Unaudited Selected Quarterly Results of Operations - Quarterly Financial Information (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2019		Sep. 30, 2019		Jun. 30, 2019		Mar. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018		Jun. 30, 2018		Mar. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]
Services and product sales revenue		$ 156,778		$ 173,200		$ 169,038		$ 169,194		$ 173,207		$ 182,146		$ 175,475		$ 170,018		$ 668,210	$ 700,846	$ 647,819
Cost of services and product sales		117,749		125,996		124,451		127,383		125,694		128,179		123,773		119,318
Other operating expenses	[1]	17,974		15,997		16,579		25,397		29,535		19,088		18,253		18,384
OPERATING INCOME		21,055		31,207		28,008		16,414		17,978		34,879		33,449		32,316		96,684	118,622	109,968
Interest expense		3,588		3,662		3,714		3,726		3,634		3,278		3,296		3,120		14,690	13,328	10,734
Income before income tax expense		17,467		27,545		24,294		12,688		14,344		31,601		30,153		29,196		81,994	105,294	99,234
Income tax expense		7,177		3,335		4,808		(27,610)		5,750		9,404		5,020		5,273		(12,290)	25,447	18,249
Income from continuing operations		10,290		24,210		19,486		40,298		8,594		22,197		25,133		23,923		94,284	79,847	80,985
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations				(397)		7,971		259		408		208		(328)		(346)		7,833	(58)	2,111
Net income		10,290		23,813		27,457		40,557		9,002		22,405		24,805		23,577		102,117	79,789	83,096
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest		(40)		84		43		47		167		(7)		53		50		134	263	(29)
Net income attributable to Core Laboratories N.V.		$ 10,330		$ 23,729		$ 27,414		$ 40,510		$ 8,835		$ 22,412		$ 24,752		$ 23,527		$ 101,983	$ 79,526	$ 83,125
Basic earnings per share		$ 0.23	[2],[3]	$ 0.54	[2],[3]	$ 0.62	[2],[3]	$ 0.91	[2],[3]	$ 0.20	[2],[3]	$ 0.51	[2],[3]	$ 0.56	[2],[3]	$ 0.53	[2],[3]	$ 2.30	$ 1.80	$ 1.88
Diluted earnings per share		$ 0.23	[2],[3]	$ 0.53	[2],[3]	$ 0.61	[2],[3]	$ 0.91	[2],[3]	$ 0.20	[2],[3]	$ 0.50	[2],[3]	$ 0.56	[2],[3]	$ 0.53	[2],[3]	$ 2.28	$ 1.79	$ 1.88
Basic (in shares)		44,379		44,371		44,354		44,323		44,226		44,216		44,203		44,179		44,357,000	44,206,000	44,153,000
Diluted (in shares)		44,634		44,716		44,815		44,734		44,401		44,591		44,493		44,463		44,646,000	44,474,000	44,264,000

[1] First quarter of 2019 and Fourth quarter of 2018 includes charges of $7.2 million and $9.9 million, respectively, of additional stock compensation expenses. See Note 15.

[2] Basic earnings per share and Diluted earnings per share are based on Net income attributable to Core Laboratories N.V.

[3] The sum of the individual quarterly earnings per share amounts may not agree with the year-to-date earnings per share amounts as each quarterly computation is based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during that period.