Basis of Presentation and Nature of Operations (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Basic Energy Services, Inc. and subsidiaries (“Basic” or the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial reporting. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements. Certain information relating to Basic's organization and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q in accordance with GAAP and financial statement requirements promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The notes to the consolidated financial statements (unaudited) should be read in conjunction with the notes to the consolidated financial statements contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018. In the opinion of management, all adjustments which are of a normal recurring nature considered necessary for a fair presentation have been made in the accompanying unaudited financial statements. On June 28, 2018, the SEC adopted amendments that expanded the definition of “smaller reporting company” by increasing the applicable public float and revenue thresholds. Under the amended definition, which became effective on September 10, 2018, a company qualifies as a smaller reporting company if it has (i) a public float of less than $250 million at the end of its most recently completed second fiscal quarter or (ii) less than $100 million in annual revenues and either no public float or a public float of less than $700 million. Based on the Company's public float (the aggregate market value of its common equity held by non-affiliates) as of June 29, 2018, the Company is considered a smaller reporting company under the revised SEC rules and, as such, is eligible to use certain scaled financial and non-financial disclosure requirements. Smaller reporting companies may elect to comply with the scaled reporting requirements separately, thereby permitting the Company to choose such disclosure requirements on an item-by-item basis.
Principles of Consolidation	Principles of Consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Basic's subsidiaries, for which Basic holds a majority voting interest. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.
Segment Information	Segment Information In the first quarter of 2019, Basic revised its reportable segments for financial reporting purposes to combine its contract drilling operations with its rig manufacturing operations to form an Other Services segment. The Company's business now consists of the following four segments: Well Servicing, Water Logistics, Completion & Remedial Services, and Other Services. See Note 12, "Business Segment Information" for further information.
Estimates, Risks and Uncertainties	Estimates, Risks and UncertaintiesPreparation of the accompanying consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Management uses historical and other pertinent information to determine these estimates. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Areas where critical accounting estimates are made by management include litigation and self-insured risk reserves.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02 - “Leases (Topic 842).” The purpose of this update is to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. Basic has adopted the standard effective January 1, 2019 and has included the disclosures required by ASU 2016-02. For further discussion see Note 5, "Leases".