2.4.0.82405402 - Disclosure - Business Combinations - Components Transferred (Details)truefalseIn Thousands, unless otherwise specifiedfalse1false USDfalsefalse$I2013Q2Jun24_us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis_hero_DiscoveryOffshoreMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001330849instant2013-06-24T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$1false 0truefalsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse1false USDtruefalse$I2013Q2Jun24_us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis_hero_DiscoveryOffshoreMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001330849instant2013-06-24T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseDiscovery Offshoreus-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldihero_DiscoveryOffshoreMemberus-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisexplicitMemberusdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$nanafalse0Discovery Offshore2true 3us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItemsus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Business Acquisition [Line Items]3false 4us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityCashPaidus-gaap_truedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse7765800077658USD$falsetruefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAmount of cash paid to acquire the entity.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141R -Paragraph 68 -Subparagraph f(1) -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141 -Paragraph 51 -Subparagraph d -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. false2Cash Paid, net of cash acquired4false 4hero_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferredEliminationofRelatedPartyBalanceshero_falsedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse1228300012283USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryBusiness Combination, Consideration Transferred, Elimination of Related Party BalancesNo definition available.false2Elimination of related party balances5false 4hero_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferredEquityInvestmentFairValuehero_falsedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse5195900051959USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryBusiness Combination, Consideration Transferred, Equity Investment, Fair ValueNo definition available.false2Fair value of Discovery equity investment6false 4hero_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferredNoncontrollingInteresthero_falsedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse2644800026448USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryBusiness Combination, Consideration Transferred, Noncontrolling InterestNo definition available.false2Noncontrolling interest7false 4us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferredIncludingEquityInterestInAcquireeHeldPriorToCombinationus-gaap_truedebitinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse168348000168348USD$falsetruefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis element represents the sum of the: (1) acquisition-date fair value of the total consideration transferred which consists of the sum of the acquisition-date fair values of the assets transferred by the acquirer, the liabilities incurred by the acquirer to former owners of the acquiree, and the equity interests issued by the acquirer and (2) the acquisition-date fair value of any equity interest in the acquiree held by the acquirer prior to the business combination (for example, a step acquisition).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7488404&loc=d3e6927-128479 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141R -Paragraph 68 -Subparagraph f -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7659399&loc=d3e1392-128463 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141R -Paragraph 68 -Subparagraph q -Clause 1 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. false2Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Including Equity Interest in Acquiree Held Prior to CombinationfalseBusiness Combinations - Components Transferred (Details) (Discovery Offshore, USD $)ThousandsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.herculesoffshore.com/role/BusinessCombinationsComponentsTransferredDetails17