Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 225,785	$ 198,902	$ 432,518	$ 387,239
Revenue from Related Parties	0	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total Revenue	225,785	198,902	432,518	387,239
Costs of Services and Goods Sold Excluding Depreciation	152,273	128,917	289,023	254,505
Net income	40,384	34,362	86,376	66,648
Loss on exchange of Senior Exchangeable Notes	210	0	839	0
General and Administrative Expense, Excluding Depreciation	9,757	9,211	19,281	15,591
Depreciation and amortization	5,805	5,766	11,636	11,520
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Non-controlling Interest	(67)	146	(365)	227
Other (income), net	147	1,288	(1,724)	490
OPERATING INCOME	57,803	53,720	114,302	105,133
Interest Expense	2,499	4,114	4,859	8,173
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	55,094	49,606	108,604	96,960
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	14,710	15,244	22,228	30,312
Net income attributable to Core Laboratories N.V.	40,451	34,216	86,741	66,421
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Revenue from Related Parties	409	379	769	667
Earnings (loss) from consolidated affiliates	48,014	37,709	86,708	72,898
Total Revenue	48,423	38,088	87,477	73,565
Costs of Services and Goods Sold Excluding Depreciation	264	322	558	712
Net income	40,451	34,216	86,741	66,421
Loss on exchange of Senior Exchangeable Notes	0	0	0
General and Administrative Expense, Excluding Depreciation	1,971	2,147	4,615	4,314
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Non-controlling Interest	0	0	0	0
Other (income), net	814	992	943	857
OPERATING INCOME	45,374	34,627	81,361	67,682
Interest Expense	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	45,374	34,627	81,361	67,682
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	4,923	411	(5,380)	1,261
Net income attributable to Core Laboratories N.V.	40,451	34,216	86,741	66,421
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Revenue from Related Parties	(37,561)	(43,449)	(83,358)	(83,833)
Earnings (loss) from consolidated affiliates	(138,521)	(153,454)	(157,511)	(289,402)
Total Revenue	(176,082)	(196,903)	(240,869)	(373,235)
Costs of Services and Goods Sold Excluding Depreciation	0	0	0	0
Net income	(120,079)	(163,904)	(97,101)	(309,674)
Loss on exchange of Senior Exchangeable Notes	0	0	0
General and Administrative Expense, Excluding Depreciation	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Non-controlling Interest	0	0	0	0
Other (income), net	(34,246)	(32,999)	(65,618)	(63,561)
OPERATING INCOME	(141,836)	(163,904)	(175,251)	(309,674)
Interest Expense	(21,757)	0	(78,150)	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	(120,079)	(163,904)	(97,101)	(309,674)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Core Laboratories N.V.	(120,079)	(163,904)	(97,101)	(309,674)
Subsidiaries Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	52,935	48,386	100,735	93,547
Revenue from Related Parties	6,314	7,619	11,695	12,206
Earnings (loss) from consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0
Total Revenue	59,249	56,005	112,430	105,753
Costs of Services and Goods Sold Excluding Depreciation	26,698	25,237	51,997	50,221
Net income	3,474	8,639	(58,898)	16,507
Loss on exchange of Senior Exchangeable Notes	210	0	839
General and Administrative Expense, Excluding Depreciation	7,784	7,060	14,654	11,270
Depreciation and amortization	1,599	1,554	3,229	3,112
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Non-controlling Interest	0	0	0	0
Other (income), net	3,664	3,411	6,609	5,002
OPERATING INCOME	19,504	18,743	35,941	36,148
Interest Expense	24,256	4,112	83,009	8,167
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	(4,962)	14,631	(47,907)	27,981
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(8,436)	5,992	10,991	11,474
Net income attributable to Core Laboratories N.V.	3,474	8,639	(58,898)	16,507
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	172,850	150,516	331,783	293,692
Revenue from Related Parties	30,838	35,451	70,894	70,960
Earnings (loss) from consolidated affiliates	90,507	115,745	70,803	216,504
Total Revenue	294,195	301,712	473,480	581,156
Costs of Services and Goods Sold Excluding Depreciation	125,311	103,358	236,468	203,572
Net income	116,538	155,411	155,634	293,394
Loss on exchange of Senior Exchangeable Notes	0	0	0
General and Administrative Expense, Excluding Depreciation	2	4	12	7
Depreciation and amortization	4,206	4,212	8,407	8,408
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Non-controlling Interest	(67)	146	(365)	227
Other (income), net	29,915	29,884	56,342	58,192
OPERATING INCOME	134,761	164,254	172,251	310,977
Interest Expense	0	2	0	6
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	134,761	164,252	172,251	310,971
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	18,223	8,841	16,617	17,577
Net income attributable to Core Laboratories N.V.	$ 116,605	$ 155,265	$ 155,999	$ 293,167