v2.4.0.8

Nature of Operations (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 rig item
Nature of Operations
Number of platform rigs actively marketed	38
Number of jack-up rigs actively marketed	8
Number of barge rigs actively marketed	4
Number of hydraulic horsepower pressure pumping services in key basins throughout United States and Canada	800,000
Number of major business lines	2
Nature of operations
Number of actively marketed land drilling rigs	485
Minimum number of countries in which oil and gas land drilling operations are conducted	20
Joint Venture in Saudi Arabia
Nature of Operations
Ownership percentage	51.00%
Number of rigs actively markets in joint venture	5
U.S.
Nature of Operations
Number of rigs marketing for land well-servicing and workover service	445
Canada
Nature of Operations
Number of rigs marketing for land well-servicing and workover service	104

X

- Definition

Minimum number of countries in which oil, gas and geothermal land drilling operations are conducted.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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X

- Details

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- Details

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X

- Definition

Represents the number of actively marketed land drilling rigs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nbr_NumberOfActivelyMarketedLandDrillingRigs
Namespace Prefix:	nbr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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X

- Definition

Represents the number of barge rigs actively marketed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nbr_NumberOfBargeRigsActivelyMarketed
Namespace Prefix:	nbr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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X

- Definition

Represents the number of hydraulic horsepower pressure pumping services in key basins.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nbr_NumberOfHydraulicHorsepowerPressurePumpingServicesInKeyBasins
Namespace Prefix:	nbr_
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X

- Definition

Represents the number of jack-up rigs actively marketed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nbr_NumberOfJackUpRigsActivelyMarketed
Namespace Prefix:	nbr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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X

- Definition

Number of business lines through which majority of business is conducted.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nbr_NumberOfMajorBusinessLines
Namespace Prefix:	nbr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents the number of platform rigs actively marketed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nbr_NumberOfPlatformRigsActivelyMarketed
Namespace Prefix:	nbr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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X

- Definition

Represents the number of rigs actively markets in joint venture.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	nbr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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X

- Definition

Represents the number of rigs marketing for land work-over and well-servicing work.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	nbr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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X

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

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