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Compensation Expense Associated with Stock-Settled Performance Units (Detail) (Performance Units Awards, USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
2014
   
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Stock-based compensation expense associated with Stock-Settled Performance Units $ 449us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardDateAxis
= pten_YearTwentyFourteenMember
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
 
2013
   
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Stock-based compensation expense associated with Stock-Settled Performance Units 464us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardDateAxis
= pten_YearTwentyThirteenMember
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
464us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardDateAxis
= pten_YearTwentyThirteenMember
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
2012
   
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Stock-based compensation expense associated with Stock-Settled Performance Units 255us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardDateAxis
= pten_YearTwentyTwelveMember
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
255us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardDateAxis
= pten_YearTwentyTwelveMember
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
2011
   
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Stock-based compensation expense associated with Stock-Settled Performance Units   $ 464us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardDateAxis
= pten_YearTwentyElevenMember
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember