CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Operating revenues:
Total operating revenues		$ 2,470,685,000	$ 3,326,997,000	$ 2,356,684,000
Operating costs and expenses:
Depreciation, depletion, amortization and impairment		1,003,873,000	916,318,000	783,341,000
Impairment of goodwill		17,800,000	211,129,000
Selling, general and administrative		133,513,000	134,071,000	105,847,000
Provision for bad debts		5,683,000	0	0
Merger and integration expenses			2,738,000	74,451,000
Other operating income, net	[1]	(2,305,000)	(17,569,000)	(31,957,000)
Total operating costs and expenses		2,932,261,000	3,649,174,000	2,649,222,000
Operating loss		(461,576,000)	(322,177,000)	(292,538,000)
Other income (expense):
Interest income		6,013,000	5,597,000	1,866,000
Interest expense, net of amount capitalized		(75,204,000)	(51,578,000)	(37,472,000)
Other		389,000	750,000	343,000
Total other expense		(68,802,000)	(45,231,000)	(35,263,000)
Loss before income taxes		(530,378,000)	(367,408,000)	(327,801,000)
Income tax benefit		(104,675,000)	(45,987,000)	(333,711,000)
Net income (loss)		$ (425,703,000)	$ (321,421,000)	$ 5,910,000
Net income (loss) per common share:
Basic		$ (2.10)	$ (1.47)	$ 0.03
Diluted		$ (2.10)	$ (1.47)	$ 0.03
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic		203,039	218,643	198,447
Diluted		203,039	218,643	199,882
Contract Drilling
Operating revenues:
Total operating revenues		$ 1,308,350,000	$ 1,430,492,000	$ 1,040,033,000
Operating costs and expenses:
Operating costs and expenses		785,355,000	885,704,000	667,105,000
Impairment of goodwill		0	0
Pressure Pumping
Operating revenues:
Total operating revenues		868,694,000	1,573,396,000	1,200,311,000
Operating costs and expenses:
Operating costs and expenses		724,788,000	1,263,850,000	966,835,000
Impairment of goodwill			121,444,000
Directional Drilling
Operating revenues:
Total operating revenues		188,786,000	209,275,000	45,580,000
Operating costs and expenses:
Operating costs and expenses		178,645,000	175,829,000	32,172,000
Impairment of goodwill			89,685,000
Other
Operating revenues:
Total operating revenues		104,855,000	113,834,000	70,760,000
Operating costs and expenses:
Operating costs and expenses		$ 84,909,000	$ 77,104,000	$ 51,428,000

[1] Other operating income, net includes net gains associated with the disposal of assets related to corporate strategy decisions of the executive management group. Accordingly, the related gains have been excluded from the operating results of specific segments. This caption also includes certain legal-related expenses and settlements, net of insurance reimbursements and certain research and development expenses.