Schedule I Condensed Non-Consolidated Financial Information of Registrant - Basis of presentation (Details) - Teekay Parent - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Dividend income	$ 58,000	$ 1,039	$ 109
Impairments of investments (note 1)	$ 338,749	$ 0	$ 1,360,705

This item represents an other than temporary decline in value that has been recognized against an investment accounted for under the cost method of accounting. The excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of the investment represents the amount of the write down which is or was reflected in earnings. The written down value is a new cost basis with the adjusted value of the investment becoming its new carrying value. Evidence of a loss in value might include, but would not necessarily be limited to, absence of an ability to recover the carrying amount of the investment or inability of the investee to sustain an earnings capacity which would justify the carrying amount of the investment.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 325
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75025870&loc=d3e40691-111596

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration