Industry Segment Information (Revenue From Different Segments) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended													12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Revenues
Oil and natural gas														$ 740,079,000		$ 649,718,000		$ 567,944,000
Contract drilling														566,012,000		479,091,000		579,368,000
Elimination of inter-segment revenue														(89,495,000)		(64,313,000)		(49,649,000)
Contract drilling net of inter-segment revenue														476,517,000		414,778,000		529,719,000
Gas gathering and processing														445,934,000		378,397,000		290,773,000
Elimination of inter-segment revenue														(89,586,000)		(91,043,000)		(73,313,000)
Gas gathering and processing net of inter-segment revenue														356,348,000		287,354,000		217,460,000
Total revenues	378,551,000		400,974,000	405,431,000	387,988,000	359,121,000		333,776,000	340,421,000	318,532,000				1,572,944,000		1,351,850,000		1,315,123,000
Operating Income:
Oil and natural gas														199,392,000	[1]	239,219,000		(77,221,000)	[1]
Contract drilling														41,896,000	[2]	96,304,000		159,188,000
Gas gathering and processing														2,015,000	[3]	10,757,000		5,780,000	[3]
Total operating income														243,303,000	[4]	346,280,000	[4]	87,747,000	[4]
General and administrative														(42,023,000)		(38,323,000)		(33,086,000)
Gain on disposition of assets														8,953,000		17,076,000		253,000
Interest expense, net														(17,371,000)		(15,015,000)		(14,137,000)
Gain (loss) on derivatives not designated as hedges and hedge ineffectiveness, net														30,147,000		(8,374,000)		(1,243,000)
Other														(70,000)		(175,000)		(132,000)
Income before income taxes														222,939,000		301,469,000		39,402,000
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas	2,856,833,000					2,441,792,000					2,214,029,000			2,856,833,000		2,441,792,000		2,214,029,000
Contract drilling	1,059,980,000					1,042,661,000					1,079,736,000			1,059,980,000		1,042,661,000		1,079,736,000
Gas gathering and processing	500,255,000					473,717,000					413,708,000			500,255,000		473,717,000		413,708,000
Total identifiable assets	4,417,068,000	[5]				3,958,170,000	[5]				3,707,473,000	[5]		4,417,068,000	[5]	3,958,170,000	[5]	3,707,473,000	[5]
Corporate assets	56,660,000					64,220,000					53,647,000			56,660,000		64,220,000		53,647,000
Total assets	4,473,728,000					4,022,390,000					3,761,120,000			4,473,728,000		4,022,390,000		3,761,120,000
Capital expenditures:
Oil and natural gas														740,262,000	[6]	531,233,000	[6]	1,145,337,000	[6]
Contract drilling														176,683,000		64,325,000		77,520,000
Gas gathering and processing														79,268,000	[7]	96,085,000		183,162,000
Other														17,067,000	[6]	4,483,000	[6]	11,083,000	[6]
Total capital expenditures														1,013,280,000		696,126,000		1,417,102,000
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment
Oil and natural gas depreciation, depletion, and amortization														276,088,000		226,498,000		211,347,000
Impairment of oil and natural gas properties											167,700,000		115,900,000	76,683,000		0		283,606,000
Contract drilling														159,688,000		71,194,000		81,007,000
Gas Gathering Transportation Marketing And Processing Depreciation, Amortization, and Impairment														47,502,000		33,191,000		24,388,000
Reclassified salt water disposal expenditures																		17,000,000
Capital Lease Obligations Incurred														28,200,000
Non-cash ceiling test write-down net of tax											104,400,000		72,100,000	47,700,000				176,500,000
Impairment of long-lived assets held-for-use														0		0
Drilling Equipment
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment
Impairment of long-lived assets held-for-use														74,300,000
Number of drilling rigs removed from service														31
Gas Gathering and Processing Equipment
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment
Impairment of long-lived assets held-for-use														7,100,000		0		1,200,000
Number of gas gathering systems impaired														3
Operating Segments [Member]
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment
Oil and natural gas depreciation, depletion, and amortization														276,088,000		226,498,000		211,347,000
Impairment of oil and natural gas properties														76,683,000	[1]	0		283,606,000	[1]
Contract drilling														159,688,000	[2]	71,194,000		81,007,000
Gas Gathering Transportation Marketing And Processing Depreciation, Amortization, and Impairment														47,502,000	[3]	33,191,000		24,388,000	[3]
Other														3,051,000		3,024,000		2,279,000
Total depreciation, depletion, amortization and impairment														$ 563,012,000		$ 333,907,000		$ 602,627,000

[1] In 2014 and 2012, we incurred non-cash ceiling test write-downs of our oil and natural gas properties of $76.7 million and $283.6 million pre-tax ($47.7 million and $176.5 million, net of tax), respectively.

[2] Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment for contract drilling includes a $74.3 million pre-tax write-down for 31 drilling rigs, some older top drives, and certain drill pipe removed from service.

[3] Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment for gas gathering and processing for 2014 includes a $7.1 million pre-tax write-down for three of our systems, Weatherford, Billy Rose, and Spring Creek and for 2012 includes a $1.2 million write-down of our Erick system.

[4] Operating income is total operating revenues less operating expenses, depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment and does not include general corporate expenses, (gain) loss on disposition of assets, gain (loss) on non-designated hedges and hedge ineffectiveness, interest expense, other income (loss), or income taxes.

[5] Identifiable assets are those used in Unit’s operations in each industry segment. Corporate assets are principally cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, corporate leasehold improvements, furniture and equipment.

[6] In 2013, we reclassified salt water disposal capital expenditures out of other and into oil and natural gas of $17.0 million for 2012.

[7] In 2014, we entered into capital leases for $28.2 million.