Debt (Details)			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 20, 2020 USD ($)	Oct. 11, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 13, 2019 USD ($)
Long-term debt
Long-term Debt				$ 3,318,398,000		$ 3,318,398,000			$ 3,363,552,000
Less: deferred financing costs				28,095,000		28,095,000			30,332,000
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities, Total				$ 3,290,303,000		$ 3,290,303,000			3,333,220,000
Interest rate on senior notes due (as a percent)				7.25%		7.25%
Principal amount redeemed			$ 952,900,000	$ 1,320,000,000		$ 1,320,000,000
Repayment of long-term debt including accrued and unpaid interest						1,260,000,000
Purchase price for the tender offer						952,900,000
Payment of accrued and unpaid interest						13,200,000
Gain (Loss) on debt repurchase					$ (718,000)		$ (1,752,000)
Other, net
Long-term debt
Gain (Loss) on debt repurchase						$ 65,800,000
Senior Notes.
Long-term debt
Gain (Loss) on debt repurchase					$ 700,000		$ 1,800,000
5.00% senior notes due September 2020
Long-term debt
Senior Notes									$ 282,046,000
Interest rate on senior notes due (as a percent)				5.00%		5.00%			5.00%
4.625% senior notes due September 2021
Long-term debt
Senior Notes				$ 128,403,000		$ 128,403,000			$ 634,588,000
Interest rate on senior notes due (as a percent)			4.625%	4.625%		4.625%
Repayment of long-term debt including accrued and unpaid interest			$ 379,700,000
5.50% senior notes due January 2023
Long-term debt
Senior Notes				$ 32,176,000		$ 32,176,000			501,003,000
Interest rate on senior notes due (as a percent)			5.50%	5.50%		5.50%
Repayment of long-term debt including accrued and unpaid interest			$ 407,700,000
5.10% senior notes due September 2023
Long-term debt
Senior Notes				$ 140,467,000		$ 140,467,000			336,810,000
Interest rate on senior notes due (as a percent)			5.10%	5.10%		5.10%
Repayment of long-term debt including accrued and unpaid interest			$ 165,500,000
0.75% senior exchangeable notes due January 2024
Long-term debt
Senior Notes				$ 489,901,000		$ 489,901,000			472,603,000
Interest rate on senior notes due (as a percent)				0.75%		0.75%
0.75% senior exchangeable notes due January 2024 | Subsequent Event
Long-term debt
Interest rate on senior notes due (as a percent)								0.75%
5.75% senior notes due February 2025
Long-term debt
Senior Notes				$ 775,186,000		$ 775,186,000			781,502,000
Interest rate on senior notes due (as a percent)				5.75%		5.75%
7.25% senior notes due January 2026
Long-term debt
Senior Notes				$ 600,000,000		$ 600,000,000
Interest rate on senior notes due (as a percent)				7.25%		7.25%
Aggregate amount of senior notes			600,000,000.0
7.50% senior notes due January 2028
Long-term debt
Senior Notes				$ 400,000,000		$ 400,000,000
Interest rate on senior notes due (as a percent)				7.50%		7.50%
Aggregate amount of senior notes			$ 400,000,000.0
2012 Revolving Credit Facility
Long-term debt
Revolving credit facility									$ 355,000,000
2018 Revolving Credit Facility
Long-term debt
Revolving credit facility				$ 752,265,000		$ 752,265,000
Interest rate on senior notes due (as a percent)		5.50%
Amount outstanding				$ 752,000,000		$ 752,000,000
Reduction in total available borrowing capacity	$ 50,600,000
Maximum borrowing capacity		$ 1,267,000,000								$ 1,013,600,000.0000
Weighted average interest rate (as a percent)				3.48%		3.48%
Debt to EBITDA ratio		5.5		5.5		5.5				5.5
Debt instrument, covenant, minimum liquidity, amount		$ 160,000,000.0		$ 160,000,000
Collateralized assets, net value				$ 1,400,000,000		$ 1,400,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries | 2018 Revolving Credit Facility | Minimum
Long-term debt
Debt instrument, guarantor coverage ratio		4.25
Nabors Canada | 2018 Revolving Credit Facility
Long-term debt
Maximum borrowing capacity										$ 32,000,000.0
Nabors Delaware [Member] | 2018 Revolving Credit Facility
Long-term debt
Maximum borrowing capacity										$ 981,600,000