Operations by Business Segment and Geographic Area - Financial Data By Business Segment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 2,782,604	$ 2,192,663	$ 1,917,045
Income from Operations	428,597	334,831	309,500
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	176,483	151,227	153,651
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	1,673	3,801	2,078
Oil And Gas [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	2,497,506	1,959,299	1,682,345
Income from Operations	528,588	430,111	393,050
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	170,719	145,101	144,112
ROVs [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	853,520	755,033	662,105
Income from Operations	248,972	224,705	211,725
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	108,933	100,089	86,232
Subsea Products [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	829,034	770,212	549,233
Income from Operations	170,959	142,184	108,522
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	36,638	31,299	27,956
Subsea Projects [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	379,571	167,477	247,538
Income from Operations	63,461	32,662	46,910
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	13,340	8,024	25,826
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	1,673	3,801	2,078
Asset Integrity [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	435,381	266,577	223,469
Income from Operations	45,196	30,560	25,893
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	11,808	5,689	4,098
Advanced Technologies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	285,098	233,364	234,700
Income from Operations	21,182	16,661	16,934
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	2,677	3,134	4,588
Unallocated Expenses [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from Operations	(121,173)	(111,941)	(100,484)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	$ 3,087	$ 2,992	$ 4,951

The current period expense charged against earnings on long-lived, physical assets not used in production, and which are not intended for resale, to allocate or recognize the cost of such assets over their useful lives; or to record the reduction in book value of an intangible asset over the benefit period of such asset; or to reflect consumption during the period of an asset that is not used in production.

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This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.12)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6943989&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 9

-Article 5

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 28

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 11

-Article 7

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=16385135&loc=d3e33749-111570

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 18

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 18

-Paragraph 19

-Subparagraph c

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details