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Description of Business	12 Months Ended
Description of Business	Dec. 31, 2012
Description of Business [Abstract]
Business Description and Basis of Presentation [Text Block]	DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS Core Laboratories N.V. ("Core Laboratories", "we", "our" or "us") is a Netherlands limited liability company. We were established in 1936 and are one of the world's leading providers of proprietary and patented reservoir description, production enhancement and reservoir management services to the oil and gas industry. These services are directed toward enabling our clients to improve reservoir performance and increase oil and gas recovery from their producing fields. We have over 70 offices in more than 50 countries and have approximately 5,000 employees. Our business units have been aggregated into three complementary segments which provide services and products for improving reservoir performance and increasing oil and gas recovery from new and existing fields: (1) Reservoir Description, (2) Production Enhancement and (3) Reservoir Management. For a description of product types and services offered by these business segments, see Note 15 Segment Reporting