Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) rig contract Partnerships MMcf		Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Consolidation, Variable Interest Entity, Policy [Policy Text Block]	We consolidate the activities of Superior, a 50/50 joint venture between Unit Corporation and SP Investor Holdings, LLC, which qualifies as a VIE under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP). We have concluded that we are the primary beneficiary of the VIE, as defined in the accounting standards, since we have the power, through 50% ownership, to direct those activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of Superior as further described in Note 16 – Variable Interest Entity Arrangements.
Number of contracts, daywork expiring in one year | contract	17
Number of contracts, daywork expiring in two years | contract	7
Book Overdrafts	$ 5,100,000		$ 12,400,000
Concentration of cash	11,000,000.0		11,400,000
Impairments	147,884,000		0	$ 161,563,000
Assets held for sale	22,511,000		0
Interest Costs Capitalized	16,500,000		15,900,000	15,300,000
Goodwill impairment	0		0	0
Additions to goodwill	$ 0		0	0
Percentage fair value exceeds carrying value for goodwill	37.00%
Goodwill deductible for tax purposes	$ 400,000
Directly related overhead costs capitalized	15,900,000		14,800,000	15,400,000
Average rates used for depreciation, depletion, and amortization per Boe	7.50		6.00	6.24
Unproved properties not being amortized	$ 330,216,000		296,764,000	314,867,000
Future discounted net cash flows discounted	10.00%
Unproved properties included in amortization	$ 0		10,500,000	7,600,000
Revenues from transactions with operating segments of same entity	22,500,000		13,400,000	0
Eliminated associated operating expense	19,500,000		11,800,000
Eliminated yielding	$ 3,000,000.0		$ 1,600,000
Number of oil and gas limited partnerships | Partnerships	13
Federal statutory income tax rate, percent	21.00%		35.00%
Tax benefit from change in enacted tax rate	$ 0	[1]	$ (81,307,000)	0	[1]
Liability recognized to under production	$ (3,331,000)		(3,283,000)
Minimum
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of days for drilling of one well	10 days
Contact duration	6 months
Insurance coverage	$ 0
Operating Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	3,000,000.0
Operating Lease, Liability	$ 3,000,000.0
Maximum
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of days for drilling of one well	90 days
Contact duration	3 years
Insurance coverage	$ 1,000,000.0
Operating Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	4,500,000
Operating Lease, Liability	$ 4,500,000
Under-Produced Properties
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Natural gas balancing (MMcf) | MMcf	3,800
Over-Produced Properties
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Natural gas balancing (MMcf) | MMcf	3,700
Natural Gas Balancing
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Accounts receivable	$ 2,900,000
Drilling Equipment
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Minimum depreciation percentage for idle drilling rigs (if idle under 48 months)	20.00%
Number of drilling rigs removed from service | rig	41
Impairments	$ 147,900,000		0	0
Impairment of contract drilling equipment, net of tax	$ 111,700,000
Drilling Equipment | Minimum
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life, years	15 years
Building
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life, years	39 years
Property, Plant and Equipment, Other Types | Minimum
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life, years	3 years
Property, Plant and Equipment, Other Types | Maximum
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life, years	15 years
Oil and Natural Gas
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Impairments	$ 0	[2]	$ 0	161,600,000
Non-cash ceiling test write-down net of tax				$ 100,600,000
ASU 2018-02 end balance
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Federal statutory income tax rate, percent	24.50%		37.75%
Mechanical drilling rigs | Drilling Equipment
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of drilling rigs removed from service | rig	29
SCR diesel-electric drilling rigs | Drilling Equipment
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of drilling rigs removed from service | rig	12

[1] In 2017, the revaluation from the Tax Act.

[2] Impairment for contract drilling equipment includes a $147.9 million pre-tax write-down for 41 drilling rigs and other drilling equipment.