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Stock-Settled Performance Units (Detail) (Performance Units Awards)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
2014
  
Schedule Of Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Performance Options [Line Items]  
Target number of shares 154,000pten_PerformanceAwardTargetNumberOfShares
/ us-gaap_AwardDateAxis
= pten_YearTwentyFourteenMember
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
2013
  
Schedule Of Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Performance Options [Line Items]  
Target number of shares 236,500pten_PerformanceAwardTargetNumberOfShares
/ us-gaap_AwardDateAxis
= pten_YearTwentyThirteenMember
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
2012
  
Schedule Of Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Performance Options [Line Items]  
Target number of shares 192,000pten_PerformanceAwardTargetNumberOfShares
/ us-gaap_AwardDateAxis
= pten_YearTwentyTwelveMember
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
2011
  
Schedule Of Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Performance Options [Line Items]  
Target number of shares 144,375pten_PerformanceAwardTargetNumberOfShares
/ us-gaap_AwardDateAxis
= pten_YearTwentyElevenMember
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
2010
  
Schedule Of Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Performance Options [Line Items]  
Target number of shares 178,750pten_PerformanceAwardTargetNumberOfShares
/ us-gaap_AwardDateAxis
= pten_YearTwentyTenMember
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember