Supplemental Condensed Consolidated Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 203,303	$ 170,581	$ 408,435	$ 346,305
Expenses:
Operating costs	104,015	96,039	213,248	192,174
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	58,373	50,080	115,439	97,012
General and administrative	8,712	8,713	19,474	17,667
Gain on disposition of assets	(161)	(248)	(322)	(1,072)
Total operating expenses	170,939	154,584	347,839	305,781
Income from operations	32,364	15,997	60,596	40,524
Interest, net	(7,729)	(9,467)	(17,733)	(18,863)
Gain (loss) on derivatives	(14,461)	8,902	(21,223)	23,633
Other, net	5	6	11	9
Income (loss) before income taxes	10,179	15,438	21,651	45,303
Income tax expense (benefit)	2,029	6,379	5,636	20,315
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income	8,150	9,059	16,015	24,988
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	2,362	0	2,362	0
Net income attributable to Unit Corporation	5,788	9,059	13,653	24,988
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	(27,188)	(20,547)	(50,515)	(36,070)
Expenses:
Operating costs	(26,374)	(20,171)	(49,267)	(35,694)
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Gain on disposition of assets	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	(26,374)	(20,171)	(49,267)	(35,694)
Income from operations	(814)	(376)	(1,248)	(376)
Interest, net	0	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on derivatives	0	0	0	0
Other, net	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(814)	(376)	(1,248)	(376)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of tax	(23,558)	(10,338)	(45,283)	(23,409)
Net income	(24,372)	(10,714)	(46,531)	(23,785)
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Unit Corporation	(24,372)	(10,714)	(46,531)	(23,785)
Parent [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Expenses:
Operating costs	0	0	0	0
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	1,918	1,904	3,836	3,645
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Gain on disposition of assets	0	(5)	(30)	(813)
Total operating expenses	1,918	1,899	3,806	2,832
Income from operations	(1,918)	(1,899)	(3,806)	(2,832)
Interest, net	(7,425)	(9,290)	(17,280)	(18,500)
Gain (loss) on derivatives	(14,461)	8,902	(21,223)	23,633
Other, net	5	6	11	9
Income (loss) before income taxes	(23,799)	(2,281)	(42,298)	2,310
Income tax expense (benefit)	(6,029)	(1,002)	(10,668)	731
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of tax	23,558	10,338	45,283	23,409
Net income	5,788	9,059	13,653	24,988
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Unit Corporation	5,788	9,059	13,653	24,988
Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	155,085	128,017	308,894	252,800
Expenses:
Operating costs	70,603	66,393	143,709	125,946
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	45,280	37,327	89,375	71,700
General and administrative	8,655	6,899	16,884	13,797
Gain on disposition of assets	(116)	(199)	(213)	(215)
Total operating expenses	124,422	110,420	249,755	211,228
Income from operations	30,663	17,597	59,139	41,572
Interest, net	0	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on derivatives	0	0	0	0
Other, net	0	(1)	1	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	30,663	17,596	59,140	41,572
Income tax expense (benefit)	7,803	7,054	15,460	18,354
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income	22,860	10,542	43,680	23,218
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Unit Corporation	22,860	10,542	43,680	23,218
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	75,406	63,111	150,056	129,575
Expenses:
Operating costs	59,786	49,817	118,806	101,922
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	11,175	10,849	22,228	21,667
General and administrative	57	1,814	2,590	3,870
Gain on disposition of assets	(45)	(44)	(79)	(44)
Total operating expenses	70,973	62,436	143,545	127,415
Income from operations	4,433	675	6,511	2,160
Interest, net	(304)	(177)	(453)	(363)
Gain (loss) on derivatives	0	0	0	0
Other, net	0	1	(1)	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	4,129	499	6,057	1,797
Income tax expense (benefit)	255	327	844	1,230
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income	3,874	172	5,213	567
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	2,362	0	2,362	0
Net income attributable to Unit Corporation	$ 1,512	$ 172	$ 2,851	$ 567