Revenue from Contracts with Clients - Contract assets and liabilities (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Contract Assets
Increase due to demobilization revenue recognized	$ 13
Transfers between balances	(13)
Transfers between balances	(13)
Contract Liabilities
Decrease due to amortization of deferred revenue	(1,931)
Increase due to billings related to client capital upgrades	9,511
Balance at the end of period	$ 7,567

The net-off amount between contract assets and contract liabilities.

No definition available.

Name:	pacd_ContractLiabilitiesNettingOfContractBalances
Namespace Prefix:	pacd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The increase in the value of deferred revenue due to demobilization revenue recognized.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pacd_ContractWithCustomerAssetDemobilizationRevenueRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	pacd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of decrease in deferred revenue due to billing of client capital upgrades.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pacd_ContractWithCustomerLiabilitiesBillingOfClientCapitalUpgrades
Namespace Prefix:	pacd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of amortization of deferred revenue during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pacd_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityAmortizationOfDeferredRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	pacd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net-off amount between contract assets and contract liabilities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pacd_NettingOfContractBalances
Namespace Prefix:	pacd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ChangeInContractWithCustomerAssetAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ChangeInContractWithCustomerLiabilityAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118944033&loc=SL49130531-203044

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118956577&loc=SL49130549-203045

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118944033&loc=SL49130532-203044

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant