SUPPLEMENTAL CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Operation) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	4 Months Ended		8 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020		Aug. 31, 2020		Dec. 31, 2021
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues			$ 276,957
Expenses
Operating costs	$ 81,277		237,546		$ 375,581
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	27,962		115,496		64,326
Impairments	26,063	[1]	867,814	[2]	10,673
Loss on abandonment of assets (Note 4)	0		18,733		0
General and administrative	6,702		42,766		24,915
Gain on disposition of assets	(619)		(89)		(10,877)
Total operating expenses	141,385		1,282,266		464,618
Income (loss) from operations	(7,857)		(1,005,309)		174,098
Interest, net	(3,275)		(22,824)		(4,266)
Write-off debt issuance costs	0		(2,426)		0
Gain (loss) on derivatives (Note 17)	(985)		(10,704)		(97,615)
Reorganization items, net (Note 25)	(2,273)		133,975		(4,294)
Other	100		2,034		(597)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(14,290)		(905,254)		48,389
Income tax benefit	(302)		(14,630)		173
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes			0
Net income (loss)	(13,988)		(890,624)		48,216
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	4,152		40,388		(12,431)
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation	$ (18,140)		(931,012)		$ 60,647
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues			(14,536)
Expenses
Operating costs			(14,537)
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization			0
Impairments			0
Loss on abandonment of assets (Note 4)			0
General and administrative			0
Gain on disposition of assets			0
Total operating expenses			(14,537)
Income (loss) from operations			1
Interest, net			0
Write-off debt issuance costs			0
Gain (loss) on derivatives (Note 17)			0
Reorganization items, net (Note 25)			0
Other			0
Income (loss) before income taxes			1
Income tax benefit			0
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes			1,241,120
Net income (loss)			1,241,121
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest			(40,388)
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation			1,281,509
Parent
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues			0
Expenses
Operating costs			0
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization			1,819
Impairments			0
Loss on abandonment of assets (Note 4)			0
General and administrative			0
Gain on disposition of assets			1,479
Total operating expenses			3,298
Income (loss) from operations			(3,298)
Interest, net			(20,936)
Write-off debt issuance costs			(2,426)
Gain (loss) on derivatives (Note 17)			(10,704)
Reorganization items, net (Note 25)			373,151
Other			79
Income (loss) before income taxes			335,866
Income tax benefit			(14,630)
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes			(1,241,120)
Net income (loss)			(890,624)
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest			40,388
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation			(931,012)
Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues			176,962
Expenses
Operating costs			171,476
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization			84,306
Impairments			803,852
Loss on abandonment of assets (Note 4)			18,733
General and administrative			42,766
Gain on disposition of assets			(1,550)
Total operating expenses			1,119,583
Income (loss) from operations			(942,621)
Interest, net			0
Write-off debt issuance costs			0
Gain (loss) on derivatives (Note 17)			0
Reorganization items, net (Note 25)			(168,160)
Other			1,906
Income (loss) before income taxes			(1,108,875)
Income tax benefit			0
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes			0
Net income (loss)			(1,108,875)
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest			0
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation			(1,108,875)
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues			114,531
Expenses
Operating costs			80,607
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization			29,371
Impairments			63,962
Loss on abandonment of assets (Note 4)			0
General and administrative			0
Gain on disposition of assets			(18)
Total operating expenses			173,922
Income (loss) from operations			(59,391)
Interest, net			(1,888)
Write-off debt issuance costs			0
Gain (loss) on derivatives (Note 17)			0
Reorganization items, net (Note 25)			(71,016)
Other			49
Income (loss) before income taxes			(132,246)
Income tax benefit			0
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes			0
Net income (loss)			(132,246)
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest			40,388
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation			$ (172,634)

[1] During the Successor Period of 2020, we recorded non-cash ceiling test write-downs on our oil and natural gas properties of $26.1 million pre-tax

[2] During the Predecessor Period of 2020, we recorded non-cash ceiling test write-downs on our oil and natural gas properties of $393.7 million, pre-tax ($346.6 million, net of tax). Impairment for contract drilling equipment includes a $410.1 million pre-tax write-down for SCR drilling rigs and other drilling equipment. Impairment for mid-stream assets includes a $10.7 million pre-tax write-down for certain long-lived asset groups. 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.Other corporate assets are principally cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, transportation equipment, furniture, and equipment.