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Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 0 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2015 | Apr. 22, 2015 | Sep. 06, 2013
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items] |  |  |
Remaining Amount approved for repurchases under stock buyback program | $ 187 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1 |  |
Treasury stock shares acquired | 0 us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired |  |
2013 Program | Maximum |  |  |
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items] |  |  |
Amount approved for repurchases under stock buyback program |  |  | $ 200 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1 / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember / us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis = pten_StockRepurchasePlanTwoMember
Subsequent Event | Dividend Declared |  |  |
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items] |  |  |
Dividend declaration date |  | Apr. 22, 2015 |
Dividend per share, declared |  | $ 0.10 us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared / us-gaap_DividendsAxis = us-gaap_DividendDeclaredMember / us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis = us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember |
Dividend payment date |  | Jun. 24, 2015 |
Dividend record date |  | Jun. 10, 2015 |

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- Definition Aggregate dividends declared during the period for each share of common stock outstanding. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770 + Details
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- Definition Date the declared dividend will be paid, in CCYY-MM-DD format. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4304-108586 + Details
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- Definition Date the dividend to be paid was declared, in CCYY-MM-DD format. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4304-108586 + Details
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- Definition Amount of stock repurchase plan authorized. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount remaining of a stock repurchase plan authorized. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and are being held in treasury. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30 -Article 5 + Details
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