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Employee Benefit Plans (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
Share data in Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Jan. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]              
Shares available for grant 5.6us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant            
Compensation cost related to restricted shares $ 1,400,000us-gaap_RestrictedStockExpense $ 1,200,000us-gaap_RestrictedStockExpense          
Deferred compensation arrangement with individual, distributions paid           4,500,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualDistributionsPaid  
Deferred compensation arrangement, vesting period       3 years 5 years    
Deferred compensation arrangement, cash awards granted, amount 0us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCashAwardGrantedAmount           8,900,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCashAwardGrantedAmount
Deferred compensation arrangement, compensation expense   1,700,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense          
Deferred compensation cash-based arrangement, liability 2,000,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationCashbasedArrangementsLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent           12,800,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationCashbasedArrangementsLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent
Percentage of share of non-vested stock considered as call option 85.00%hlx_PercentageOfShareOfNonVestedStockConsideredAsCallOption            
Percentage of share of non-vested stock considered as put-option 15.00%hlx_PercentageOfShareOfNonVestedStockConsideredAsPutOption            
Share-based payment award, vesting period 3 years   3 years        
Performance Shares [Member]              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]              
Allocated share-based compensation expense   500,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
         
Share-based payment award, vesting period 3 years            
E S P P [Member]              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]              
Shares available for grant 1.1us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= hlx_ESPPMember
           
Allocated share-based compensation expense 300,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= hlx_ESPPMember
200,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= hlx_ESPPMember
         
Shares authorized for issuance 1.5us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualSharesAuthorizedForIssuance
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= hlx_ESPPMember
           
Scenario, Adjustment [Member]              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]              
Deferred compensation arrangement, compensation expense (1,900,000)us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_ScenarioAdjustmentMember
           
Scenario, Adjustment [Member] | Performance Shares [Member]              
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]              
Allocated share-based compensation expense $ (1,000,000)us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_ScenarioAdjustmentMember