Condensed Consolidated Guarantor And Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule Of Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Net revenues	$ 201,696	[1]	$ 217,110	[1]	$ 197,461	[1]	$ 229,842	[1]	$ 200,113	[2]	$ 213,278	[2]	$ 165,861	[2]	$ 122,748	[2]	$ 846,109	$ 702,000	$ 774,469
Cost of sales																	796,194	552,317	609,652
Gross profit	(108,925)	[3]	57,919	[3]	28,438	[3]	72,483	[3]	26,273	[4]	64,972	[4]	44,043	[4]	14,395	[4]	49,915	149,683	164,817
Goodwill impairment																			(16,743)
Gain (loss) on sale of assets, net																	(13,476)	(6)	9,118
Non-hedge loss on commodity derivative contracts																	(10,507)
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	(94,415)	(86,637)	(106,113)
Income (loss) from operations																	(68,483)	63,040	51,079
Equity in earnings of investments																	8,434	22,215	19,469
Other than temporary loss on equity investments																		(10,563)	(2,240)
Net interest expense and other																	(65,912)	(73,642)	(66,638)
Income (loss) before income taxes																	(125,961)	1,050	1,670
Income tax provision (benefit)																	(59,158)	(36,806)	19,166
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Total																	(66,803)	37,856	(17,496)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(71,888)	[5]	4,503	[5]	42,216	[5]	48,853	[5]	(734)		30,017		30,766		35,172		23,684	95,221	(106,657)
Net income (loss), including noncontrolling interests																	(43,119)	133,077	(124,153)
Less net income applicable to noncontrolling interests																	(3,178)	(3,098)	(2,835)
Preferred stock dividends																	(37)	(40)	(114)
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders	(171,567)		14,865		44,641		65,727		16,753		46,016		41,313		25,857		(46,334)	129,939	(127,102)
Total comprehensive income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders																	(51,984)	158,980	(143,919)
Helix [Member]
Net revenues																	90,552	84,748	183,147
Cost of sales																	111,531	72,902	124,722
Gross profit																	(20,979)	11,846	58,425
Gain (loss) on sale of assets, net																		(6)	3,159
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	(53,539)	(74,205)	(67,165)
Income (loss) from operations																	(74,518)	(62,365)	(5,581)
Equity in earnings of investments																	(12,264)	262,990	(60,443)
Other than temporary loss on equity investments																			(2,240)
Net interest expense and other																	(59,759)	(157,546)	(59,522)
Income (loss) before income taxes																	(146,541)	43,079	(127,786)
Income tax provision (benefit)																	(96,328)	(63,242)	(9,175)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Total																	(50,213)	106,321	(118,611)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax																	(1,621)
Net income (loss), including noncontrolling interests																	(51,834)	106,321	(118,611)
Preferred stock dividends																	(37)	(40)	(114)
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders																	(51,871)	106,281	(118,725)
Total comprehensive income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders																	(51,952)	107,575	(119,051)
Guarantors [Member]
Net revenues																	404,628	362,648	376,134
Cost of sales																	444,956	281,267	287,709
Gross profit																	(40,328)	81,381	88,425
Gain (loss) on sale of assets, net																	(13,475)
Non-hedge loss on commodity derivative contracts																	(10,507)
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	(22,782)	(25,963)	(18,268)
Income (loss) from operations																	(87,092)	55,418	70,157
Equity in earnings of investments																	16,222	7,340	8,473
Net interest expense and other																	392	(6,787)	(1,991)
Income (loss) before income taxes																	(70,478)	55,971	76,639
Income tax provision (benefit)																	24,186	18,181	23,465
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Total																	(94,664)	37,790	53,174
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax																	25,305	95,221	(106,657)
Net income (loss), including noncontrolling interests																	(69,359)	133,011	(53,483)
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders																	(69,359)	133,011	(53,483)
Total comprehensive income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders																	(82,219)	161,760	(59,969)
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Net revenues																	464,331	367,114	334,726
Cost of sales																	351,283	309,429	302,051
Gross profit																	113,048	57,685	32,675
Goodwill impairment																			(16,743)
Gain (loss) on sale of assets, net																	(1)		5,959
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	(20,018)	12,101	(22,482)
Income (loss) from operations																	93,029	69,786	(591)
Equity in earnings of investments																	8,434	22,215	19,469
Other than temporary loss on equity investments																		(10,563)
Net interest expense and other																	(6,517)	67,181	(5,125)
Income (loss) before income taxes																	94,946	148,619	13,753
Income tax provision (benefit)																	12,951	8,186	9,405
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Total																	81,995	140,433	4,348
Net income (loss), including noncontrolling interests																	81,995	140,433	4,348
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders																	81,995	140,433	4,348
Total comprehensive income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders																	89,260	140,214	(5,653)
Consolidating Entries [Member]
Net revenues																	(113,402)	(112,510)	(119,538)
Cost of sales																	(111,576)	(111,281)	(104,830)
Gross profit																	(1,826)	(1,229)	(14,708)
Selling, general and administrative expenses																	1,924	1,430	1,802
Income (loss) from operations																	98	201	(12,906)
Equity in earnings of investments																	(3,958)	(270,330)	51,970
Net interest expense and other																	(28)	23,510
Income (loss) before income taxes																	(3,888)	(246,619)	39,064
Income tax provision (benefit)																	33	69	(4,529)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Total																	(3,921)	(246,688)	43,593
Net income (loss), including noncontrolling interests																	(3,921)	(246,688)	43,593
Less net income applicable to noncontrolling interests																	(3,178)	(3,098)	(2,835)
Net income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders																	(7,099)	(249,786)	40,758
Total comprehensive income (loss) applicable to Helix common shareholders																	$ (7,073)	$ (250,569)	$ 40,754

[1] Excludes revenues from discontinued operations of $178.1 million, $149.9 million, $119.1 million and $110.1 million for the quarters ended March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31, 2012.

[2] Excludes revenues from discontinued operations of $168.9 million, $172.5 million, $159.2 million and $196.1 million for the quarters ended March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31, 2011.

[3] Excludes gross profit (loss) from discontinued operations of $89.2 million, $64.8 million, $27.8 million and $(102.6) million for the quarters ended March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31, 2012. Includes impairment charges totaling $14.6 million in the second quarter of 2012, $4.6 million in the third quarter of 2012 and $158.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 (Note 2).

[4] Excludes gross profit from discontinued operations of $62.7 million, $56.2 million, $57.3 million and $4.8 million for the quarters ended March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31, 2011. The fourth quarter includes a $6.6 million impairment charge to reduce our Australian well intervention equipment to its estimated fair value at December 31, 2011.

[5] Our net loss in the fourth quarter of 2012 includes a $138.6 million impairment charge associated with the sale of ERT (Note 3).