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Commitments Contingencies and Other Matters - Additional Information (Detail) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items] |
Letters of credit, collateral for retrospective premiums and retained losses | $ 59,500,000
Commitments to purchase major equipment | 172,000,000
Current obligation | 140,000,000
Purchase obligations for 2018 | 35,900,000
General liability insurance policy, deductible per occurrence | 2,000,000
Workers' compensation insurance policy, deductible per occurrence | 1,500,000
Automobile liability insurance policy, deductible per occurrence | 2,000,000
Equipment insurance policy, deductible per occurrence | $ 1,000,000
Employment Agreements |
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items] |
Initial agreement term | 3 years
Agreement termination description | Under specified circumstances, the Company may terminate the executive’s employment under his Employment Agreement for Cause (as defined in the Employment Agreement) by either (i) providing written notice 10 days before the effective date of such termination and by granting at least 10 days to cure the cause for such termination or (ii) by providing written notice of such termination at least 30 days before the effective date of such termination and by granting at least 20 days to cure the cause for such termination, provided that if the matter is reasonably determined by the Company to not be capable of being cured, the executive may be terminated for cause on the date the written notice is delivered.
Accelerated vesting period description | Company will accelerate vesting of all options and restricted stock awards on the 60th day following the executive’s termination
Termination benefits description | If a termination by the Company other than for Cause or by the executive for Good Reason occurs following a Change in Control (as defined in his Employment Agreement, which for the President of Patterson-UTI Drilling includes a change in control of the Company or, in certain circumstances, of Patterson-UTI Drilling), the executive will generally be entitled to the same severance payments and benefits described above except that the pro-rated lump-sum payment for annual cash bonuses will be based on his highest annual cash bonus for the last three years, and the executive will be entitled to 36 months (in the case of the Chief Executive Officer) or 30 months (in the case of the Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel and President of Patterson-UTI Drilling) of subsidized benefits continuation coverage.
Period considered for calculating annual cash bonus payment | 3 years
Employment Agreements | Minimum |
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items] |
Agreement termination notice period | 30 days
Specified Employees | Change in Control Agreements |
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items] |
Automatic renewal period | 12 months
New term notification period | 90 days
Chairman of the Board | Change in Control Agreements |
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items] |
Employee entitlement ratio | 2.5
Continued coverage entitlement of welfare plan period | 3 years
Executive Vice President | Change in Control Agreements |
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items] |
Employee entitlement ratio | 2
Continued coverage entitlement of welfare plan period | 2 years
Chief Executive Officer | Employment Agreements |
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items] |
Employee entitlement ratio on sum of base salary and average cash bonus | 3
Period for subsidized benefit continuation coverage | 36 months
Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel and President | Employment Agreements |
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items] |
Employee entitlement ratio on sum of base salary and average cash bonus | 2.5
Period for subsidized benefit continuation coverage | 30 months
Letter of Credit |
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items] |
Amount drawn under letters of credit | $ 0

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- Definition The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 + Details
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- Definition Minimum amount to be expended to satisfy the terms of arrangements in which the entity has agreed to expend funds to procure goods or services, excluding long-term purchase commitments or unconditional purchase obligations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(19)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(17)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(25)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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