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Goodwill by Operating Segment (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	$ 210,795us-gaap_Goodwill
Changes to goodwill	0us-gaap_GoodwillPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Ending Balance	210,795us-gaap_Goodwill
Contract Drilling
Goodwill [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	86,234us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_ContractDrillingMember
Changes to goodwill	0us-gaap_GoodwillPeriodIncreaseDecrease / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_ContractDrillingMember
Ending Balance	86,234us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_ContractDrillingMember
Pressure Pumping
Goodwill [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	124,561us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_PressurePumpingMember
Changes to goodwill	0us-gaap_GoodwillPeriodIncreaseDecrease / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_PressurePumpingMember
Ending Balance	$ 124,561us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pten_PressurePumpingMember

X

- Definition

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Goodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=pten_ContractDrillingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=pten_PressurePumpingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: