v3.7.0.1

Commitments and Contingencies - Self Insurance Disclosures (Details) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Self-Insurance disclosures |
Employer's liability claims subject to per-occurrence deductible | $ 3.0
Workers automobile claims | 2.5
General liability claims subject to per-occurrence deductible | 5.0
Deductions in land rigs and for offshore rigs | 5.0
Latin American tax authority | Minimum |
Income tax |
Aggregate remaining amounts assessed or expected to assessed range | 3.0
Latin American tax authority | Maximum |
Income tax |
Aggregate remaining amounts assessed or expected to assessed range | $ 8.0

X
- Definition Represents the amount of per-occurrence deductible which the entity has on its automobile insurance claims. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nbr_AutomobileClaimsDeductible
Namespace Prefix: | nbr_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents the amount of deductions in land rigs and for offshore rigs. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nbr_DeductionsInLandRigsAndForOffshoreRigs
Namespace Prefix: | nbr_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents the amount of employer's liability claims subject to per-occurrence deductible. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nbr_EmployersLiabilityClaimsSubjectToPerOccurrenceDeductible
Namespace Prefix: | nbr_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents the amount of general liability claims subject to per-occurrence deductible. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nbr_GeneralLiabilityClaimsSubjectToPerOccurrenceDeductible
Namespace Prefix: | nbr_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nbr_SelfInsuranceReserveDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | nbr_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Estimated amount of loss resulting from an adverse tax position. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (d)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32718-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationEstimateOfPossibleLoss
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis=nbr_LatinAmericanTaxAuthorityMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |