Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	7. Income Taxes In connection with the Separation, the Company and NOV entered into a Tax Matters Agreement, dated as of May 29, 2014 (the “Tax Matters Agreement”). The Tax Matters Agreement sets forth the Company and NOV’s rights and obligations related to the allocation of federal, state, local and foreign taxes for periods before and after the Spin-Off, as well as taxes attributable to the Spin-Off, and related matters such as the filing of tax returns and the conduct of IRS and other audits. Pursuant to the Tax Matters Agreement, NOV has prepared and filed the consolidated federal income tax return, and any other tax returns that include both NOV and the Company for all the liability periods ended on or prior to May 30, 2014. The income tax provision (benefit) for periods prior to the Separation has been computed as if NOW were a stand-alone company. NOV will indemnify and hold harmless the Company for any income tax liability for periods before the Separation date. The Company will prepare and file all tax returns that include solely the Company for all taxable periods ending after that date. Settlements of tax payments between NOV and the Company were generally treated as contributions from or distributions to NOV in periods prior to the Separation date. The effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 was (0.2%) and 10.3%, compared to 22.8% and 23.7% for the same periods in 2015. Compared to the U.S. statutory rate, the effective tax rate was impacted by recurring items, such as lower tax rates on income earned in foreign jurisdictions that is permanently reinvested, offset by nondeductible expenses, state income taxes and the change in valuation allowance recorded against deferred tax assets. Due to the continuing uncertainty in our industry and thus our outlook, the Company has adopted the method of recording income taxes on a year-to-date effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016. The Company will evaluate its use of this method each quarter until such time as a return to the annualized estimated effective tax rate method is deemed appropriate. During the second quarter of 2016, the Company acquired Power Service (see Note 13 “Acquisitions”) and recorded a deferred tax liability of $19 million related to basis differences between U.S. GAAP and U.S. Tax associated with the acquisition and step-up to fair value of certain assets, primarily intangible assets. The step up in basis resulted in higher future taxable temporary differences and a corresponding reduction in the valuation allowance recorded against deferred tax assets in the U.S. At the Company’s discretion, the Company has the option to make a future election under Internal Revenue Code Section 338(h)(10) to treat the Power Service acquisition as an asset acquisition for U.S. tax purposes. The Company is working with the former shareholders of Power Service to determine the feasibility of making this election. If the Company ultimately decides to make the election, its tax basis in the intangibles will be stepped-up to fair value and, as a result, the Company’s deferred tax balance would change. At such time, the Company will reassess the need for a valuation allowance and reflect the tax implications in the period of change. To the extent penalties and interest would be assessed on any underpayment of income tax, such accrued amounts have been classified as a component of income tax provision (benefit) in the financial statements consistent with the Company’s policy. The Company is subject to taxation in the United States, various states and foreign jurisdictions. The Company has significant operations in the United States, Canada and, to a lesser extent, in various other international jurisdictions. Tax years that remain subject to examination by major tax jurisdictions vary by legal entity, but are generally open in the U.S. for the tax years ending after 2012 and outside the U.S. for the tax years ending after 2010. The Company is indemnified for any income tax exposures related to the periods prior to the Separation under the Tax Matters Agreement with NOV.

7. Income Taxes

In connection with the Separation, the Company and NOV entered into a Tax Matters Agreement, dated as of May 29, 2014 (the “Tax Matters Agreement”). The Tax Matters Agreement sets forth the Company and NOV’s rights and obligations related to the allocation of federal, state, local and foreign taxes for periods before and after the Spin-Off, as well as taxes attributable to the Spin-Off, and related matters such as the filing of tax returns and the conduct of IRS and other audits. Pursuant to the Tax Matters Agreement, NOV has prepared and filed the consolidated federal income tax return, and any other tax returns that include both NOV and the Company for all the liability periods ended on or prior to May 30, 2014. The income tax provision (benefit) for periods prior to the Separation has been computed as if NOW were a stand-alone company. NOV will indemnify and hold harmless the Company for any income tax liability for periods before the Separation date. The Company will prepare and file all tax returns that include solely the Company for all taxable periods ending after that date. Settlements of tax payments between NOV and the Company were generally treated as contributions from or distributions to NOV in periods prior to the Separation date.

The effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 was (0.2%) and 10.3%, compared to 22.8% and 23.7% for the same periods in 2015. Compared to the U.S. statutory rate, the effective tax rate was impacted by recurring items, such as lower tax rates on income earned in foreign jurisdictions that is permanently reinvested, offset by nondeductible expenses, state income taxes and the change in valuation allowance recorded against deferred tax assets. Due to the continuing uncertainty in our industry and thus our outlook, the Company has adopted the method of recording income taxes on a year-to-date effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016. The Company will evaluate its use of this method each quarter until such time as a return to the annualized estimated effective tax rate method is deemed appropriate.

During the second quarter of 2016, the Company acquired Power Service (see Note 13 “Acquisitions”) and recorded a deferred tax liability of $19 million related to basis differences between U.S. GAAP and U.S. Tax associated with the acquisition and step-up to fair value of certain assets, primarily intangible assets. The step up in basis resulted in higher future taxable temporary differences and a corresponding reduction in the valuation allowance recorded against deferred tax assets in the U.S. At the Company’s discretion, the Company has the option to make a future election under Internal Revenue Code Section 338(h)(10) to treat the Power Service acquisition as an asset acquisition for U.S. tax purposes. The Company is working with the former shareholders of Power Service to determine the feasibility of making this election. If the Company ultimately decides to make the election, its tax basis in the intangibles will be stepped-up to fair value and, as a result, the Company’s deferred tax balance would change. At such time, the Company will reassess the need for a valuation allowance and reflect the tax implications in the period of change.

To the extent penalties and interest would be assessed on any underpayment of income tax, such accrued amounts have been classified as a component of income tax provision (benefit) in the financial statements consistent with the Company’s policy.

The Company is subject to taxation in the United States, various states and foreign jurisdictions. The Company has significant operations in the United States, Canada and, to a lesser extent, in various other international jurisdictions. Tax years that remain subject to examination by major tax jurisdictions vary by legal entity, but are generally open in the U.S. for the tax years ending after 2012 and outside the U.S. for the tax years ending after 2010. The Company is indemnified for any income tax exposures related to the periods prior to the Separation under the Tax Matters Agreement with NOV.