Industry Segment Information (Revenue From Different Segments) (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) systems		Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) rig systems		Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Revenues
Oil and natural gas										$ 385,774		$ 740,079		$ 649,718
Contract drilling										287,767		566,012		479,091
Elimination of inter-segment revenue										(22,099)		(89,495)		(64,313)
Contract drilling net of inter-segment revenue										265,668		476,517		414,778
Gas gathering and processing										268,012		445,934		378,397
Elimination of inter-segment revenue										(65,223)		(89,586)		(91,043)
Gas gathering and processing net of inter-segment revenue										202,789		356,348		287,354
Total revenues		$ 172,292	$ 212,393	$ 214,447	$ 255,099	$ 378,551	$ 400,974	$ 405,431	$ 387,988	854,231		1,572,944		1,351,850
Operating Income (Loss):
Oil and natural gas										(1,631,564)	[1]	199,392	[1]	239,219
Contract drilling										44,811	[2]	41,896	[2]	96,304
Gas gathering and processing										(29,409)	[3]	2,015	[3]	10,757
Total operating income (loss)	[4]									(1,616,162)		243,303		346,280
General and administrative										(35,345)		(42,023)		(38,323)
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets										(7,229)		8,953		17,076
Interest expense, net										(31,963)		(17,371)		(15,015)
Gain (loss) on derivatives not designated as hedges and hedge ineffectiveness, net										26,345		30,147		(8,374)
Other										45		(70)		(175)
Income (loss) before income taxes										(1,664,309)		222,939		301,469
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas		1,218,036				2,856,833				1,218,036		2,856,833		2,441,792
Contract drilling		993,015				1,059,980				993,015		1,059,980		1,042,661
Gas gathering and processing		478,661				500,255				478,661		500,255		473,717
Total identifiable assets	[5]	2,689,712				4,417,068				2,689,712		4,417,068		3,958,170
Corporate assets		118,797				56,660				118,797		56,660		64,220
Total assets		$ 2,808,509				$ 4,473,728				2,808,509		4,473,728		4,022,390
Capital expenditures:
Oil and natural gas										267,944		740,262		531,233
Contract drilling										84,802		176,683		64,325
Gas gathering and processing										63,476		79,268	[6]	96,085
Other										38,065		17,067		4,483
Total capital expenditures										454,287		1,013,280		696,126
Oil and natural gas:
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization										251,944		276,088		226,498
Impairment of oil and natural gas properties										1,599,348		76,683		0
Contract drilling:
Impairment of contract drilling equipment										8,314		74,318		0
Gas gathering and processing:
Depreciation and amortization										43,676		40,434		33,191
Impairment of gas gathering systems										26,966		7,068		0
Capital lease obligations incurred												28,200
Non-cash ceiling test write-down net of tax										1,000,000		47,700
Operating Segments
Oil and natural gas:
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization										251,944		276,088		226,498
Impairment of oil and natural gas properties										1,599,348	[1]	76,683	[1]	0
Contract drilling:
Depreciation										56,135		85,370		71,194
Impairment of contract drilling equipment										8,314	[2]	74,318	[2]	0
Gas gathering and processing:
Depreciation and amortization										43,676		40,434		33,191
Impairment of gas gathering systems										26,966	[3]	7,068	[3]	0
Other										3,075		3,051		3,024
Total depreciation, depletion, amortization and impairment										$ 1,989,458		$ 563,012		$ 333,907
Drilling Equipment
Gas gathering and processing:
Number of drilling rigs removed from service | rig												31
Gas Gathering and Processing Equipment
Gas gathering and processing:
Number of gas gathering systems impaired | systems										3		3

[1] In 2015 and 2014, we incurred non-cash ceiling test write-downs of our oil and natural gas properties of $1.6 billion and $76.7 million pre-tax ($1.0 billion and $47.7 million, net of tax), respectively.

[2] Impairment for contract drilling equipment for 2015 includes a $8.3 million pre-tax write-down and 2014 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] Impairment for gas gathering and processing systems for 2015 includes a $27.0 million pre-tax write-down for three of our systems, Bruceton Mills, Midwell, and Spring Creek. For 2014, it includes a $7.1 million pre-tax write-down for three of our systems, Weatherford, Billy Rose, and Spring Creek.

[4] Operating income (loss) 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, net, 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 2014, we entered into capital leases for $28.2 million