Expire period of Right agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	pten_ExpirePeriodOfRightAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	pten_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Preferred stock exercise price per right.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pten_PreferredStockExercisePricePerRight
Namespace Prefix:	pten_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The increased amount authorized by the entity's Board of Directors to the existing stock repurchase plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pten_StockRepurchaseProgramIncreaseDecreaseInAuthorizedAmount
Namespace Prefix:	pten_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate dividends declared during the period for each share of common stock outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-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=120397183&loc=d3e187085-122770

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date the declared dividend will be paid, in YYYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123431023&loc=d3e4304-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DividendPayableDateToBePaidDayMonthAndYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DividendsPayableDateDeclaredDayMonthAndYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DividendsPayableDateOfRecordDayMonthAndYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Face amount or stated value per share of preferred stock nonredeemable or redeemable solely at the option of the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123467817&loc=SL123496158-112644

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of stock repurchase plan authorized.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount remaining of a stock repurchase plan authorized.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DividendsAxis=us-gaap_DividendDeclaredMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis=pten_StockRepurchasePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_SeriesAPreferredStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	Feb. 09, 2022	Apr. 22, 2020	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Jul. 24, 2019	Sep. 06, 2013
Equity Class Of Treasury Stock [Line Items]
Preferred stock, par value			$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Expire period of Right agreement		Apr. 21, 2021
Subsequent Event \| Dividend Declared
Equity Class Of Treasury Stock [Line Items]
Dividend per share, declared	$ 0.04
Dividend declaration date	Feb. 09, 2022
Dividend payment date	Mar. 17, 2022
Dividend record date	Mar. 03, 2022
2013 program
Equity Class Of Treasury Stock [Line Items]
Increase of the authorization under the stock buyback program					$ 250
Remaining amount approved for repurchases under stock buyback program			$ 130
2013 program \| Maximum
Equity Class Of Treasury Stock [Line Items]
Amount approved for repurchases under stock buyback program						$ 200
Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
Equity Class Of Treasury Stock [Line Items]
Preferred stock, par value		$ 0.01
Preferred stock, exercise price per right		$ 17.00