash paid for acquisitions of businesses													$ 2,929	$ 25,000	$ 51,664
Goodwill				$ 173,226	$ 28,380				$ 183,914				28,380	183,914	173,226
Liabilities:
Net income (loss)					$ (262,684)	$ (118,928)	$ (203,564)	$ (117,709)	$ (183,418)	$ (114,577)	$ (198,752)	$ (144,201)	$ (702,885)	$ (640,948)	$ (546,811)
Stavanger Based Robotic Drilling Systems AS
Acquisitions
Cash paid for acquisitions of businesses			$ 50,700
Recorded intangible assets			53,300
Goodwill			5,700
Other liabilities			7,300
Liabilities:
Other long-term liabilities			7,300
Stavanger Based Robotic Drilling Systems AS | Developed Technology
Acquisitions
Recorded intangible assets			$ 20,800
Estimated Useful Life			10 years
Stavanger Based Robotic Drilling Systems AS | In Process Research and Development
Acquisitions
Recorded intangible assets			$ 32,500
PetroMar Technologies
Acquisitions
Cash paid for acquisitions of businesses	$ 25,000
Recorded intangible assets	36,200
Goodwill	11,400
Other liabilities	22,600
Liabilities:
Other long-term liabilities	22,600
PetroMar Technologies | Developed Technology
Acquisitions
Recorded intangible assets	13,700
PetroMar Technologies | Trade Names [Member]
Acquisitions
Recorded intangible assets	800
PetroMar Technologies | In Process Research and Development
Acquisitions
Recorded intangible assets	$ 21,700
Tesco Corporation
Acquisitions
Fair value of common shares issued		$ 179,000
Other liabilities		2,436
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		59,804
Accounts receivable		40,465
Inventory		44,525
Other current assets		13,889
Property, plant and equipment, net		68,591
Other long-term assets		3,647
Total assets		230,921
Liabilities:
Accounts payable		14,111
Accrued liabilities		35,383
Other long-term liabilities		2,436
Total liabilities		51,930
Net assets acquired		$ 178,991
Operating revenues				7,700
Net income (loss)				100
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information
Operating revenues				$ 7,700
Common Stock | Tesco Corporation
Acquisitions
Number of shares of Nabors stock exchanged per share of acquiree stock		0.68
Number of common shares to be issued		32,100,000