Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Level 4 (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	$ 24,561	$ 133,880	$ 173,622	$ 181,045
Accounts Receivable, Net	160,208	154,726
Inventory, Net	42,508	33,979
Prepaid Expense and Other Assets	27,414	26,735
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS	254,691	349,320
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	105,126	104,223
Intangible Assets And Goodwill	162,419	162,877
Due from Affiliates	0	0
Equity Method Investments	812	695
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	6,802	0
Other Assets Noncurrent less Investments	22,383	18,927
TOTAL ASSETS	552,233	636,042	652,661
Accounts Payable, Current	61,331	44,710
Convertible Debt, Current	89,747	147,543
Accrued Liabilities, Current	85,020	87,100
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES	236,098	279,353
Convertible Debt, Noncurrent	0
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent	24,001	21,241
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Noncurrent	0	2,198
Due to Affiliate, Noncurrent	0	0
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	37,749	32,046
Temporary Equity, Redemption Value	2,183	8,864
Total Core Laboratories N.V. shareholders' equity	249,063	289,491
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	3,139	2,849
TOTAL EQUITY	252,202	292,340
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	552,233	636,042
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	9,240	11,162	32,379	73,998
Accounts Receivable, Net	281	10
Inventory, Net	0	0
Prepaid Expense and Other Assets	6,122	5,641
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS	15,643	16,813
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Intangible Assets And Goodwill	46,986	46,986
Due from Affiliates	18,720	21,749
Equity Method Investments	566,537	553,693
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	2,453	2,810
Other Assets Noncurrent less Investments	3,347	3,209
TOTAL ASSETS	653,686	645,260
Accounts Payable, Current	8,968	336
Convertible Debt, Current	0	0
Accrued Liabilities, Current	2,366	2,291
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES	11,334	2,627
Convertible Debt, Noncurrent	0
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent	6,476	6,159
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Noncurrent	0	0
Due to Affiliate, Noncurrent	372,606	333,651
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	14,207	13,332
Temporary Equity, Redemption Value	0	0
Total Core Laboratories N.V. shareholders' equity	249,063	289,491
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
TOTAL EQUITY	249,063	289,491
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	653,686	645,260
Subsidiaries Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	6,138	88,612	127,184	95,048
Accounts Receivable, Net	35,209	33,637
Inventory, Net	4,264	4,127
Prepaid Expense and Other Assets	8,632	9,437
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS	54,243	135,813
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	20,921	21,139
Intangible Assets And Goodwill	15,445	15,838
Due from Affiliates	89,185	164,945
Equity Method Investments	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	0	0
Other Assets Noncurrent less Investments	15,713	13,099
TOTAL ASSETS	195,507	350,834
Accounts Payable, Current	8,974	5,144
Convertible Debt, Current	89,747	147,543
Accrued Liabilities, Current	30,844	29,250
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES	129,565	181,937
Convertible Debt, Noncurrent	0
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent	17,421	14,981
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Noncurrent	762	11,444
Due to Affiliate, Noncurrent	0	0
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	2,963	1,099
Temporary Equity, Redemption Value	2,183	8,864
Total Core Laboratories N.V. shareholders' equity	42,613	132,509
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
TOTAL EQUITY	42,613	132,509
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	195,507	350,834
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	9,183	34,106	14,059	11,999
Accounts Receivable, Net	124,718	121,079
Inventory, Net	38,244	29,852
Prepaid Expense and Other Assets	12,660	11,657
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS	184,805	196,694
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	84,205	83,084
Intangible Assets And Goodwill	99,988	100,053
Due from Affiliates	397,713	242,754
Equity Method Investments	1,596,076	1,567,416
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	5,978	6,436
Other Assets Noncurrent less Investments	3,323	2,619
TOTAL ASSETS	2,372,088	2,199,056
Accounts Payable, Current	43,389	39,230
Convertible Debt, Current	0	0
Accrued Liabilities, Current	51,810	55,559
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES	95,199	94,789
Convertible Debt, Noncurrent	0
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent	104	101
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Noncurrent	867	0
Due to Affiliate, Noncurrent	133,012	95,797
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	20,579	17,615
Temporary Equity, Redemption Value	0	0
Total Core Laboratories N.V. shareholders' equity	2,119,188	1,987,905
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	3,139	2,849
TOTAL EQUITY	2,122,327	1,990,754
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	2,372,088	2,199,056
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	0	0	0	0
Accounts Receivable, Net	0	0
Inventory, Net	0	0
Prepaid Expense and Other Assets	0	0
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS	0	0
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Intangible Assets And Goodwill	0	0
Due from Affiliates	(505,618)	(429,448)
Equity Method Investments	(2,161,801)	(2,120,414)
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	(1,629)	(9,246)
Other Assets Noncurrent less Investments	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	(2,669,048)	(2,559,108)
Accounts Payable, Current	0	0
Convertible Debt, Current	0	0
Accrued Liabilities, Current	0	0
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
Convertible Debt, Noncurrent	0
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent	0	0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Noncurrent	(1,629)	(9,246)
Due to Affiliate, Noncurrent	(505,618)	(429,448)
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	0	0
Temporary Equity, Redemption Value	0	0
Total Core Laboratories N.V. shareholders' equity	(2,161,801)	(2,120,414)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
TOTAL EQUITY	(2,161,801)	(2,120,414)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	$ (2,669,048)	$ (2,559,108)