Basis of Presentation (Details) - USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Outstanding borrowing	$ 0	$ 0
Revolving Credit Agreement
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Outstanding borrowing	0	0
Senior Notes
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Deferred loan costs	16,700,000	9,100,000
Other Noncurrent Assets \| Revolving Credit Agreement
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Deferred loan costs	$ 1,400,000	$ 2,300,000
SPS
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Equity method investment, ownership percentage	42.50%
Parent \| Subsidiaries \| Pacesetter Drilling LLC
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by parent	63.00%
7.500% senior unsecured notes due 2022 \| Senior Notes
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate stated percentage	7.50%

Summary of significant accounting policies.

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

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Amount, after accumulated amortization, of debt issuance costs classified as noncurrent. Includes, but is not limited to, legal, accounting, underwriting, printing, and registration costs.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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The parent entity's interest in net assets of the subsidiary, expressed as a percentage.

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