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Property and Equipment - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 Rigs	Dec. 31, 2010 Rigs	Dec. 31, 2009 Rigs
Property, Plant, and Equipment Disclosure [Line Items]
Impairment charges related to oil and natural gas properties	$ 3,000,000	$ 792,000	$ 3,700,000
Number of drilling rigs that would no longer be marketed as rigs	53	4	23
Impairment charges on drilling rigs	15,700,000	4,200,000	10,500,000
Proceeds from sale of certain rights		22,300,000
Gain on sale of certain rights		$ 20,100,000

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Number of Rigs

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Gain (loss) recorded from sale of oil and gas properties, includes the realized gains (losses) on the sale of proved and unproved oil and gas properties.

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The expense recorded to reduce the value of oil and gas assets consisting of proved properties and unproved properties as the estimate of future successful production from these properties is reduced.

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The cash inflow to dispose of long-lived, physical assets and mineral interests in oil and gas properties used for normal oil and gas operations.

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The charge against earnings resulting from the aggregate write down of tangible assets from their carrying value to their fair value.

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