Earnings (Loss) Per Share (Schedule of Earnings (Loss) Per Share) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Earnings (loss) of basic income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation per common share	$ 55,818	$ 6,295	$ 89,034	$ (8,636)
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Diluted	$ 55,818	$ 6,295	$ 89,034	$ (8,636)
Weighted shares of basic earnings (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation per common share	9,787,000	11,311,000	9,954,000	11,735,000
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted	9,965,000	11,420,000	10,131,000	11,735,000
Per-Share amount of basic earnings (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation per common share	$ 5.70	$ 0.56	$ 8.94	$ (0.74)
Income of effect of dilutive stock options and restricted stock	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Weighted shares of effect of dilutive stock options and restricted stock	178,000	109,000	177,000	0
Per-Share amount of effect of dilutive stock options and restricted stock	$ (0.10)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.15)	$ 0
Diluted	$ 5.60	$ 0.55	$ 8.79	$ (0.74)
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings (loss) per share	1,822,203		1,822,203	62,690
Exercise price of warrants (in dollars per share)	$ 63.74		$ 63.74
Stock Options
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings (loss) per share			361,418
Exercise price of warrants (in dollars per share)	$ 45.00		$ 45.00