Organization	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization	Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, references in this report to “Unit”, “Company”, “we”, “our”, “us”, or like terms refer to Unit Corporation and its subsidiaries. We are primarily engaged in the land contract drilling of natural gas and oil wells, the exploration, development, acquisition, and production of oil and natural gas properties, and the buying, selling, gathering, processing, and treating of natural gas. Our operations are located principally in the United States and are organized in the following three reporting segments: (1) Contract Drilling, (2) Oil and Natural Gas, and (3) Mid-Stream. Contract Drilling. Our contract drilling business is conducted through Unit Drilling Company and its subsidiary Unit Texas Drilling L.L.C. Through these companies we drill onshore oil and natural gas wells for our own account as well as for a wide range of other oil and natural gas companies. Our drilling operations are mainly located in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Montana, and North Dakota. Oil and Natural Gas. Carried out by our subsidiary, Unit Petroleum Company, we explore, develop, acquire, and produce oil and natural gas properties for our own account. Our producing oil and natural gas properties, undeveloped leaseholds, and related assets are located mainly in Oklahoma and Texas, and to a lesser extent, in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, and a small portion in Canada. Historically, our contract drilling segment has experienced a greater demand for natural gas drilling as opposed to drilling for oil and NGLs. With the current weakened natural gas market, operators are focusing on drilling for oil and NGLs. Mid-Stream. Carried out by our subsidiary, Superior Pipeline Company, L.L.C. and its subsidiaries, we buy, sell, gather, transport, process, and treat natural gas for our own account and for third parties. Mid-stream operations are performed in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Organization

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, references in this report to “Unit”, “Company”, “we”, “our”, “us”, or like terms refer to Unit Corporation and its subsidiaries.

We are primarily engaged in the land contract drilling of natural gas and oil wells, the exploration, development, acquisition, and production of oil and natural gas properties, and the buying, selling, gathering, processing, and treating of natural gas. Our operations are located principally in the United States and are organized in the following three reporting segments: (1) Contract Drilling, (2) Oil and Natural Gas, and (3) Mid-Stream.

Contract Drilling. Our contract drilling business is conducted through Unit Drilling Company and its subsidiary Unit Texas Drilling L.L.C. Through these companies we drill onshore oil and natural gas wells for our own account as well as for a wide range of other oil and natural gas companies. Our drilling operations are mainly located in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Montana, and North Dakota.

Oil and Natural Gas. Carried out by our subsidiary, Unit Petroleum Company, we explore, develop, acquire, and produce oil and natural gas properties for our own account. Our producing oil and natural gas properties, undeveloped leaseholds, and related assets are located mainly in Oklahoma and Texas, and to a lesser extent, in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, and a small portion in Canada.

Historically, our contract drilling segment has experienced a greater demand for natural gas drilling as opposed to drilling for oil and NGLs. With the current weakened natural gas market, operators are focusing on drilling for oil and NGLs.

Mid-Stream. Carried out by our subsidiary, Superior Pipeline Company, L.L.C. and its subsidiaries, we buy, sell, gather, transport, process, and treat natural gas for our own account and for third parties. Mid-stream operations are performed in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.