Variable Interest Entity Arrangements (Schedule of Assets and Liabilities) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Mar. 31, 2020		Dec. 31, 2019		Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 40,994		$ 571		$ 3,891	$ 6,452
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts		54,379		82,656
Prepaid expenses and other		13,754		13,078
Total current assets		112,875		105,051
Property and equipment:
Gas gathering and processing equipment		829,600		824,699
Transportation equipment		27,515		29,723
Property, plant, and equipment, gross		8,913,365		8,931,355
Less accumulated depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment		7,768,310		6,978,669
Net property and equipment		1,145,055		1,952,686
Operating right of use asset		6,937		5,673
Other assets		22,976		26,642
Total assets	[1]	1,287,843		2,090,052
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		58,595		84,481
Accrued liabilities		41,830		46,562
Current operating lease liability		4,128		3,430
Current portion of other long-term liabilities		18,317		17,376
Total current liabilities		894,153		260,049
Long-term debt		37,000	[2]	663,216	[1]
Operating lease liability		2,639		2,071
Other long-term liabilities		88,237		95,341
VIE [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		23,900		0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts		15,305		21,073
Prepaid expenses and other		7,473		7,686
Total current assets		46,678		28,759
Property and equipment:
Gas gathering and processing equipment		829,600		824,699
Transportation equipment		3,397		3,390
Property, plant, and equipment, gross		832,997		828,089
Less accumulated depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment		483,205		407,144
Net property and equipment		349,792		420,945
Operating right of use asset		3,227		3,948
Other assets		7,651		9,442
Total assets		407,348		463,094
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		12,013		18,511
Accrued liabilities		3,064		4,198
Current operating lease liability		1,961		2,407
Current portion of other long-term liabilities		8,765		7,060
Total current liabilities		25,803		32,176
Long-term debt		37,000		16,500
Operating lease liability		1,131		1,404
Other long-term liabilities		4,782		8,126
Total liabilities		$ 68,716		$ 58,206

[1] Unit Corporation's consolidated total assets as of March 31, 2020 include total current and long-term assets of its variable interest entity (VIE) (Superior Pipeline Company, L.L.C.) of $46.7 million and $360.7 million, respectively, which can only settle obligations of the VIE. Unit Corporation's consolidated total liabilities as of March 31, 2020 include total current and long-term liabilities of the VIE of $25.8 million and $42.9 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIE have no recourse to Unit Corporation. Unit Corporation's consolidated total assets as of December 31, 2019 include total current and long-term assets of the VIE of $28.8 million and $434.3 million, respectively, which can only settle obligations of the VIE. Unit Corporation's consolidated total liabilities as of December 31, 2019 include total current and long-term liabilities of the VIE of $32.2 million and $26.0 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIE have no recourse to Unit Corporation. See Note 16 – Variable Interest Entity Arrangements.

[2] As of March 31, 2020, the current portion of long-term debt is net of debt issuance costs. As of December 31, 2019, the long-term debt is net of debt issuance costs. See Note 8 – Long-Term Debt and Other Long-Term Liabilities.