Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended													12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended																				1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 Country Person		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 Country Person		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Buildings Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Buildings Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Machinery and Equipment Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Machinery and Equipment Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Drydocking Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Drydocking Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Asia Pacific Project	Dec. 31, 2011 Asia Pacific	Dec. 31, 2010 Asia Pacific	Dec. 31, 2012 Atlantic Project	Dec. 31, 2011 Atlantic	Dec. 31, 2010 Atlantic	Dec. 31, 2012 Atlantic Deferred profit recognition contracts Project	Dec. 31, 2011 Atlantic Deferred profit recognition contracts	Dec. 31, 2012 Atlantic Backlog	Dec. 31, 2011 Atlantic Brazil	Dec. 31, 2011 Atlantic Mexico	Dec. 31, 2012 Middle East	Dec. 31, 2011 Middle East	Dec. 31, 2010 Middle East	Mar. 19, 2012 Charter Fleet Business Vessel	Mar. 19, 2012 Secunda International Limited Vessel	Dec. 31, 2012 Consolidated Entities	Dec. 31, 2011 Consolidated Entities	Dec. 31, 2012 Unconsolidated joint ventures	Dec. 31, 2011 Unconsolidated joint ventures	Dec. 31, 2012 Unapproved claims	Dec. 31, 2011 Unapproved claims
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of countries in which entity operates	20													20
Number of employees in entity	14,000													14,000
Number of vessels sold																																										10
Number of vessels																																											14
Project charges	$ 52,000,000																											$ 23,000,000			$ 16,000,000						$ 74,000,000	$ 65,000,000	$ 13,000,000
Number of projects																												1			2			1
Project completion year																												2013			2013								2013
Cost increase percentage	8.00%													8.00%
Project period																																					5 years
Percentage of completion to recognize expected profit																															70.00%
Revenues	995,953,000	[1]	1,028,745,000	[2]	889,248,000	[3]	727,678,000	816,175,000	879,894,000	[4]	849,801,000	[5]	899,240,000	3,641,624,000	[6]	3,445,110,000	[6]	2,403,743,000	[6]									1,575,682,000	1,898,033,000	870,410,000	474,061,000	267,019,000	183,001,000	37,600,000	45,400,000	161,500,000			1,591,881,000	1,280,058,000	1,350,332,000			78,600,000	12,000,000	9,200,000	13,000,000	187,600,000	55,400,000
Cost of operations														3,100,009,000		2,980,390,000		1,842,261,000																37,600,000	45,400,000									78,600,000	12,000,000	9,200,000	13,000,000	187,600,000	55,400,000
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, aggregate amount	18,116,000							21,962,000						18,116,000		21,962,000
Equity method of accounting investment ownership																				20.00%	50.00%
Retainages expected to be collected in 2014	32,000,000													32,000,000
Accounts receivable - other	75,461,000							53,386,000						75,461,000		53,386,000
Employee receivables	6,800,000							10,800,000						6,800,000		10,800,000
Interest incurred														8,600,000		9,300,000		14,600,000
Interest capitalized														8,600,000		8,800,000		12,000,000
Property, plant and equipment economic useful lives																						8 years	33 years	3 years	28 years	3 years	5 years
Depreciation expense														86,400,000		82,200,000		75,800,000
Asset impairment charges																5,488,000		24,660,000
Reduction in self-insurance accruals														$ 6,800,000		$ 17,300,000		$ 2,400,000

[1] Operating income for the quarter ended December 31, 2012 was influenced by significant cost savings on marine installation activities on an EPCI project, partially offset by project losses of approximately $52.0 million recognized across each segment. Income from continuing operations, less non-controlling interests was impacted by an increase in our provision for income taxes and sales, general & administrative expenses, partially offset by an increase in gain (loss) on foreign currency - net.

[2] Revenues for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 were influenced by increased marine activity on certain of our Asia Pacific projects.

[3] Operating income for the quarter ended June 30 2012 was influenced by increased fabrication activities partially offset by lower project close-outs and settlements.

[4] Operating income for the September 30, 2011 quarter was influenced by the $75.4 million decline in the Middle East segment. The Middle East decline was primarily driven by reduced fabrication and marine activity levels, lower change orders, project close-outs and settlements on completed contracts. In addition, the September quarter was impacted by approximately $50.0 million of project charges recognized across segments.

[5] Operating income for the June 30, 2011 quarter was influenced by a $49.1 million decline in our Middle East segment as a result of reduced marine activity and the substantial completion of several higher margin projects in Saudi Arabia for which the marine activities were ongoing during the 2010 quarter but were complete prior to the 2011 quarter.

[6] Intercompany transactions were not significant for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011. For the year ended December 31, 2010, intercompany transactions of $20,129 in our Atlantic segment were eliminated at the consolidated level.