Business Segments - Revenues (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenues		$ 246,887	$ 206,133	$ 193,907	$ 268,939	$ 338,566	$ 422,251	$ 472,761	$ 657,699	$ 915,866	$ 1,891,277	$ 3,182,291
Other Operations
Segment Reporting Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenues	[1]									18,299	24,931	50,196
Operating Segments | Contract Drilling
Segment Reporting Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenues										544,196	1,155,565	1,843,707
Operating Segments | Pressure Pumping
Segment Reporting Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenues										354,070	712,454	1,294,569
Intersegment Elimination
Segment Reporting Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Total revenues	[2]									$ (699)	$ (1,673)	$ (6,181)

[1] Other operations includes the Company’s pipe handling components and related technology business, the oil and natural gas working interests and the Middle East/North Africa business.

[2] Consists of contract drilling and, in 2016, intercompany revenues between the pipe handling component manufacturer and the pipe handling component service provider, and in 2014, pressure pumping intercompany revenues for services provided to the oil and natural gas exploration and production segment.