Supplemental Condensed Consolidated Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operation) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 214,788	$ 220,058	$ 203,303	$ 205,132	$ 204,847	$ 188,488	$ 170,581	$ 175,724	$ 843,281	$ 739,640	$ 602,177
Expenses
Operating costs									430,896	408,872	345,947
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization									243,605	209,257	208,353
Impairments									147,884	0	161,563
General and administrative									38,707	38,087	33,337
Gain on disposition of assets									(704)	(327)	(2,540)
Total operating expenses									860,388	655,889	746,660
Income (loss) from operations									(17,107)	83,751	(144,483)
Interest, net									(33,494)	(38,334)	(39,829)
Gain (loss) on derivatives									(3,184)	14,732	(22,813)
Other									22	21	307
Income (loss) before income taxes									(53,763)	60,170	(206,818)
Income tax expense (benefit)									(13,996)	(57,678)	(71,194)
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									(39,767)	117,848	(135,624)
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest									5,521	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation	$ (77,840)	$ 18,899	$ 5,788	$ 7,865	$ 89,155	$ 3,705	$ 9,059	$ 15,929	(45,288)	117,848	(135,624)
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									(111,177)	(83,325)	(51,915)
Expenses
Operating costs									(108,136)	(81,705)	(51,915)
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization									0	0	0
Impairments									0		0
General and administrative									0	0	0
Gain on disposition of assets									0	0	0
Total operating expenses									(108,136)	(81,705)	(51,915)
Income (loss) from operations									(3,041)	(1,620)	0
Interest, net									0	0	0
Gain (loss) on derivatives									0	0	0
Other									0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes									(3,041)	(1,620)	0
Income tax expense (benefit)									0	0	0
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes									14,904	(134,768)	95,994
Net income (loss)									11,863	(136,388)	95,994
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest									0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation									11,863	(136,388)	95,994
Parent
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									0	0	0
Expenses
Operating costs									0	0	0
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization									7,679	7,477	1,835
Impairments									0		0
General and administrative									0	0	0
Gain on disposition of assets									(30)	(850)	18
Total operating expenses									7,649	6,627	1,853
Income (loss) from operations									(7,649)	(6,627)	(1,853)
Interest, net									(32,280)	(37,645)	(38,995)
Gain (loss) on derivatives									(3,184)	14,732	(22,813)
Other									22	21	0
Income (loss) before income taxes									(43,091)	(29,519)	(63,661)
Income tax expense (benefit)									(12,707)	(12,599)	(24,031)
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes									(14,904)	134,768	(95,994)
Net income (loss)									(45,288)	117,848	(135,624)
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest									0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation									(45,288)	117,848	(135,624)
Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									642,041	545,916	416,307
Expenses
Operating costs									287,704	269,964	214,892
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization									191,092	158,281	160,803
Impairments									147,884		161,563
General and administrative									36,083	29,440	26,158
Gain on disposition of assets									(564)	548	(2,860)
Total operating expenses									662,199	458,233	560,556
Income (loss) from operations									(20,158)	87,683	(144,249)
Interest, net									0	0	0
Gain (loss) on derivatives									0	0	0
Other									0	0	307
Income (loss) before income taxes									(20,158)	87,683	(143,942)
Income tax expense (benefit)									(3,319)	(20,881)	(48,654)
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									(16,839)	108,564	(95,288)
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest									0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation									(16,839)	108,564	(95,288)
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									312,417	277,049	237,785
Expenses
Operating costs									251,328	220,613	182,970
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization									44,834	43,499	45,715
Impairments									0		0
General and administrative									2,624	8,647	7,179
Gain on disposition of assets									(110)	(25)	302
Total operating expenses									298,676	272,734	236,166
Income (loss) from operations									13,741	4,315	1,619
Interest, net									(1,214)	(689)	(834)
Gain (loss) on derivatives									0	0	0
Other									0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes									12,527	3,626	785
Income tax expense (benefit)									2,030	(24,198)	1,491
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									10,497	27,824	(706)
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest									5,521	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation									$ 4,976	$ 27,824	$ (706)