Industry Segment Information (Revenue From Different Segments) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) rig		Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) rig systems		Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) systems
Revenues
Oil and natural gas													$ 294,221		$ 385,774		$ 740,079
Contract drilling													122,086		265,668		476,517
Gas gathering and processing													185,870		202,789		356,348
Total revenues	$ 174,280		$ 153,408	$ 138,305	$ 136,184	$ 172,292		$ 212,393	$ 214,447	$ 255,099			602,177		854,231		1,572,944
Operating costs:
Oil and natural gas													120,184		166,046		187,916
Contract drilling													88,154		156,408		274,933
Gas gathering and processing													137,609		161,556		306,831
Total operating costs													345,947		484,010		769,680
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization													208,353		352,742		402,888
Impairment of gas gathering systems													0
Impairments													161,563		1,634,628		158,069
Total expenses													715,863		2,471,380		1,330,637
General and administrative expense													(33,337)		(34,358)		(41,027)
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets													2,540		(7,229)		8,953
Gain (loss) on derivatives													(22,813)		26,345		30,147
Interest expense, net													(39,829)		(31,963)		(17,371)
Other													307		45		(70)
Income (loss) before income taxes													(206,818)		(1,664,309)		222,939
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas	965,159					1,218,036					$ 2,856,833		965,159		1,218,036		2,856,833
Contract drilling	941,676					993,015					1,059,980		941,676		993,015		1,059,980
Gas gathering and processing	461,600					478,661					500,255		461,600		478,661		500,255
Total identifiable assets	2,368,435	[1]				2,689,712	[2]				4,417,068	[3]	2,368,435	[1]	2,689,712	[2]	4,417,068	[3]
Corporate land and building	58,188					49,890					16,104		58,188		49,890		16,104
Other corporate assets	52,680	[4]				60,240	[5]				30,300	[6]	52,680	[4]	60,240	[5]	30,300	[6]
Total assets	2,479,303					2,799,842					4,463,472		2,479,303		2,799,842		4,463,472
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures													142,155		454,287		1,013,280	[7]
Non-cash ceiling test write-down net of tax													100,600		$ 1,000,000		$ 47,700
Number of gas gathering systems impaired | systems															3		3
Capital lease obligations incurred													0		$ 0		$ (28,202)
Oil and Natural Gas [Member]
Revenues
Oil and natural gas													294,221		385,774		740,079
Contract drilling													0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing													0		0		0
Total revenues													294,221		385,774		740,079
Operating costs:
Oil and natural gas													126,739		170,831		192,429
Contract drilling													0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing													0		0		0
Total operating costs													126,739		170,831		192,429
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization													113,811		251,944		276,088
Impairment of Oil and Gas Properties													161,563		1,599,348		76,683
Total expenses													402,113		2,022,123		545,200
Total operating income (loss)													(107,892)	[8]	(1,636,349)	[9]	194,879	[10]
General and administrative expense													0		0		0
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets													(324)		(147)		0
Gain (loss) on derivatives													0		0		0
Interest expense, net													0		0		0
Other													0		0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes													(108,216)		(1,636,496)		194,879
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas	965,159					1,218,036					2,856,833		965,159		1,218,036		2,856,833
Contract drilling	0					0					0		0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing	0					0					0		0		0		0
Total identifiable assets	965,159	[1]				1,218,036	[2]				2,856,833	[3]	965,159	[1]	1,218,036	[2]	2,856,833	[3]
Corporate land and building	0					0					0		0		0		0
Other corporate assets	0	[4]				0	[5]				0	[6]	0	[4]	0	[5]	0	[6]
Total assets	965,159					1,218,036					2,856,833		965,159		1,218,036		2,856,833
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures													89,562		267,944		740,262	[7]
Drilling [Member]
Revenues
Oil and natural gas													0		0		0
Contract drilling													122,086		287,767		566,012
Gas gathering and processing													0		0		0
Total revenues													122,086		287,767		566,012
Operating costs:
Oil and natural gas													0		0		0
Contract drilling													88,154		174,757		337,371
Gas gathering and processing													0		0		0
Total operating costs													88,154		174,757		337,371
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization													46,992		56,135		85,370
Impairment of contract drilling equipment													0	[11]	8,314		74,318
Total expenses													135,146		239,206		497,059
Total operating income (loss)													(13,060)	[8]	48,561	[9]	68,953	[10]
General and administrative expense													0		0		0
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets													3,184		(7,516)		8,819
Gain (loss) on derivatives													0		0		0
Interest expense, net													0		0		0
Other													0		0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes													(9,876)		41,045		77,772
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas	0					0					0		0		0		0
Contract drilling	941,676					993,015					1,059,980		941,676		993,015		1,059,980
Gas gathering and processing	0					0					0		0		0		0
Total identifiable assets	941,676	[1]				993,015	[2]				1,059,980	[3]	941,676	[1]	993,015	[2]	1,059,980	[3]
Corporate land and building	0					0					0		0		0		0
Other corporate assets	0	[4]				0	[5]				0	[6]	0	[4]	0	[5]	0	[6]
Total assets	941,676					993,015					$ 1,059,980		941,676		993,015		1,059,980
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures													19,134		84,802		176,683	[7]
Number of drilling rigs removed from service | rig											31
Mid-Stream [Member]
Revenues
Oil and natural gas													0		0		0
Contract drilling													0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing													237,785		268,012		445,934
Total revenues													237,785		268,012		445,934
Operating costs:
Oil and natural gas													0		0		0
Contract drilling													0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing													182,969		221,994		391,903
Total operating costs													182,969		221,994		391,903
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization													45,715		43,676		40,434
Impairment of gas gathering systems													0	[11]	26,966		7,068
Total expenses													228,684		292,636		439,405
Total operating income (loss)													9,101	[8]	(24,624)	[9]	6,529	[10]
General and administrative expense													0		0		0
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets													(302)		465		97
Gain (loss) on derivatives													0		0		0
Interest expense, net													0		0		0
Other													0		0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes													8,799		(24,159)		6,626
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas	0					0					$ 0		0		0		0
Contract drilling	0					0					0		0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing	461,600					478,661					500,255		461,600		478,661		500,255
Total identifiable assets	461,600	[1]				478,661	[2]				500,255	[3]	461,600	[1]	478,661	[2]	500,255	[3]
Corporate land and building	0					0					0		0		0		0
Other corporate assets	0	[4]				0	[5]				0	[6]	0	[4]	0	[5]	0	[6]
Total assets	461,600					478,661					500,255		461,600		478,661		500,255
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures													16,796		63,476		79,268	[7]
Other Segments [Member]
Revenues
Oil and natural gas													0		0		0
Contract drilling													0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing													0		0		0
Total revenues													0		0		0
Operating costs:
Oil and natural gas													0		0		0
Contract drilling													0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing													0		0		0
Total operating costs													0		0		0
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization													1,835		987		996
Impairments													0	[11]	0	[12]	0	[13]
Total expenses													1,835		987		996
Total operating income (loss)													(1,835)	[8]	(987)	[9]	(996)	[10]
General and administrative expense													(33,337)		(34,358)		(41,027)
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets													(18)		(31)		37
Gain (loss) on derivatives													(22,813)		26,345		30,147
Interest expense, net													(39,829)		(31,963)		(17,371)
Other													307		45		(70)
Income (loss) before income taxes													(97,525)		(40,949)		(29,280)
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas	0					0					0		0		0		0
Contract drilling	0					0					0		0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing	0					0					0		0		0		0
Total identifiable assets	0	[1]				0	[2]				0	[3]	0	[1]	0	[2]	0	[3]
Corporate land and building	58,188					49,890					16,104		58,188		49,890		16,104
Other corporate assets	52,680	[4]				60,240	[5]				30,300	[6]	52,680	[4]	60,240	[5]	30,300	[6]
Total assets	110,868					110,130					46,404		110,868		110,130		46,404
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures													16,663		38,065		17,067	[7]
Intersubsegment Eliminations [Member]
Revenues
Oil and natural gas													0		0		0
Contract drilling													0		(22,099)		(89,495)
Gas gathering and processing													(51,915)		(65,223)		(89,586)
Total revenues													(51,915)		(87,322)		(179,081)
Operating costs:
Oil and natural gas													(6,555)		(4,785)		(4,513)
Contract drilling													0		(18,349)		(62,438)
Gas gathering and processing													(45,360)		(60,438)		(85,072)
Total operating costs													(51,915)		(83,572)		(152,023)
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization													0		0		0
Impairments													0	[11]	0	[12]	0	[13]
Total expenses													(51,915)		(83,572)		(152,023)
Total operating income (loss)													0	[8]	(3,750)	[9]	(27,058)	[10]
General and administrative expense													0		0		0
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets													0		0		0
Gain (loss) on derivatives													0		0		0
Interest expense, net													0		0		0
Other													0		0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes													0		(3,750)		(27,058)
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas	0					0					0		0		0		0
Contract drilling	0					0					0		0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing	0					0					0		0		0		0
Total identifiable assets	0	[1]				0	[2]				0	[3]	0	[1]	0	[2]	0	[3]
Corporate land and building	0					0					0		0		0		0
Other corporate assets	0	[4]					[5]				0	[6]	0	[4]		[5]	0	[6]
Total assets	$ 0					$ 0					$ 0		0		0		0
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures													$ 0		$ 0		$ 0	[7]
Drilling Equipment
Capital expenditures:
Number of drilling rigs removed from service | rig															30

