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Income Taxes (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Change in unrecognized tax benefits |  |  |
Balance as of January 1 | $ 47,552,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | $ 83,950,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | $ 68,848,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year | 167,107,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions | 145,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions | 922,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions
Additions for tax positions of prior years | 1,744,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions | 3,360,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions | 16,372,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Reductions for tax positions of prior years | (4,473,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions | (30,320,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions | (1,174,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Settlements | (8,223,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities | (9,583,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities | (1,018,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
Balance as of December 31 | 203,707,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | 47,552,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | 83,950,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year due to internal restructuring | 166,000,000 nbr_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositionsDueToInternalReorganization |  |
Reductions for tax positions for prior years due to expiration of statutes | 8,700,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations |  |
Interest and penalties on unrecognized tax benefits | 16,900,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense | 20,600,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense | 42,800,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense
Liability related to unrecognized tax benefit for accrued interest and penalties | 6,100,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued | 5,200,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued | 2,700,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued
Mexico Audit Assessment |  |  |
Change in unrecognized tax benefits |  |  |
Addition to unrecognized tax benefits |  | 10,400,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = nbr_MexicoAuditAssessmentMember |
Algeria Canada And Oman Settlements |  |  |
Change in unrecognized tax benefits |  |  |
Settlements | $ 21,600,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = nbr_AlgeriaCanadaAndOmanSettlementsMember |  |

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- Definition Amount of unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Unrecognized Tax Benefit -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6527854 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
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