Information about Noble-Cayman - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 68,354	$ 114,458	$ 178,370	$ 282,092
Accounts receivable	610,134	949,069
Taxes receivable	126,295	140,269
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	226,262	187,139
Total current assets	1,031,045	1,390,935
Property and equipment, at cost	15,304,758	19,198,767
Accumulated depreciation	(2,671,092)	(4,640,677)
Property and equipment, net	12,633,666	14,558,090
Other assets	285,486	268,932
Total assets	13,950,197	16,217,957	15,729,331
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	267,811	347,214
Accrued payroll and related costs	102,533	151,161
Taxes payable	115,192	125,119
Other current liabilities	170,474	300,172
Total current liabilities	656,010	1,051,915
Long-term debt	4,737,081	5,556,251
Deferred income taxes	165,750	225,455
Other liabilities	289,637	334,308
Total liabilities	5,848,478	7,167,929
Commitments and contingencies
Total shareholder equity	7,378,323	8,322,583
Noncontrolling interests	723,396	727,445
Total equity	8,101,719	9,050,028	8,856,816	8,488,290
Total liabilities and equity	13,950,197	16,217,957
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Current assets
Short-term notes receivable from affiliates	(1,708,274)	(1,667,551)
Accounts receivable from affiliates	(6,957,884)	(7,601,062)
Total current assets	(8,666,158)	(9,268,613)
Notes receivable from affiliates	(8,265,273)	(7,192,024)
Investments in affiliates	(23,888,971)	(33,001,421)
Total assets	(40,820,402)	(49,462,058)
Current liabilities
Short-term notes payables from affiliates	(1,708,274)	(1,667,551)
Accounts payable to affiliates	(6,957,884)	(7,601,062)
Total current liabilities	(8,666,158)	(9,268,613)
Notes payable to affiliates	(8,265,273)	(7,192,024)
Total liabilities	(16,931,431)	(16,460,637)
Commitments and contingencies
Total shareholder equity	(23,474,566)	(32,490,624)
Noncontrolling interests	(414,405)	(510,797)
Total equity	(23,888,971)	(33,001,421)
Total liabilities and equity	(40,820,402)	(49,462,058)
Noble-Cayman [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	5	1	5	1,003
Short-term notes receivable from affiliates	124,418
Accounts receivable from affiliates	2,092,898	1,244,019
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	18,187
Total current assets	2,235,508	1,244,020
Notes receivable from affiliates	3,304,653	3,304,753
Investments in affiliates	5,129,070	8,601,712
Other assets	3,312	6,256
Total assets	10,672,543	13,156,741
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	3,202
Accrued payroll and related costs	2
Accounts payable to affiliates	543,326	1,104,410
Other current liabilities	14,346	412
Total current liabilities	560,876	1,104,822
Long-term debt	991,652	1,561,141
Notes payable to affiliates	1,769,064	2,042,808
Other liabilities	25,471	19,931
Total liabilities	3,347,063	4,728,702
Commitments and contingencies
Total shareholder equity	7,325,480	8,428,039
Total equity	7,325,480	8,428,039
Total liabilities and equity	10,672,543	13,156,741
NHC [Member]
Current assets
Taxes receivable	72,332	52,307
Accounts receivable from affiliates	364,033
Total current assets	436,365	52,307
Investments in affiliates	1,282,802	2,907,379
Total assets	1,719,167	2,959,686
Current liabilities
Short-term notes payables from affiliates	171,925	52,611
Accounts payable to affiliates	62,561	653,049
Total current liabilities	234,486	705,660
Total liabilities	234,486	705,660
Commitments and contingencies
Total shareholder equity	1,484,681	2,254,026
Total equity	1,484,681	2,254,026
Total liabilities and equity	1,719,167	2,959,686
NDH [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	358	402	123	904
Accounts receivable	46,320	34,038
Taxes receivable	513
Short-term notes receivable from affiliates	1,077,965	1,456,245
Accounts receivable from affiliates	189,512	108,208
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,064	6,336
Total current assets	1,316,732	1,605,229
Property and equipment, at cost	2,519,562	2,340,216
Accumulated depreciation	(263,035)	(310,171)
Property and equipment, net	2,256,527	2,030,045
Notes receivable from affiliates	879,154	124,216
Investments in affiliates	3,426,000	6,595,591
Other assets	6,664	6,332
Total assets	7,885,077	10,361,413
Current liabilities
Short-term notes payables from affiliates		139,195
Accounts payable	6,639	5,310
Accrued payroll and related costs	8,525	8,582
Accounts payable to affiliates	3,421,407	4,032,776
Taxes payable		827
Other current liabilities	21,625	22,106
Total current liabilities	3,458,196	4,208,796
Notes payable to affiliates	1,113,363	534,683
Other liabilities	30,045	24,502
Total liabilities	4,601,604	4,767,981
Commitments and contingencies
Total shareholder equity	3,283,473	5,593,432
Total equity	3,283,473	5,593,432
Total liabilities and equity	7,885,077	10,361,413
NHIL [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents		4	8	2
Short-term notes receivable from affiliates		139,195
Accounts receivable from affiliates	169,979	210,868
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	19
Total current assets	169,998	350,067
Notes receivable from affiliates	1,980,391	2,367,555
Investments in affiliates	8,378,227	9,456,735
Other assets	20,539	22,681
Total assets	10,549,155	12,197,038
Current liabilities
Accounts payable to affiliates	53,516	216,866
Other current liabilities	16,359	62,431
Total current liabilities	69,875	279,297
Long-term debt	3,543,734	3,793,414
Notes payable to affiliates	1,169,180	975,000
Total liabilities	4,782,789	5,047,711
Commitments and contingencies
Total shareholder equity	5,766,366	7,149,327
Total equity	5,766,366	7,149,327
Total liabilities and equity	10,549,155	12,197,038
NDS6 [Member]
Current assets
Short-term notes receivable from affiliates	333,966	19,500
Accounts receivable from affiliates	123,742	27,537
Total current assets	457,708	47,037
Notes receivable from affiliates	5,000	5,000
Investments in affiliates	5,672,872	5,440,004
Other assets	546	639
Total assets	6,136,126	5,492,680
Current liabilities
Short-term notes payables from affiliates	371,720	750,000
Accounts payable to affiliates	18,833	21,173
Other current liabilities	630	4,412
Total current liabilities	391,183	775,585
Long-term debt	201,695	201,696
Notes payable to affiliates	834,449	260,216
Total liabilities	1,427,327	1,237,497
Commitments and contingencies
Total shareholder equity	4,708,799	4,255,183
Total equity	4,708,799	4,255,183
Total liabilities and equity	6,136,126	5,492,680
Other Non-guarantor Subsidiaries of Noble [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	65,585	109,975	173,581	275,466
Accounts receivable	563,814	915,031
Taxes receivable	53,316	87,722
Short-term notes receivable from affiliates	171,925	52,611
Accounts receivable from affiliates	4,017,720	6,010,430
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	159,368	178,012
Total current assets	5,031,728	7,353,781
Property and equipment, at cost	12,746,644	16,820,134
Accumulated depreciation	(2,396,852)	(4,321,507)
Property and equipment, net	10,349,792	12,498,627
Notes receivable from affiliates	2,096,075	1,390,500
Other assets	230,928	233,106
Total assets	17,708,523	21,476,014
Current liabilities
Short-term notes payables from affiliates	1,164,629	725,745
Accounts payable	225,982	340,600
Accrued payroll and related costs	85,858	134,764
Accounts payable to affiliates	2,858,241	1,572,788
Taxes payable	112,332	119,761
Other current liabilities	113,345	210,811
Total current liabilities	4,560,387	3,104,469
Notes payable to affiliates	3,379,217	3,379,317
Deferred income taxes	165,750	225,455
Other liabilities	234,121	289,875
Total liabilities	8,339,475	6,999,116
Commitments and contingencies
Total shareholder equity	8,231,247	13,238,656
Noncontrolling interests	1,137,801	1,238,242
Total equity	9,369,048	14,476,898
Total liabilities and equity	17,708,523	21,476,014
Noble-Cayman [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	65,948	110,382	173,717	277,375
Accounts receivable	610,134	949,069
Taxes receivable	126,161	140,029
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	179,638	184,348
Total current assets	981,881	1,383,828
Property and equipment, at cost	15,266,206	19,160,350
Accumulated depreciation	(2,659,887)	(4,631,678)
Property and equipment, net	12,606,319	14,528,672
Other assets	261,989	269,014
Total assets	13,850,189	16,181,514
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	235,823	345,910
Accrued payroll and related costs	94,385	143,346
Taxes payable	112,332	120,588
Other current liabilities	166,305	300,172
Total current liabilities	608,845	910,016
Long-term debt	4,737,081	5,556,251
Deferred income taxes	165,750	225,455
Other liabilities	289,637	334,308
Total liabilities	5,801,313	7,026,030
Commitments and contingencies
Total shareholder equity	7,325,480	8,428,039
Noncontrolling interests	723,396	727,445
Total equity	8,048,876	9,155,484	9,026,094	8,531,082
Total liabilities and equity	$ 13,850,189	$ 16,181,514