Variable Interest Entity Arrangements (Schedule of Assets and Liabilities) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2020	Sep. 01, 2020	Aug. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 12,145			$ 571	$ 6,452
Accounts receivable		57,846			82,656
Prepaid expenses and other		11,212			13,078
Total current assets		82,922			105,051
Property and Equipment:
Gas gathering and processing equipment		251,404	$ 250,098	$ 833,788	824,699
Transportation equipment		3,130	$ 3,314	$ 15,577	29,723
Property, plant and equipment, gross, total		600,989			8,931,355
Less accumulated depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment		54,189			6,978,669
Net property and equipment		546,800			1,952,686
Right of use asset		5,592			5,673
Other assets		14,389			26,642
Total assets	[1]	649,703			2,090,052
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		40,829			84,481
Accrued liabilities		21,743			46,562
Operating Lease, Liability, Current		4,075			3,430
Current portion of other long-term liabilities		11,168			17,376
Total current liabilities		80,347			260,049
Long-term debt less debt issuance costs		98,400			663,216
Long-term operating lease payments		1,445			2,071
Other long-term liabilities		39,259			95,341
VIE
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		11,642			0
Accounts receivable		27,427			21,073
Prepaid expenses and other		6,746			7,686
Total current assets		45,815			28,759
Property and Equipment:
Gas gathering and processing equipment		251,403			824,699
Transportation equipment		1,748			3,390
Property, plant and equipment, gross, total		253,151			828,089
Less accumulated depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment		10,466			407,144
Net property and equipment		242,685			420,945
Right of use asset		2,823			3,948
Other assets		2,309			9,442
Total assets		293,632			463,094
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		17,045			18,511
Accrued liabilities		3,777			4,198
Operating Lease, Liability, Current		1,762			2,407
Current portion of other long-term liabilities		5,799			7,060
Total current liabilities		28,383			32,176
Long-term debt less debt issuance costs		0			16,500
Long-term operating lease payments		1,013			1,404
Other long-term liabilities		1,589			8,126
Total liabilities		$ 30,985			$ 58,206

[1] Unit Corporation's consolidated total assets as of December 31, 2020 include current and long-term assets of its variable interest entity (VIE) (Superior) of $45.8 million and $247.8 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle obligations of the VIE. Unit Corporation's consolidated total liabilities as of December 31, 2020 include current and long-term liabilities of the VIE of $28.4 million and $2.6 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 current and long-term assets of its variable interest entity (VIE) (Superior) of $28.8 million and $434.3 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle obligations of the VIE. Unit Corporation's consolidated total liabilities as of December 31, 2019 include 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 19 – Variable Interest Entity Arrangements.