Basis of annual percentage exceeds.

No definition available.

Name:	pten_BasisOfAnnualPercentageExceeds
Namespace Prefix:	pten_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share based compensation arrangement by share based payment award performance period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pten_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPerformancePeriod
Namespace Prefix:	pten_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

General descriptive information regarding an arrangement under which employees and directors receive: (a) awards of equity shares, equity share options, or other equity instruments; or (b) the entity incurs liabilities to them: (1) in amounts based, at least in part, on the price of the entity's shares or other equity instruments; or (2) that require or may require settlement by issuance of the entity's shares. Such an arrangement is usually provided to employees and directors to compensate them, provide performance incentives to them, and to attract or retain their services. May also include pertinent information particular to a plan that is not elsewhere specified in the taxonomy.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5047-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardDescription
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) originally approved (usually by shareholders and board of directors), net of any subsequent amendments and adjustments, for awards under the equity-based compensation plan. As stock or unit options and equity instruments other than options are awarded to participants, the shares or units remain authorized and become reserved for issuance under outstanding awards (not necessarily vested).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Net number of share options (or share units) granted during the period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=pten_ConditionOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=pten_ConditionTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=pten_AmendmentAndRestatementOfTwentyFourteenPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=pten_LongTermIncentivePlanTwentyFourteenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Stock-based Compensation - Additional Information (Detail) - shares	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 29, 2017
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of stock option granted	0	0
Performance Units Awards
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Performance period		3 years
Basis of annual percentage exceeds		18.00%
Performance Units Awards \| Condition One [Member]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award description		Generally, the recipients will receive a target number of shares if the Company’s total shareholder return during the performance period, when compared to the peer group, is at the 50th percentile. If the Company’s total shareholder return during the performance period, when compared to the peer group, is at the 75th percentile or higher, then the recipients will receive two times the target number of shares.
Performance Units Awards \| Condition Two [Member]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award description		if, during the two-year period ending March 31, 2018, the Company’s total shareholder return for any 30 consecutive day period equals or exceeds 18 percent on an annualized basis from April 1, 2013 through the last day of such 30 consecutive day period, and the recipient is actively employed by the Company through the last day of the extended performance period, then the Company will issue to the recipient the number of shares equal to the amount the recipient would have been entitled to receive had the Company’s total shareholder return been positive during the initial three-year performance period.
Amended and Restated Plan
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares available for future issuance			10,049,156
Shares authorized for grant	18,900,000	18,900,000
Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares authorized for grant	9,100,000	9,100,000