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Face (par) amount of the original debt instrument that was repurchased and retired.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	nbr_
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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466505&loc=SL123495323-112611

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

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Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph e
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123599511&loc=d3e64711-112823

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
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Fair value amount of debt instrument that was repurchased.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Face (par) amount of the original debt instrument that was repurchased.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of gain (loss) from the difference between the repurchase price of a debt instrument initially issued by the entity and the net carrying amount of the debt at the time of its repurchase.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The cash outflow during the period from the repayment of aggregate short-term and long-term debt. Excludes payment of capital lease obligations.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126954810&loc=d3e3291-108585

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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=nbr_SeniorUnsecuredNotesMember
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