Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Pioneer Energy Services Corp. and our wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of our management, all adjustments (consisting of normal, recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation have been included. We suggest that you read these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements together with the consolidated financial statements and the related notes included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. In preparing the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, we make various estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts of assets and liabilities we report as of the dates of the balance sheets and income and expenses we report for the periods shown in the income statements and statements of cash flows. Our actual results could differ significantly from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant changes in the near term relate to our recognition of revenues and costs for turnkey contracts, our estimate of the allowance for doubtful accounts, our determination of depreciation and amortization expenses, our estimates of projected cash flows and fair values for impairment evaluations, our estimate of the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, our estimate of the liability relating to the self-insurance portion of our health and workers’ compensation insurance, and our estimate of compensation related accruals. In preparing the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, we have reviewed events that have occurred after March 31, 2016, through the filing of this Form 10-Q, for inclusion as necessary.
Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]	In preparing the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, we make various estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts of assets and liabilities we report as of the dates of the balance sheets and income and expenses we report for the periods shown in the income statements and statements of cash flows. Our actual results could differ significantly from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant changes in the near term relate to our recognition of revenues and costs for turnkey contracts, our estimate of the allowance for doubtful accounts, our determination of depreciation and amortization expenses, our estimates of projected cash flows and fair values for impairment evaluations, our estimate of the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, our estimate of the liability relating to the self-insurance portion of our health and workers’ compensation insurance, and our estimate of compensation related accruals.
Subsequent Events, Policy [Policy Text Block]	In preparing the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, we have reviewed events that have occurred after March 31, 2016, through the filing of this Form 10-Q, for inclusion as necessary.
Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]	With most term drilling contracts, we are entitled to receive a full or reduced rate of revenue from our clients if they choose to place a rig on standby or to early terminate the contract before its original expiration term. Generally, these revenues are billed and collected over the remaining term of the contract, as the rig is often placed on standby rather than fully released from the contract, and thus may go back to work at the client's decision any time before the end of the contract. Some of our drilling contracts contain "make-whole" provisions whereby if we are able to secure additional work for the rig with another client, then each party is entitled to a make-whole payment. If the dayrates under the new contract are less than the dayrates in the original contract, we would be entitled to a reduced revenue dayrate from the terminating client, and likewise, the terminating client may be entitled to a payment from us if the new contract dayrates exceed those of the original contract. A client may also choose to early terminate the contract and make an upfront early termination payment based on a per day rate for the remaining term of the contract. Revenues derived from rigs placed on standby or from the early termination of term drilling contracts are deferred and recognized as the amounts become fixed or determinable, over the remainder of the original term or when the rig is sold.
Trade and Other Accounts Receivable, Unbilled Receivables, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Unbilled Accounts Receivable The asset “unbilled receivables” represents revenues we have recognized in excess of amounts billed on drilling contracts and production services completed but not yet invoiced. We typically invoice our clients at 15-day intervals during the performance of daywork drilling contracts and upon completion of the daywork contract. Turnkey drilling contracts are invoiced upon completion of the contract. Our unbilled receivables totaled $4.1 million at March 31, 2016, of which $3.3 million represented revenue recognized but not yet billed on daywork drilling contracts in progress and $0.8 million related to unbilled receivables for our Production Services Segment. At December 31, 2015, our unbilled receivables totaled $13.6 million, of which $11.9 million represented revenue recognized but not yet billed on daywork drilling contracts in progress, $1.1 million related to unbilled receivables for our Production Services Segment, and $0.6 million related to one turnkey contract in progress
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets [Policy Text Block]	Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets Prepaid expenses and other current assets include items such as insurance, rent deposits and fees. We routinely expense these items in the normal course of business over the periods these expenses benefit. Prepaid expenses and other current assets also include the current portion of deferred mobilization costs for certain drilling contracts that are recognized on a straight-line basis over the contract term.
Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block]	Related-Party Transactions During the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company paid approximately $24,000 and $7,000, respectively, for trucking and equipment rental services, which represented arms-length transactions, to Gulf Coast Lease Service. Joe Freeman, our Senior Vice President of Well Servicing, serves as the President of Gulf Coast Lease Service, which is owned and operated by Mr. Freeman's two sons. Mr. Freeman does not receive compensation from Gulf Coast Lease Service, and he serves primarily in an advisory role to his sons.
Comprehensive Income, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Comprehensive Income We have not reported comprehensive income due to the absence of items of other comprehensive income in the years presented.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Recently Issued Accounting Standards Revenue Recognition. In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, a comprehensive new revenue recognition standard that will supersede nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance. The standard outlines a single comprehensive model for revenue recognition based on the core principle that a company will recognize revenue when promised goods or services are transferred to clients, in an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. We are required to apply this new standard beginning with our first quarterly filing in 2018. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance, but at this time, do not expect that the adoption of this new standard will have a material effect on our financial position or results of operations. Debt Issuance Costs. On April 7, 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts, and that amortization of debt issuance costs be reported as interest expense. In August 2015, these provisions were further amended with guidance from the Securities and Exchange Commission Staff that they would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements as an asset and subsequently amortizing the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs are not affected by the amendments in this ASU. This ASU requires retrospective adoption and is effective for us beginning with our first quarterly filing in 2016. The adoption of this new standard resulted in reclassifying $7.8 million of debt issuance costs from other long-term assets to long-term debt in the accompanying December 31, 2015 condensed consolidated balance sheet. Leases. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, which among other things, requires lessees to recognize substantially all leases on the balance sheet, with expense recognition that is similar to the current lease standard, and aligns the principles of lessor accounting with the principles of the FASB's new revenue guidance (referenced above). This ASU is effective for us beginning with our first quarterly filing in 2019. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance and have not yet determined its impact on our financial position and results of operations. Stock-Based Compensation. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Stock Compensation: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, to reduce complexity in accounting standards involving several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. This ASU is effective for us beginning with our first quarterly filing in 2017. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance, but at this time, do not expect that the adoption of this update will have a material effect on our financial position or results of operations.
Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Reclassifications Certain amounts in the financial statements for the prior years have been reclassified to conform to the current year’s presentation.