Supplemental Condensed Consolidated Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 122,376	$ 189,691
Expenses:
Operating costs	83,723	103,470
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	61,617	62,126
Impairments	741,924	0
Loss on abandonment of assets	17,554	0
General and administrative	11,553	9,741
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	390	1,615
Total operating costs	916,761	176,952
Income (loss) from operations	(794,385)	12,739
Interest, net	(13,257)	(8,538)
Gain (loss) on derivatives	483	(6,932)
Other, net	60	5
Income (loss) before income taxes	(807,099)	(2,726)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(3,425)	(444)
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0
Net loss	(803,674)	(2,282)
Less: net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest	(33,180)	1,222
Net loss attributable to Unit Corporation	(770,494)	(3,504)
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	(5,458)	(25,112)
Expenses:
Operating costs	(5,458)	(24,052)
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	0	0
Impairments	0
Loss on abandonment of assets	0
General and administrative	0	0
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	0	0
Total operating costs	(5,458)	(24,052)
Income (loss) from operations	0	(1,060)
Interest, net	0	0
Gain (loss) on derivatives	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	0	(1,060)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	790,554	(9,850)
Net loss	790,554	(10,910)
Less: net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest	33,180	0
Net loss attributable to Unit Corporation	757,374	(10,910)
Parent [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Expenses:
Operating costs	0	0
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	871	1,934
Impairments	0
Loss on abandonment of assets	0
General and administrative	0	0
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	0	(10)
Total operating costs	871	1,924
Income (loss) from operations	(871)	(1,924)
Interest, net	(12,739)	(8,202)
Gain (loss) on derivatives	483	(6,932)
Other, net	7	5
Income (loss) before income taxes	(13,120)	(17,053)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	(3,699)
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	(790,554)	9,850
Net loss	(803,674)	(3,504)
Less: net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest	(33,180)	0
Net loss attributable to Unit Corporation	(770,494)	(3,504)
Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	85,154	144,294
Expenses:
Operating costs	56,864	71,393
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	48,473	48,466
Impairments	677,962
Loss on abandonment of assets	17,554
General and administrative	11,553	9,741
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	396	1,667
Total operating costs	812,802	131,267
Income (loss) from operations	(727,648)	13,027
Interest, net	0	0
Gain (loss) on derivatives	0	0
Other, net	35	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(727,613)	13,027
Income tax expense (benefit)	(3,425)	3,255
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0
Net loss	(724,188)	9,772
Less: net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0
Net loss attributable to Unit Corporation	(724,188)	9,772
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	42,680	70,509
Expenses:
Operating costs	32,317	56,129
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	12,273	11,726
Impairments	63,962
Loss on abandonment of assets	0
General and administrative	0	0
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	(6)	(42)
Total operating costs	108,546	67,813
Income (loss) from operations	(65,866)	2,696
Interest, net	(518)	(336)
Gain (loss) on derivatives	0	0
Other, net	18	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(66,366)	2,360
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0
Net loss	(66,366)	2,360
Less: net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest	(33,180)	1,222
Net loss attributable to Unit Corporation	$ (33,186)	$ 1,138