Commitments Contingencies and Other Matters - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 18, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Letters of credit, collateral for retrospective premiums and retained losses			$ 63,400,000
Commitments to purchase major equipment and investments			$ 51,000,000
Agreement expire description			The agreements expire in years 2020 through 2023.
Current obligation			$ 37,800,000
Purchase obligations for 2020			15,800,000
Deposit revaluation charge		$ 12,700,000
General liability insurance policy, deductible per occurrence			10,000,000.0
Workers' compensation insurance policy, deductible per occurrence			1,500,000
Automobile liability insurance policy, deductible per occurrence			2,000,000.0
Equipment insurance policy, deductible per occurrence			$ 1,000,000.0
Aggregate proposed penalty in connection with accident in site	$ 74,000
Employment Agreements
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Initial agreement term			3 years
Agreement termination description			Under specified circumstances, the Company may terminate the executive’s employment under his Employment Agreement for Cause (as defined in the Employment Agreement) by either (i) providing written notice 10 days before the effective date of such termination and by granting at least 10 days to cure the cause for such termination or (ii) by providing written notice of such termination at least 30 days before the effective date of such termination and by granting at least 20 days to cure the cause for such termination, provided that if the matter is reasonably determined by the Company to not be capable of being cured, the executive may be terminated for cause on the date the written notice is delivered.
Accelerated vesting period description			Company will accelerate vesting of all options and restricted stock awards on the 60th day following the executive’s termination
Termination benefits description			If a termination by the Company other than for Cause or by the executive for Good Reason occurs following a Change in Control (as defined in his Employment Agreement, which for the President of Patterson-UTI Drilling includes a change in control of the Company or, in certain circumstances, of Patterson-UTI Drilling), the executive will generally be entitled to the same severance payments and benefits described above except that the pro-rated lump-sum payment for annual cash bonuses will be based on his highest annual cash bonus for the last three years, and the executive will be entitled to 36 months (in the case of the Chief Executive Officer) or 30 months (in the case of the Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel and President of Patterson-UTI Drilling) of subsidized benefits continuation coverage.
Period considered for calculating annual cash bonus payment			3 years
Employment Agreements | Minimum
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Agreement termination notice period			30 days
Specified Employees | Change in Control Agreements
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Automatic renewal period			12 months
New term notification period			90 days
Chairman of the Board | Change in Control Agreements
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Employee entitlement ratio			250.00%
Continued coverage entitlement of welfare plan period			3 years
Executive Vice President | Change in Control Agreements
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Employee entitlement ratio			200.00%
Continued coverage entitlement of welfare plan period			2 years
Chief Executive Officer | Employment Agreements
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Employee entitlement ratio on sum of base salary and average cash bonus			300.00%
Period for subsidized benefit continuation coverage			36 months
Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel and President | Employment Agreements
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Employee entitlement ratio on sum of base salary and average cash bonus			250.00%
Period for subsidized benefit continuation coverage			30 months
Letter of Credit
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Amount drawn under letters of credit			$ 0