Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 135,993		$ 375,232
Accounts receivable	206,235		200,722
Taxes receivable	40,605		20,498
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	62,446		62,604
Total current assets	445,279		659,056
Property and equipment, at cost	10,346,771		10,956,412
Accumulated depreciation	(2,537,648)		(2,475,694)
Property and equipment, net	7,809,123		8,480,718
Other assets	141,113		125,149
Total assets	8,395,515		9,264,923
Current liabilities
Current maturities of long-term debt	362,493		0
Accounts payable	108,789		125,557
Accrued payroll and related costs	50,298		50,284
Taxes payable	24,821		29,386
Interest payable	63,676		100,100
Other current liabilities	160,665		60,130
Total current liabilities	770,742		365,457
Long-term debt	3,577,863		3,877,402
Deferred income taxes	57,739		91,695
Other liabilities	273,957		275,795
Total liabilities	4,680,301		4,610,349
Commitments and contingencies
Shareholders’ equity	3,593,766		4,253,171
Noncontrolling interests	121,448		401,403
Total equity	3,715,214	$ 4,427,749	4,654,574	$ 4,691,667	$ 4,774,595	$ 5,950,628
Total liabilities and equity	8,395,515		9,264,923
Noble Corp
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	135,942		374,375
Accounts receivable	206,235		200,722
Taxes receivable	40,605		20,498
Short-term notes receivable from affiliates			0
Accounts receivable from affiliates	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	62,446		61,917
Total current assets	445,228		657,512
Property and equipment, at cost	10,346,771		10,956,412
Accumulated depreciation	(2,537,648)		(2,475,694)
Property and equipment, net	7,809,123		8,480,718
Notes receivable from affiliates	0		0
Investments in affiliates	0		0
Other assets	141,113		125,149
Total assets	8,395,464		9,263,379
Current liabilities
Current maturities of long-term debt	362,493		0
Short-term notes payables to affiliates			0
Accounts payable	108,159		125,237
Accrued payroll and related costs	50,298		50,284
Accounts payable to affiliates	0		0
Taxes payable	24,821		29,386
Interest payable	63,676		100,100
Other current liabilities	60,665		60,012
Total current liabilities	670,112		365,019
Long-term debt	3,577,863		3,877,402
Notes payable to affiliates	0		0
Deferred income taxes	57,739		91,695
Other liabilities	273,957		275,795
Total liabilities	4,579,671		4,609,911
Commitments and contingencies
Shareholders’ equity	3,694,345		4,252,065
Noncontrolling interests	121,448		401,403
Total equity	3,815,793	$ 4,527,805	4,653,468	$ 4,689,990	$ 4,774,138	$ 5,950,014
Total liabilities and equity	8,395,464		9,263,379
Noble Corp | Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Accounts receivable	0		0
Taxes receivable	0		0
Short-term notes receivable from affiliates			(3,175,662)
Accounts receivable from affiliates	(6,170,603)		(5,160,674)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0		0
Total current assets	(6,170,603)		(8,336,336)
Property and equipment, at cost	0		0
Accumulated depreciation	0		0
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Notes receivable from affiliates	(26,522)		(5,145)
Investments in affiliates	(15,790,510)		(20,016,908)
Other assets	0		0
Total assets	(21,987,635)		(28,358,389)
Current liabilities
Current maturities of long-term debt	0
Short-term notes payables to affiliates			(3,175,662)
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued payroll and related costs	0		0
Accounts payable to affiliates	(6,170,603)		(5,160,674)
Taxes payable	0		0
Interest payable	0		0
Other current liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	(6,170,603)		(8,336,336)
Long-term debt	0		0
Notes payable to affiliates	(26,522)		(5,145)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	(6,197,125)		(8,341,481)
Commitments and contingencies
Shareholders’ equity	(15,790,510)		(20,016,908)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	(15,790,510)		(20,016,908)
Total liabilities and equity	(21,987,635)		(28,358,389)
Noble Corp | Noble-Cayman | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Accounts receivable	0		0
Taxes receivable	0		0
Short-term notes receivable from affiliates			0
Accounts receivable from affiliates	704,714		275,726
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	185		0
Total current assets	704,899		275,726
Property and equipment, at cost	0		0
Accumulated depreciation	0		0
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Notes receivable from affiliates	0		5,145
Investments in affiliates	7,366,428		7,716,068
Other assets	0		609
Total assets	8,071,327		7,997,548
Current liabilities
Current maturities of long-term debt	300,000
Short-term notes payables to affiliates			0
Accounts payable	16		45
Accrued payroll and related costs	0		0
Accounts payable to affiliates	4,056,390		3,725,506
Taxes payable	0		0
Interest payable	647		3
Other current liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	4,357,053		3,725,554
Long-term debt	0		0
Notes payable to affiliates	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other liabilities	19,929		19,929
Total liabilities	4,376,982		3,745,483
Commitments and contingencies
Shareholders’ equity	3,694,345		4,252,065
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	3,694,345		4,252,065
Total liabilities and equity	8,071,327		7,997,548
Noble Corp | NHIL | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		17,818
Accounts receivable	0		0
Taxes receivable	0		0
Short-term notes receivable from affiliates			0
Accounts receivable from affiliates	61,075		61,046
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0		0
Total current assets	61,075		78,864
Property and equipment, at cost	0		0
Accumulated depreciation	0		0
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Notes receivable from affiliates	0		0
Investments in affiliates	8,424,082		12,300,840
Other assets	0		0
Total assets	8,485,157		12,379,704
Current liabilities
Current maturities of long-term debt	62,493
Short-term notes payables to affiliates			3,175,662
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued payroll and related costs	0		0
Accounts payable to affiliates	1,348,424		1,098,395
Taxes payable	450		0
Interest payable	60,170		99,997
Other current liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	1,471,537		4,374,054
Long-term debt	3,325,446		3,817,153
Notes payable to affiliates	26,522		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	4,823,505		8,191,207
Commitments and contingencies
Shareholders’ equity	3,661,652		4,188,497
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	3,661,652		4,188,497
Total liabilities and equity	8,485,157		12,379,704
Noble Corp | Other Non-guarantor Subsidiaries of Noble | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	135,942		356,557
Accounts receivable	206,235		200,722
Taxes receivable	40,605		20,498
Short-term notes receivable from affiliates			3,175,662
Accounts receivable from affiliates	5,404,814		4,823,902
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	62,261		61,917
Total current assets	5,849,857		8,639,258
Property and equipment, at cost	10,346,771		10,956,412
Accumulated depreciation	(2,537,648)		(2,475,694)
Property and equipment, net	7,809,123		8,480,718
Notes receivable from affiliates	26,522		0
Investments in affiliates	0		0
Other assets	141,113		124,540
Total assets	13,826,615		17,244,516
Current liabilities
Current maturities of long-term debt	0
Short-term notes payables to affiliates			0
Accounts payable	108,143		125,192
Accrued payroll and related costs	50,298		50,284
Accounts payable to affiliates	765,789		336,773
Taxes payable	24,371		29,386
Interest payable	2,859		100
Other current liabilities	60,665		60,012
Total current liabilities	1,012,125		601,747
Long-term debt	252,417		60,249
Notes payable to affiliates	0		5,145
Deferred income taxes	57,739		91,695
Other liabilities	254,028		255,866
Total liabilities	1,576,309		1,014,702
Commitments and contingencies
Shareholders’ equity	12,128,858		15,828,411
Noncontrolling interests	121,448		401,403
Total equity	12,250,306		16,229,814
Total liabilities and equity	$ 13,826,615		$ 17,244,516