[1] Identifiable assets are those used in Unit’s operations in each industry segment.

[2] Identifiable assets are those used in Unit’s operations in each industry segment.

[3] Identifiable assets are those used in Unit’s operations in each industry segment.

[4] Corporate assets are principally cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, transportation equipment, furniture, and equipment.

[5] Corporate assets are principally cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, corporate leasehold improvements, transportation equipment, furniture, and equipment.

[6] Corporate assets are principally cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, corporate leasehold improvements, transportation equipment, furniture, and equipment.

[7] Our mid-stream segment entered into capital leases for $28.2 million.

[8] 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, loss on derivatives, interest expense, other income (loss), or income taxes.

[9] 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 on derivatives, interest expense, other income (loss), or income taxes.

[10] Operating income (loss) is total operating revenues less operating expenses, depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment and does not include general corporate expenses, gain on disposition of assets, gain on derivatives, interest expense, other income (loss), or income taxes.

[11] We incurred non-cash ceiling test write-down of our oil and natural gas properties of $161.6 million pre-tax ($100.6 million, net of tax).

[12] We incurred non-cash ceiling test write-down of our oil and natural gas properties of $1.6 billion pre-tax ($1.0 billion, net of tax). Impairment for contract drilling equipment includes a $8.3 million pre-tax write-down for 30 drilling rigs and other drilling equipment. Impairment for gas gathering and processing systems includes $27.0 million pre-tax write-down for three of our systems, Bruceton Mills, Midwell, and Spring Creek.

[13] We incurred non-cash ceiling test write-down of our oil and natural gas properties of $76.7 million pre-tax ($47.7 million, net of tax). Impairment for contract drilling equipment includes a $74.3 million pre-tax write-down for 31 drilling rigs and other drilling equipment. Impairment for gas gathering and processing systems includes $7.1 million pre-tax write-down for three of our systems, Weatherford, Billy Rose, and Spring Creek.