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Property and Equipment - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Impairment charges related to oil and natural gas properties | $ 20.9 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties | $ 4.0 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties | $ 1.9 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties
Proceeds from sale of oil and natural gas properties |  |  | 42.5 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment
Gain on sale of oil and natural gas properties |  |  | 22.6 us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOilAndGasProperty
Drilling Rigs That Would No Longer Be Marketed As Rigs |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Number of drilling rigs | 55 pten_NumberOfRigs / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = pten_DrillingRigsMember | 48 pten_NumberOfRigs / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = pten_DrillingRigsMember | 36 pten_NumberOfRigs / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = pten_DrillingRigsMember
Impairment charges of fleets | 77.9 us-gaap_TangibleAssetImpairmentCharges / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = pten_DrillingRigsMember | 37.8 us-gaap_TangibleAssetImpairmentCharges / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = pten_DrillingRigsMember | 5.2 us-gaap_TangibleAssetImpairmentCharges / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = pten_DrillingRigsMember
Mechanically powered drilling rigs |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Number of drilling rigs |  | 55 pten_NumberOfRigs / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = pten_MechanicalRigsMember |
Impairment charges of fleets |  | 29.9 us-gaap_TangibleAssetImpairmentCharges / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = pten_MechanicalRigsMember |
Pressure Pumping |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Impairment charges of fleets |  |  | $ 7.3 us-gaap_TangibleAssetImpairmentCharges / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = pten_PressurePumpingMember
Number of horsepower of pressure pumping equipment that would no longer be marketed |  |  | 37,000 pten_NumberOfHorsepower / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = pten_PressurePumpingMember

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- Definition Number of horsepower. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Number of rigs. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of proven and unproven oil and gas properties. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
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- Definition 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. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 932 -SubTopic 360 -Section 35 -Paragraph 11 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28370743&loc=d3e66150-109466 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391110&loc=d3e2921-110230 + Details
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- Definition 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. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Investing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3179-108585 + Details
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- Details
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- Definition The charge against earnings resulting from the aggregate write down of tangible assets from their carrying value to their fair value. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6360339&loc=d3e1361-107760 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391110&loc=d3e2921-110230 + Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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