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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	$ 187us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1
Treasury stock shares acquired	0us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired
2013 Program | Maximum
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Amount approved for repurchases under stock buyback program			$ 200us-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		$ 0.10us-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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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)

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-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

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Date the dividend to be paid was declared, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

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Date the holder must own the stock to be entitled to the dividend, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

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Amount of stock repurchase plan authorized.

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Amount remaining of a stock repurchase plan authorized.

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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

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