Industry Segment Information (Revenue From Different Segments) (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
Revenues
Oil and natural gas												$ 423,059		$ 357,744		$ 294,221
Contract drilling												196,492		174,720		122,086
Gas gathering and processing												223,730		207,176		185,870
Total revenues		$ 214,788		$ 220,058	$ 203,303	$ 205,132	$ 204,847		$ 188,488	$ 170,581	$ 175,724	843,281		739,640		602,177
Operating costs:
Oil and natural gas												131,675		130,789		120,184
Contract drilling												131,385		122,600		88,154
Gas gathering and processing												167,836		155,483		137,609
Total operating costs												430,896		408,872		345,947
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization												243,605		209,257		208,353
Impairments												147,884		0		161,563
Total expenses												822,385		618,129		715,863
General and administrative												38,707		38,087		33,337
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets												704		327		2,540
Income (loss) from operations												(17,107)		83,751		(144,483)
Gain (loss) on derivatives												(3,184)		14,732		(22,813)
Interest expense, net												(33,494)		(38,334)		(39,829)
Other												22		21		307
Income (loss) before income taxes												(53,763)		60,170		(206,818)
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas		1,350,830	[1]				1,127,900	[2]				1,350,830	[1]	1,127,900	[2]	965,159	[3]
Contract drilling		806,611					933,063					806,611		933,063		941,676
Gas gathering and processing		461,828					438,571					461,828		438,571		461,600
Total identifiable assets		2,619,269	[4]				2,499,534	[5]				2,619,269	[4]	2,499,534	[5]	2,368,435	[6]
Corporate land and building		55,505					56,854					55,505		56,854		58,188
Other corporate assets		23,279	[7]				25,064	[8]				23,279	[7]	25,064	[8]	52,680	[9]
Total assets		2,698,053	[10]				2,581,452	[10]				2,698,053	[10]	2,581,452	[10]	2,479,303
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures												488,780		332,280		142,155
Oil and Natural Gas
Revenues
Oil and natural gas												423,059	[11]	357,744		294,221
Contract drilling												0	[11]	0		0
Gas gathering and processing												0	[11]	0		0
Total revenues												423,059	[11]	357,744		294,221
Operating costs:
Oil and natural gas												136,870		135,532		126,739
Contract drilling												0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing												0		0		0
Total operating costs												136,870		135,532		126,739
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization												133,584		101,911		113,811
Impairments	[12]															161,563
Total expenses												270,454		237,443		402,113
General and administrative												0		0		0
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets												139		228		(324)
Income (loss) from operations												152,744		120,529		(108,216)
Gain (loss) on derivatives												0		0		0
Interest expense, net												0		0		0
Other												0		0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes												152,744		120,529		(108,216)
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas		1,357,779	[1]				1,134,080	[2]				1,357,779	[1]	1,134,080	[2]	970,238	[3]
Contract drilling		0					0					0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing		0					0					0		0		0
Total identifiable assets		1,357,779	[4]				1,134,080	[5]				1,357,779	[4]	1,134,080	[5]	970,238	[6]
Corporate land and building		0					0					0		0		0
Other corporate assets		0	[7]				0	[8]				0	[7]	0	[8]	0	[9]
Total assets		1,357,779					1,134,080					1,357,779		1,134,080		970,238
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures												367,335		270,443		89,562
Drilling
Revenues
Oil and natural gas												0	[11]	0		0
Contract drilling												218,982	[11]	188,172		122,086
Gas gathering and processing												0	[11]	0		0
Total revenues												218,982	[11]	188,172		122,086
Operating costs:
Oil and natural gas												0		0		0
Contract drilling												150,834		134,432		88,154
Gas gathering and processing												0		0		0
Total operating costs												150,834		134,432		88,154
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization												57,508		56,370		46,992
Impairments												147,884	[13]			0	[12]
Total expenses												356,226		190,802		135,146
General and administrative												0		0		0
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets												425		(776)		3,184
Income (loss) from operations												(136,819)		(3,406)		(9,876)
Gain (loss) on derivatives												0		0		0
Interest expense, net												0		0		0
Other												0		0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes												(136,819)		(3,406)		(9,876)
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas		0	[1]				0	[2]				0	[1]	0	[2]	0	[3]
Contract drilling		806,696					933,063					806,696		933,063		941,676
Gas gathering and processing		0					0					0		0		0
Total identifiable assets		806,696	[4]				933,063	[5]				806,696	[4]	933,063	[5]	941,676	[6]
Corporate land and building		0					0					0		0		0
Other corporate assets		0	[7]				0	[8]				0	[7]	0	[8]	0	[9]
Total assets		806,696					933,063					806,696		933,063		941,676
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures												75,510		36,148		19,134
Mid-Stream
Revenues
Oil and natural gas												0	[11]	0		0
Contract drilling												0	[11]	0		0
Gas gathering and processing												312,417	[11]	277,049		237,785
Total revenues												312,417	[11]	277,049		237,785
Operating costs:
Oil and natural gas												0		0		0
Contract drilling												0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing												251,328		220,613		182,969
Total operating costs												251,328		220,613		182,969
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization												44,834		43,499		45,715
Impairments												0	[13]			0	[12]
Total expenses												296,162		264,112		228,684
General and administrative												0		0		0
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets												110		25		(302)
Income (loss) from operations												16,365		12,962		8,799
Gain (loss) on derivatives												0		0		0
Interest expense, net												(1,214)		0		0
Other												0		0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes												15,151		12,962		8,799
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas		0	[1]				0	[2]				0	[1]	0	[2]	0	[3]
Contract drilling		0					0					0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing		466,851					439,369					466,851		439,369		462,330
Total identifiable assets		466,851	[4]				439,369	[5]				466,851	[4]	439,369	[5]	462,330	[6]
Corporate land and building		0					0					0		0		0
Other corporate assets		0	[7]				0	[8]				0	[7]	0	[8]	0	[9]
Total assets		466,851					439,369					466,851		439,369		462,330
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures												44,810		22,168		16,796
Other Segments
Revenues
Oil and natural gas												0	[11]	0		0
Contract drilling												0	[11]	0		0
Gas gathering and processing												0	[11]	0		0
Total revenues												0	[11]	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												7,679		7,477		1,835
Impairments												0	[13]			0	[12]
Total expenses												7,679		7,477		1,835
General and administrative												38,707		38,087		33,337
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets												30		850		(18)
Income (loss) from operations												(46,356)		(44,714)		(35,190)
Gain (loss) on derivatives												(3,184)		14,732		(22,813)
Interest expense, net												(32,280)		(38,334)		(39,829)
Other												22		21		307
Income (loss) before income taxes												(81,798)		(68,295)		(97,525)
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas		0	[1]				0	[2]				0	[1]	0	[2]	0	[3]
Contract drilling		0					0					0		0		0
Gas gathering and processing		0					0					0		0		0
Total identifiable assets		0	[4]				0	[5]				0	[4]	0	[5]	0	[6]
Corporate land and building		55,505					56,854					55,505		56,854		58,188
Other corporate assets		25,566	[7]				25,064	[8]				25,566	[7]	25,064	[8]	52,680	[9]
Total assets		81,071					81,918					81,071		81,918		110,868
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures												1,125		3,521		16,663
Intersubsegment Eliminations
Revenues
Oil and natural gas												0		0		0
Contract drilling												(22,490)		(13,452)		0
Gas gathering and processing												(88,687)		(69,873)		(51,915)
Total revenues												(111,177)		(83,325)		(51,915)
Operating costs:
Oil and natural gas												(5,195)		(4,743)		(6,555)
Contract drilling												(19,449)		(11,832)		0
Gas gathering and processing												(83,492)		(65,130)		(45,360)
Total operating costs												(108,136)		(81,705)		(51,915)
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization												0		0		0
Impairments												0	[13]			0	[12]
Total expenses												(108,136)		(81,705)		(51,915)
General and administrative												0		0		0
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets												0		0		0
Income (loss) from operations												(3,041)		(1,620)		0
Gain (loss) on derivatives												0		0		0
Interest expense, net												0		0		0
Other												0		0		0
Income (loss) before income taxes												(3,041)		(1,620)		0
Identifiable assets:
Oil and natural gas		(6,949)	[1]				(6,180)	[2]				(6,949)	[1]	(6,180)	[2]	(5,079)	[3]
Contract drilling		(85)					0					(85)		0		0
Gas gathering and processing		(5,023)					(798)					(5,023)		(798)		(730)
Total identifiable assets		(12,057)	[4]				(6,978)	[5]				(12,057)	[4]	(6,978)	[5]	(5,809)	[6]
Corporate land and building		0					0					0		0		0
Other corporate assets		(2,287)	[7]				0	[8]				(2,287)	[7]	0	[8]	0	[9]
Total assets		$ (14,344)					$ (6,978)					(14,344)		(6,978)		(5,809)
Capital expenditures:
Total capital expenditures												$ 0		$ 0		$ 0

[1] Oil and natural gas assets include oil and natural gas properties, saltwater disposal systems, and other non-full cost pool assets.

[2] Oil and natural gas assets include oil and natural gas properties, saltwater disposal systems, and other non-full cost pool assets.

[3] Oil and natural gas assets include oil and natural gas properties, saltwater disposal systems, and other non-full cost pool assets.

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

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

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

[7] Other corporate assets are principally cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, transportation equipment, furniture, and equipment.

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

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

[10] Unit Corporation's consolidated total assets as of December 31, 2018 include current and long-term assets of its variable interest entity (VIE) (Superior) of $41.7 million and $421.6 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle obligations of the VIE. Unit Corporation's consolidated total liabilities as of December 31, 2018 include current and long-term liabilities of the VIE of $42.8 million and $14.7 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIE have no recourse to Unit Corporation. See Note 16 – Variable Interest Entity Arrangements.

[11] The revenues for oil and natural gas occur at a point in time. The revenues for contract drilling and gas gathering and processing occur over time.

[12] 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).

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