Business Combination - Schedule of Pro Forma Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022
Ulterra Drilling Technologies, L.P. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 1,052,282	$ 824,902	$ 2,785,279	$ 2,135,922
Net income (loss)	(27,925)	58,762	163,904	54,365
NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Revenues	1,589,056	1,623,513	5,020,507	4,233,081
Net income (loss)	$ 69,256	$ 140,250	$ 625,020	$ 45,461

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.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479907/805-20-50-5

+ Details

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

- Definition

The pro forma net Income or Loss for the period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(2)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479328/805-10-50-2

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(3)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479328/805-10-50-2

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionsProFormaNetIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The pro forma revenue for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of the period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionsProFormaRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=pten_UlterraDrillingTechnologiesLPMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=pten_NextierOilfieldSolutionsIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: