Summary Of Major Accounting Policies (Policy)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation. We have prepared these unaudited consolidated financial statements pursuant to instructions for quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, which we are required to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These financial statements do not include all information and footnotes normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("U.S. GAAP"). These financial statements reflect all adjustments that we believe are necessary to present fairly our financial position at June 30, 2015 and our results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. Except as otherwise disclosed herein, all such adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014. The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of annual results.
Principles of Consolidation	Principles of Consolidation. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Oceaneering International, Inc. and our 50% or more owned and controlled subsidiaries. We also consolidate entities that are determined to be variable interest entities if we determine that we are the primary beneficiary; otherwise, we account for those entities using the equity method of accounting. We use the equity method to account for our investments in unconsolidated affiliated companies of which we own an equity interest of between 20% and 50% and as to which we have significant influence, but not control, over operations. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
Use Of Estimates	Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires that our management make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expense during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Reclassification	Reclassifications. Certain amounts from prior periods have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation.
Cash and Cash Equivalents	Cash and Cash Equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents include demand deposits and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less from the date of investment.
Accounts Receivable	Accounts Receivable – Allowances for Doubtful Accounts. We determine the need for allowances for doubtful accounts using the specific identification method. We do not generally require collateral from our customers.
Inventory	Inventory. Inventory is valued at lower of cost or market. We determine cost using the weighted-average method. During the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2015, we recorded an inventory write-down of $9.0 million upon our decision to cease manufacturing subsea BOP control systems.
Property and Equipment	Property and Equipment and Long-Lived Intangible Assets. We provide for depreciation of property and equipment on the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives. We charge the costs of repair and maintenance of property and equipment to operations as incurred, while we capitalize the costs of improvements that extend asset lives or functionality. Upon the disposition of property and equipment, the related cost and accumulated depreciation accounts are relieved and any resulting gain or loss is included as an adjustment to cost of services and products. Intangible assets, primarily acquired in connection with business combinations, include trade names, intellectual property and customer relationships and are being amortized over their estimated useful lives. We capitalize interest on assets where the construction period is anticipated to be more than three months. We capitalized $0.5 million and $0.1 million of interest in the three-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and $1.1 million and $0.2 million of interest in the six-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. We do not allocate general administrative costs to capital projects. Our management periodically, and upon the occurrence of a triggering event, reviews the realizability of our property and equipment and long-lived intangible assets, which are held and used by us, to determine whether any events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. For long-lived assets to be held and used, we base our evaluation on impairment indicators such as the nature of the assets, the future economic benefit of the assets, any historical or future profitability measurements and other external market conditions or factors that may be present. If such impairment indicators are present or other factors exist that indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable, we determine whether an impairment has occurred through the use of an undiscounted cash flows analysis of the asset at the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows exist. If an impairment has occurred, we recognize a loss for the difference between the carrying amount and the fair value of the asset. For assets held for sale or disposal, the fair value of the asset is measured using fair market value less cost to sell. Assets are classified as held-for-sale when we have a plan for disposal of certain assets and those assets meet the held for sale criteria.
Business Acquisitions	Business Acquisitions. We account for business combinations using the acquisition method of accounting, and we allocate the acquisition price to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their fair market values at the date of acquisition. In April 2015, we completed the acquisition of C & C Technologies, Inc. ("C&C"). C&C is a global provider of ocean-bottom mapping services in deepwater utilizing customized autonomous underwater vehicles and provides marine construction surveys for both surface and subsea assets, as well as satellite-based positioning services for drilling rigs and seismic and construction vessels. C&C also provides land and near-shore survey services along the U.S. Gulf Coast and in Mexico, and performs shallow water conventional geophysical surveys in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Subject to customary post-closing working capital adjustments, the acquisition price of approximately $230 million was paid in cash. We have accounted for this acquisition by allocating the purchase price to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. This purchase price allocation is preliminary and based on information currently available to us, and is subject to change when we obtain final asset and liability valuations. We have included C&C's operations in our consolidated financial statements starting from the date of closing, and its operating results are included in our Subsea Projects segment. The acquisition of C&C did not have a material effect on our operating results, cash flows or financial position.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets	Goodwill. In our annual evaluation of goodwill for impairment, we first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, we determine it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, we are required to perform the first step of the two-step impairment test. We tested the goodwill attributable to each of our reporting units for impairment as of December 31, 2014 and concluded that there was no impairment.
Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]	Foreign Currency Translation. The functional currency for several of our foreign subsidiaries is the applicable local currency. Results of operations for foreign subsidiaries with functional currencies other than the U.S. dollar are translated into U.S. dollars using average exchange rates during the period. Assets and liabilities of these foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars using the exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date, and the resulting translation adjustments are recognized, net of tax, in accumulated other comprehensive income as a component of shareholders' equity. All foreign currency transaction gains and losses are recognized currently in the Consolidated Statements of Income.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	New Accounting Standards. In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)." ASU 2014-09, as amended, completes the joint effort by the FASB and International Accounting Standards Board to improve financial reporting by creating common revenue recognition guidance for U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. ASU 2014-09 applies to all companies that enter into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services. ASU 2014-09 is effective for us for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early application is not permitted and we have the choice to apply ASU 2014-09 either retrospectively to each reporting period presented or by recognizing the cumulative effect of applying ASU 2014-09 at the date of initial application (January 1, 2018) and not adjusting comparative information. We are currently evaluating the requirements of ASU 2014-09 and have not yet determined its impact on our consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, "Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30) Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs." This update requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. ASU 2015-03 is effective for our financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, and we adopted this update in the second quarter of 2015 and reclassified prior period amounts to conform with the new presentation.

