Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) BRL in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Rig Lawsuit $ / Occurrence_Per_Year	Dec. 31, 2015 BRL Rig Lawsuit $ / Occurrence_Per_Year	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Feb. 12, 2016 USD ($)
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Contract drilling services revenues	$ 3,261,610,000		$ 3,147,859,000	$ 2,454,745,000
Reimbursement of costs and fees as reduction of contract drilling services costs	90,642,000		84,644,000	$ 66,292,000
Amount of withholding after spin-off	$ 20,000,000	BRL 79
Physical damage deductible per occurrence on rigs range maximum | $ / Occurrence_Per_Year	25,000,000	25,000,000
Number of days waiting period	45 days	45 days
Protection and indemnity policy, standard deductible (per occurrence)	$ 10,000,000
Maximum liability coverage under protection and indemnity policy	750,000,000
Outstanding commitments including shipyard and purchase commitments	$ 598,000,000
Years of effectiveness of employment agreements after the termination of employment	3 years	3 years
Subsequent Event [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Aforementioned tax assessments					$ 3,000,000
Minimum [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Percentage of uncertain tax positions likelihood of being sustained	50.00%	50.00%
Loss of hire coverage applies only to rigs operating under dayrate	$ 200,000
Asbestos Issue [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Number of Lawsuits filed | Lawsuit	43	43
Customs and Other Business Taxes [Member] | Foreign Country [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Audit claims, attributable to income, customs and other business taxes	$ 174,000,000
Noble Discoverer And Kulluk [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Loss contingencies payments			$ 8,200,000
Environmental Compliance Plan, probationary period			4 years
Possible early probation period			3 years
Noble Discoverer And Kulluk [Member] | Community Service Payment [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Loss contingencies payments			$ 4,000,000
BP [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Claims related to the arbitration received	150,000,000
Exxon [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Claims related to the arbitration received	27,000,000
BP and Exxon [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Contract drilling services revenues	137,000,000
Interest income	30,000,000
Reimbursement of costs and fees as reduction of contract drilling services costs	$ 10,000,000
Libya [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Number of wells | Rig	2	2
Mexico [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Payable percentage of ultimate resolved income and value added taxes	50.00%	50.00%
Mexico [Member] | Paragon Retained Entity [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Payable percentage of ultimate resolved income and value added taxes	50.00%	50.00%
Mexico [Member] | Noble-Cayman [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Aforementioned tax assessments	$ 50,000,000
Mexico [Member] | Noble-Cayman [Member] | Aforementioned tax assessments[Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Aforementioned tax assessments	46,000,000
Mexico [Member] | Paragon Offshore [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Aforementioned tax assessments	202,000,000
Brazil [Member] | Noble-Cayman [Member] | Aforementioned tax assessments[Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Aforementioned tax assessments	38,000,000
Brazil [Member] | Paragon Offshore [Member]
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Aforementioned tax assessments	$ 122,000,000