Segments and Geographic Area Analysis - Revenues from Contract Drilling Services by Equipment Type (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Contract drilling	$ 339,636	$ 599,036	$ 1,140,568	$ 1,816,055
Revenues related to reimbursable expenses	9,542	10,706	67,900	47,775
Total revenues	349,178	609,742	1,208,468	1,863,830
Ultra-Deepwater Rigs [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Contract drilling	217,275	376,195	757,338	943,261
Deepwater [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Contract drilling	66,011	136,668	192,319	456,542
Mid-Water [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Contract drilling	56,350	69,500	160,716	342,783
Total Floaters [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Contract drilling	$ 339,636	582,363	1,110,373	1,742,586
Jack-ups [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Contract drilling		$ 16,673	$ 30,195	$ 73,469

Repayment received or receivable for expenses incurred on behalf of a client or customer, other than those reimbursements received by landlords from tenants.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 605
-SubTopic 45
-Section 45
-Paragraph 23
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68075638&loc=d3e60722-111653

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Revenue from oil and gas-related services including well services (such as drilling, rigs and analytic evaluations), transportation, and other supporting contractor services, during the reporting period.

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