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Business Segments - Capital Expenditures (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures	$ 1,052,341us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment	$ 662,461us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment	$ 973,988us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment
Operating Segments | Contract Drilling
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures	771,593us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_ContractDrillingMember	504,508us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_ContractDrillingMember	744,949us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_ContractDrillingMember
Operating Segments | Pressure Pumping
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures	241,359us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_PressurePumpingMember	122,782us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_PressurePumpingMember	194,117us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_PressurePumpingMember
Operating Segments | Oil And Natural Gas
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures	36,683us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_OilAndNaturalGasMember	31,245us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_OilAndNaturalGasMember	29,888us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_OilAndNaturalGasMember
Corporate and other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures	$ 2,706us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateNonSegmentMember	$ 3,926us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateNonSegmentMember	$ 5,034us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment / us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateNonSegmentMember

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- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale; includes cash outflows to pay for construction of self-constructed assets.

+ 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 13

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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