Unaudited Selected Quarterly Financial Data - Quarterly Financial Information (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2020		Sep. 30, 2020		Jun. 30, 2020		Mar. 31, 2020		Dec. 31, 2019		Sep. 30, 2019		Jun. 30, 2019		Mar. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]
Services and product sales revenue		$ 113,749		$ 105,382		$ 115,736		$ 152,400		$ 156,778		$ 173,200		$ 169,038		$ 169,194		$ 487,267	$ 668,210	$ 700,846
Cost of services and product sales		87,918		81,038		90,680		115,131		117,749		125,996		124,451		127,383
Other operating expenses	[1]	2,427		13,013		27,623		146,242		17,974		15,997		16,579		25,397
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)		23,404		11,331		(2,567)		(108,973)		21,055		31,207		28,008		16,414		(76,805)	96,684	118,622
Interest expense		2,920		4,672		3,369		3,411		3,588		3,662		3,714		3,726		14,372	14,690	13,328
Income (loss) before income tax		20,484		6,659		(5,936)		(112,384)		17,467		27,545		24,294		12,688		(91,177)	81,994	105,294
Income tax expense (benefit)		6,540		3,663		(261)		(4,046)		7,177		3,335		4,808		(27,610)		5,896	(12,290)	25,447
Income (loss) from continuing operations		13,944		2,996		(5,675)		(108,338)		10,290		24,210		19,486		40,298		(97,073)	94,284	79,847
Income (loss) from discontinued operations		(424)										(397)		7,971		259		(424)	7,833	(58)
Net income (loss)		13,520		2,996		(5,675)		(108,338)		10,290		23,813		27,457		40,557		(97,497)	102,117	79,789
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest		(17)		33		41		83		(40)		84		43		47		140	134	263
Net income (loss) attributable to Core Laboratories N.V.		$ 13,537		$ 2,963		$ (5,716)		$ (108,421)		$ 10,330		$ 23,729		$ 27,414		$ 40,510		$ (97,637)	$ 101,983	$ 79,526
Basic earnings (loss) per share		$ 0.30	[2],[3]	$ 0.07	[2],[3]	$ (0.13)	[2],[3]	$ (2.44)	[2],[3]	$ 0.23	[2],[3]	$ 0.54	[2],[3]	$ 0.62	[2],[3]	$ 0.91	[2],[3]	$ (2.20)	$ 2.30	$ 1.80
Diluted earnings (loss) per share		$ 0.30	[2],[3]	$ 0.07	[2],[3]	$ (0.13)	[2],[3]	$ (2.44)	[2],[3]	$ 0.23	[2],[3]	$ 0.53	[2],[3]	$ 0.61	[2],[3]	$ 0.91	[2],[3]	$ (2.20)	$ 2.28	$ 1.79
Basic (in shares)		44,499		44,491		44,470		44,447		44,379		44,371		44,354		44,323		44,477,000	44,357,000	44,206,000
Assuming dilution		44,958		44,899		44,470		44,447		44,634		44,716		44,815		44,734		44,477,000	44,646,000	44,474,000

[1] First quarter of 2019 includes charges of $7.2 million, of additional stock compensation expenses. See Note 14.

[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.