In accordance with a separation and distribution agreement, the two companies were separated by NOV distributing to its stockholders 107,053,031 shares of common stock of the Company after the market closed on May 30, 2014. Each NOV stockholder received one share of NOW common stock for every four shares of NOV common stock held at the close of business on the record date of May 22, 2014 and not sold prior to close of business on May 30, 2014.

Organization and Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (Detail)	0 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Nov. 22, 2013 Country Vendor GeographicMarket	May 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Basis Of Presentation And Organization [Line Items]
Number of geographical area covered	100dnow_NumberOfGeographicMarkets
Number of vendors	1,000dnow_NumberOfVendors
Number of countries distribution occur through vendors	40dnow_NumberOfVendorDistributedCountries
Common stock, shares outstanding		107,053,031us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding	107,067,457us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding	107,067,457us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding
Separation [Member]
Basis Of Presentation And Organization [Line Items]
Spin-off description			In accordance with a separation and distribution agreement, the two companies were separated by NOV distributing to its stockholders 107,053,031 shares of common stock of the Company after the market closed on May 30, 2014. Each NOV stockholder received one share of NOW common stock for every four shares of NOV common stock held at the close of business on the record date of May 22, 2014 and not sold prior to close of business on May 30, 2014.
Common stock, shares outstanding		107,053,031	107,053,031
Ratio of common stock sharing		4	4