Supplemental Condensed Consolidated Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 165,146	$ 203,303	$ 354,837	$ 408,435
Expenses:
Operating costs	98,041	104,015	201,511	213,248
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	66,292	58,373	128,418	115,439
General and administrative	10,064	8,712	19,805	19,474
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	(422)	(161)	1,193	(322)
Total operating costs	173,975	170,939	350,927	347,839
Income (loss) from operations	(8,829)	32,364	3,910	60,596
Interest, net	(8,995)	(7,729)	(17,533)	(17,733)
Gain (loss) on derivatives	7,927	(14,461)	995	(21,223)
Other, net	6	5	11	11
Income (loss) before income taxes	(9,891)	10,179	(12,617)	21,651
Income tax expense (benefit)	(1,874)	2,029	(2,318)	5,636
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(8,017)	8,150	(10,299)	16,015
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	492	2,362	1,714	2,362
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation	(8,509)	5,788	(12,013)	13,653
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	(18,072)	(27,188)	(43,184)	(50,515)
Expenses:
Operating costs	(17,418)	(26,374)	(41,470)	(49,267)
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs	(17,418)	(26,374)	(41,470)	(49,267)
Income (loss) from operations	(654)	(814)	(1,714)	(1,248)
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	(654)	(814)	(1,714)	(1,248)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	6,705	(23,558)	(3,145)	(45,283)
Net income (loss)	6,051	(24,372)	(4,859)	(46,531)
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation	6,051	(24,372)	(4,859)	(46,531)
Parent [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Expenses:
Operating costs	0	0	0	0
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	1,935	1,918	3,869	3,836
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	0	0	(10)	(30)
Total operating costs	1,935	1,918	3,859	3,806
Income (loss) from operations	(1,935)	(1,918)	(3,859)	(3,806)
Interest, net	(8,650)	(7,425)	(16,852)	(17,280)
Gain (loss) on derivatives	7,927	(14,461)	995	(21,223)
Other, net	6	5	11	11
Income (loss) before income taxes	(2,652)	(23,799)	(19,705)	(42,298)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(848)	(6,029)	(4,547)	(10,668)
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	(6,705)	23,558	3,145	45,283
Net income (loss)	(8,509)	5,788	(12,013)	13,653
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation	(8,509)	5,788	(12,013)	13,653
Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	128,588	155,085	272,882	308,894
Expenses:
Operating costs	73,909	70,603	145,302	143,709
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	52,255	45,280	100,721	89,375
General and administrative	10,064	8,655	19,805	16,884
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	(356)	(116)	1,311	(213)
Total operating costs	135,872	124,422	267,139	249,755
Income (loss) from operations	(7,284)	30,663	5,743	59,139
Interest, net	0	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on derivatives	0	0	0	0
Other, net	0	0	0	1
Income (loss) before income taxes	(7,284)	30,663	5,743	59,140
Income tax expense (benefit)	(1,026)	7,803	2,229	15,460
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(6,258)	22,860	3,514	43,680
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation	(6,258)	22,860	3,514	43,680
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	54,630	75,406	125,139	150,056
Expenses:
Operating costs	41,550	59,786	97,679	118,806
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	12,102	11,175	23,828	22,228
General and administrative	0	57	0	2,590
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	(66)	(45)	(108)	(79)
Total operating costs	53,586	70,973	121,399	143,545
Income (loss) from operations	1,044	4,433	3,740	6,511
Interest, net	(345)	(304)	(681)	(453)
Gain (loss) on derivatives	0	0	0	0
Other, net	0	0	0	(1)
Income (loss) before income taxes	699	4,129	3,059	6,057
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	255	0	844
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	699	3,874	3,059	5,213
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	492	2,362	1,714	2,362
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation	$ 207	$ 1,512	$ 1,345	$ 2,851