Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended														12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended																								12 Months Ended										0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 Country Person		Sep. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2013		Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013 Project Segment Country Person	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum	Dec. 31, 2013 Buildings Minimum	Dec. 31, 2013 Buildings Maximum	Dec. 31, 2013 Machinery and Equipment Minimum	Dec. 31, 2013 Machinery and Equipment Maximum	Dec. 31, 2013 Drydocking Minimum	Dec. 31, 2013 Drydocking Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Consolidated Entities	Dec. 31, 2013 Unconsolidated joint ventures	Dec. 31, 2012 Unconsolidated joint ventures	Dec. 31, 2012 Claims Revenue	Dec. 31, 2013 Asia Pacific Project Segment	Dec. 31, 2012 Asia Pacific Project	Dec. 31, 2013 Atlantic Project	Dec. 31, 2012 Atlantic Project	Dec. 31, 2013 Atlantic Brazil	Dec. 31, 2011 Atlantic Brazil	Dec. 31, 2011 Atlantic Mexico	Dec. 31, 2013 Atlantic Altamira	Dec. 31, 2013 Middle East Project	Dec. 31, 2012 Middle East	Dec. 31, 2013 Middle East Project One	Dec. 31, 2013 Middle East Consolidated Entities	Dec. 31, 2013 Middle East Claims Revenue	Dec. 31, 2013 Middle East Saudi Arabia Project One	Dec. 31, 2013 Middle East Saudi Arabia Project One of Two	Dec. 31, 2013 Middle East Saudi Arabia Project three	Dec. 31, 2013 Altamira	Dec. 31, 2013 Brazil	Dec. 31, 2012 Brazil	Dec. 31, 2011 Brazil	Dec. 31, 2013 U.S. Gulf of Mexico	Dec. 31, 2013 Saudi Arabia	Dec. 31, 2012 Saudi Arabia	Dec. 31, 2011 Saudi Arabia	Mar. 19, 2012 Charter Fleet Business Vessel	Mar. 19, 2012 Secunda International Limited Vessel
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
Number of projects																														4	1	6	2					4
Project completion year																														2014	2014	2013	2013						2013	2014				2014	2015
Changes in project estimates															$ 315,100,000															$ 62,200,000		$ 78,500,000		$ 8,600,000			$ 40,900,000	$ 174,400,000
Number of operating segments															4															3
Number of projects in loss position															9															4
Changes in project estimates																														126,900,000													62,500,000	16,500,000	16,400,000
Reduction in estimated cost of completion																														64,100,000
Increase in change order recovery and bonuses recognized																														14,700,000
Additional costs incurred due to poor labor productivity in morgan city																																9,300,000
Recognized claim revenue reversed																																10,000,000
Loss on contract																																9,700,000						53,400,000								204,000,000	156,300,000			67,700,000	91,600,000
Project charges								52,000,000																							23,000,000		16,000,000		74,000,000	65,000,000			13,000,000
Cost increase percentage								8.00%								8.00%
Project period																																			5 years
Percentage of completion to recognize expected profit	70.00%														70.00%
Revenues	517,338,000	[1]	686,856,000	[2]	647,250,000	[3]	807,488,000	995,953,000	[4]	1,028,745,000	[5]	889,248,000	[6]	727,678,000	2,658,932,000	3,641,624,000	3,445,110,000									78,600,000	0	9,200,000	187,600,000												11,700,000	17,200,000					176,475,000	87,597,000	53,263,000		720,879,000	1,057,930,000	955,929,000
Cost of operations															2,801,426,000	3,100,009,000	2,980,390,000									78,600,000	0	9,200,000	187,600,000												11,700,000	17,200,000
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, aggregate amount	23,652,000							18,116,000							23,652,000	18,116,000
Equity method of accounting investment ownership																		20.00%	50.00%
Retainages expected to be collected in 2015	36,900,000														36,900,000
Retainages expected to be collected in 2016	28,500,000														28,500,000
Accounts receivable - other	89,273,000							75,461,000							89,273,000	75,461,000
Allowance for doubtful accounts	0							0							0	0
Employee receivables	4,500,000							6,800,000							4,500,000	6,800,000
Contracts in progress															425,986,000	560,154,000
Advance billing on contracts															278,929,000	241,696,000
Interest incurred															8,900,000	8,600,000	9,300,000
Interest capitalized															8,500,000	8,600,000	8,800,000
Property, plant and equipment economic useful lives																				8 years	33 years	3 years	28 years	3 years	5 years
Depreciation expense															84,600,000	86,400,000	82,200,000
Goodwill impairment charges															46,700,000
Asset impairment charges															84,482,000	0	5,488,000
Reduction in self-insurance accruals															$ 7,200,000	$ 6,800,000	$ 17,300,000

[1] Operating income for the quarter ended December 31, 2013 was influenced by increased cost estimates, impairment losses and restructuring charges.

[2] Operating income for the quarter ended September 30, 2013 was influenced by increased project losses.

[3] Operating income for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 was influenced by increased cost estimates on projects in our Middle East and Asia Pacific segments, as well as restructuring charges.

[4] 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.

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

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