Operations by Business Segment and Geographic Area - Financial Data By Business Segment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 3,659,624us-gaap_Revenues	$ 3,287,019us-gaap_Revenues	$ 2,782,604us-gaap_Revenues
Income from Operations	628,330us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	545,116us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	428,597us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	229,779us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	202,228us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	176,483us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	(51)	133	1,673
Oil And Gas [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	3,396,577	3,000,879	2,497,506
Income from Operations	765,110	662,131	528,588
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	223,112	196,006	170,719
ROVs [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	1,069,022	981,728	853,520
Income from Operations	320,550	281,973	248,972
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	145,691	128,310	108,933
Subsea Products [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	1,238,746	1,027,792	829,034
Income from Operations	281,239	231,050	170,959
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	46,085	39,964	36,638
Subsea Projects [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	588,572	509,440	379,571
Income from Operations	107,852	93,865	63,461
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	18,561	15,331	13,340
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	(51)	133	1,673
Asset Integrity [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	500,237	481,919	435,381
Income from Operations	55,469	55,243	45,196
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	12,775	12,401	11,808
Advanced Technologies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	263,047	286,140	285,098
Income from Operations	13,230	24,954	21,182
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	2,574	2,682	2,677
Unallocated Expenses [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from Operations	(150,010)	(141,969)	(121,173)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction	$ 4,093	$ 3,540	$ 3,087

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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