Summary Of Major Accounting Policies (Policy)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2015

Basis of Presentation. We have prepared these unaudited consolidated financial statements pursuant to instructions for quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, which we are required to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These financial statements do not include all information and footnotes normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("U.S. GAAP"). These financial statements reflect all adjustments that we believe are necessary to present fairly our financial position at June 30, 2015 and our results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. Except as otherwise disclosed herein, all such adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014. The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of annual results.

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Oceaneering International, Inc. and our 50% or more owned and controlled subsidiaries. We also consolidate entities that are determined to be variable interest entities if we determine that we are the primary beneficiary; otherwise, we account for those entities using the equity method of accounting. We use the equity method to account for our investments in unconsolidated affiliated companies of which we own an equity interest of between 20% and 50% and as to which we have significant influence, but not control, over operations. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Use Of Estimates

Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires that our management make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expense during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Reclassification

Reclassifications. Certain amounts from prior periods have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents include demand deposits and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less from the date of investment.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable – Allowances for Doubtful Accounts. We determine the need for allowances for doubtful accounts using the specific identification method. We do not generally require collateral from our customers.

Inventory

Inventory. Inventory is valued at lower of cost or market. We determine cost using the weighted-average method. During the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2015, we recorded an inventory write-down of $9.0 million upon our decision to cease manufacturing subsea BOP control systems.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment and Long-Lived Intangible Assets. We provide for depreciation of property and equipment on the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives. We charge the costs of repair and maintenance of property and equipment to operations as incurred, while we capitalize the costs of improvements that extend asset lives or functionality. Upon the disposition of property and equipment, the related cost and accumulated depreciation accounts are relieved and any resulting gain or loss is included as an adjustment to cost of services and products.

Intangible assets, primarily acquired in connection with business combinations, include trade names, intellectual property and customer relationships and are being amortized over their estimated useful lives.

We capitalize interest on assets where the construction period is anticipated to be more than three months. We capitalized $0.5 million and $0.1 million of interest in the three-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and $1.1 million and $0.2 million of interest in the six-month periods ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. We do not allocate general administrative costs to capital projects.

Our management periodically, and upon the occurrence of a triggering event, reviews the realizability of our property and equipment and long-lived intangible assets, which are held and used by us, to determine whether any events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. For long-lived assets to be held and used, we base our evaluation on impairment indicators such as the nature of the assets, the future economic benefit of the assets, any historical or future profitability measurements and other external market conditions or factors that may be present. If such impairment indicators are present or other factors exist that indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable, we determine whether an impairment has occurred through the use of an undiscounted cash flows analysis of the asset at the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows exist. If an impairment has occurred, we recognize a loss for the difference between the carrying amount and the fair value of the asset. For assets held for sale or disposal, the fair value of the asset is measured using fair market value less cost to sell. Assets are classified as held-for-sale when we have a plan for disposal of certain assets and those assets meet the held for sale criteria.

Business Acquisitions

Business Acquisitions. We account for business combinations using the acquisition method of accounting, and we allocate the acquisition price to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their fair market values at the date of acquisition.

In April 2015, we completed the acquisition of C & C Technologies, Inc. ("C&C"). C&C is a global provider of ocean-bottom mapping services in deepwater utilizing customized autonomous underwater vehicles and provides marine construction surveys for both surface and subsea assets, as well as satellite-based positioning services for drilling rigs and seismic and construction vessels. C&C also provides land and near-shore survey services along the U.S. Gulf Coast and in Mexico, and performs shallow water conventional geophysical surveys in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Subject to customary post-closing working capital adjustments, the acquisition price of approximately $230 million was paid in cash. We have accounted for this acquisition by allocating the purchase price to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. This purchase price allocation is preliminary and based on information currently available to us, and is subject to change when we obtain final asset and liability valuations. We have included C&C's operations in our consolidated financial statements starting from the date of closing, and its operating results are included in our Subsea Projects segment. The acquisition of C&C did not have a material effect on our operating results, cash flows or financial position.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill. In our annual evaluation of goodwill for impairment, we first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, we determine it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, we are required to perform the first step of the two-step impairment test. We tested the goodwill attributable to each of our reporting units for impairment as of December 31, 2014 and concluded that there was no impairment.

Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]

Foreign Currency Translation. The functional currency for several of our foreign subsidiaries is the applicable local currency. Results of operations for foreign subsidiaries with functional currencies other than the U.S. dollar are translated into U.S. dollars using average exchange rates during the period. Assets and liabilities of these foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars using the exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date, and the resulting translation adjustments are recognized, net of tax, in accumulated other comprehensive income as a component of shareholders' equity. All foreign currency transaction gains and losses are recognized currently in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

New Accounting Standards. In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)." ASU 2014-09, as amended, completes the joint effort by the FASB and International Accounting Standards Board to improve financial reporting by creating common revenue recognition guidance for U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. ASU 2014-09 applies to all companies that enter into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services. ASU 2014-09 is effective for us for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early application is not permitted and we have the choice to apply ASU 2014-09 either retrospectively to each reporting period presented or by recognizing the cumulative effect of applying ASU 2014-09 at the date of initial application (January 1, 2018) and not adjusting comparative information. We are currently evaluating the requirements of ASU 2014-09 and have not yet determined its impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, "Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30) Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs." This update requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. ASU 2015-03 is effective for our financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, and we adopted this update in the second quarter of 2015 and reclassified prior period amounts to conform with the new presentation.