Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Cash Flows (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 299,080	$ 960,368
Cash flows from investing activities
Proceeds from disposal of assets	1,306	23,390
Net cash used in investing activities	(85,394)	(609,883)
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment of long-term debt	(300,000)	(322,207)
Debt issuance costs on senior notes and credit facility	(42)	0
Premiums paid on early repayment of long-term debt	0	(1,781)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(26,293)	(61,980)
Net cash used in financing activities	(330,645)	(436,678)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(116,959)	(86,193)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	725,722	512,245
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	608,763	426,052
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	0	0
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from disposal of assets	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment of long-term debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs on senior notes and credit facility	0
Premiums paid on early repayment of long-term debt		0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net	0
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net		0
Advances (to) from affiliates	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
Other Non-guarantor Subsidiaries of Noble [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	212,606	1,223,801
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(84,148)	(159,813)
Proceeds from disposal of assets	1,260	23,390
Net cash used in investing activities	(82,888)	(136,423)
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment of long-term debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs on senior notes and credit facility	0
Premiums paid on early repayment of long-term debt		0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(26,293)	(61,980)
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net	0
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net		0
Advances (to) from affiliates	(136,017)	(1,109,816)
Net cash used in financing activities	(162,310)	(1,171,796)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(32,592)	(84,418)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	640,441	508,067
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	607,849	423,649
Noble-Cayman [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	26,122	91,918
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from disposal of assets	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment of long-term debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs on senior notes and credit facility	0
Premiums paid on early repayment of long-term debt		0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net	43,891
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net		(76,051)
Advances (to) from affiliates	(72,537)	(15,513)
Net cash used in financing activities	(28,646)	(91,564)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(2,524)	354
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	2,537	1,627
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	13	1,981
NHUS [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	102,689	(124,190)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from disposal of assets	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment of long-term debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs on senior notes and credit facility	0
Premiums paid on early repayment of long-term debt		0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net	0
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net		0
Advances (to) from affiliates	(102,689)	124,190
Net cash used in financing activities	(102,689)	124,190
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
NDH [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	141,843	81,355
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(2,552)	(473,460)
Proceeds from disposal of assets	46	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,506)	(473,460)
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment of long-term debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs on senior notes and credit facility	0
Premiums paid on early repayment of long-term debt		0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net	0
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net		0
Advances (to) from affiliates	(150,153)	390,122
Net cash used in financing activities	(150,153)	390,122
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(10,816)	(1,983)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	10,855	2,101
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	39	118
NHIL [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	(324,502)	(278,331)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from disposal of assets	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment of long-term debt	(300,000)	(322,207)
Debt issuance costs on senior notes and credit facility	(42)
Premiums paid on early repayment of long-term debt		(1,781)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net	0
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net		0
Advances (to) from affiliates	624,601	602,320
Net cash used in financing activities	324,559	278,332
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	57	1
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	57	1
NDS6 [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	163,205	(8,697)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from disposal of assets	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment of long-term debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs on senior notes and credit facility	0
Premiums paid on early repayment of long-term debt		0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net	0
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net		0
Advances (to) from affiliates	(163,205)	8,697
Net cash used in financing activities	(163,205)	8,697
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
Noble Corp [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	321,963	985,856
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(86,700)	(633,273)
Proceeds from disposal of assets	1,306	23,390
Net cash used in investing activities	(85,394)	(609,883)
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment of long-term debt	(300,000)	(322,207)
Debt issuance costs on senior notes and credit facility	(42)	0
Premiums paid on early repayment of long-term debt	0	(1,781)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(26,293)	(61,980)
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net	43,891
Contributions (distributions) from (to) parent company, net		(76,051)
Advances (to) from affiliates	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(282,444)	(462,019)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(45,875)	(86,046)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	653,833	511,795
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 607,958	$ 425,749