Organization	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization	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 exploration, development, acquisition, and production of oil and natural gas properties, the land contract drilling of natural gas and oil wells, 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) Oil and Natural Gas, (2) Contract Drilling, and (3) Mid-Stream. 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, unproved properties, and related assets are located mainly in Oklahoma and Texas, and to a lesser extent, in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Contract Drilling. Carried out by our subsidiary, Unit Drilling Company, 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, Wyoming, North Dakota, and to a lesser extent in Louisiana and Kansas. Our contract drilling segment experienced more demand for natural gas drilling as opposed to drilling for oil and NGLs before 2008. Since 2008, operators have been focusing more 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, 2016

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 exploration, development, acquisition, and production of oil and natural gas properties, the land contract drilling of natural gas and oil wells, 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) Oil and Natural Gas, (2) Contract Drilling, and (3) Mid-Stream.

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, unproved properties, and related assets are located mainly in Oklahoma and Texas, and to a lesser extent, in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.

Contract Drilling. Carried out by our subsidiary, Unit Drilling Company, 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, Wyoming, North Dakota, and to a lesser extent in Louisiana and Kansas.

Our contract drilling segment experienced more demand for natural gas drilling as opposed to drilling for oil and NGLs before 2008. Since 2008, operators have been focusing more 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.