BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION - Summary of information with respect to RPC's business segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 291,924	$ 620,684	$ 995,754	$ 1,705,207
Operating (loss) profit:
Total operating (loss) profit	(51,475)	106,661	(97,842)	274,924
Interest expense	(250)	(456)	(1,331)	(842)
Interest income	5	4	20	14
Other (expense) income, net	(2,219)	(454)	3,902	457
(Loss) income before income taxes	(53,939)	105,755	(95,251)	274,553
Depreciation and amortization	69,047	57,219	204,824	169,241
Capital expenditures			155,202	237,473
Operating Segments
Revenues:
Revenues	291,924	620,684	995,754	1,705,207
Operating (loss) profit:
Total operating (loss) profit	(51,475)	106,661	(97,842)	274,924
Interest expense	(250)	(456)	(1,331)	(842)
Interest income	5	4	20	14
Other (expense) income, net	(2,219)	(454)	3,902	457
(Loss) income before income taxes	(53,939)	105,755	(95,251)	274,553
Depreciation and amortization			204,824	169,241
Capital expenditures			155,202	237,473
Identifiable assets	1,288,091	1,616,033	1,288,091	1,616,033
Operating Segments | Technical Services
Revenues:
Revenues	271,346	576,908	925,245	1,588,270
Operating (loss) profit:
Total operating (loss) profit	(44,240)	102,849	(87,631)	267,462
Depreciation and amortization			179,778	145,054
Capital expenditures			144,715	213,244
Identifiable assets	1,094,802	1,384,353	1,094,802	1,384,353
Operating Segments | Support Services
Revenues:
Revenues	20,578	43,776	70,509	116,937
Operating (loss) profit:
Total operating (loss) profit	(1,850)	14,735	599	31,190
Depreciation and amortization			24,667	23,727
Capital expenditures			9,732	23,360
Identifiable assets	116,890	168,123	116,890	168,123
Corporate
Operating (loss) profit:
Total operating (loss) profit	(1,594)	(3,239)	(9,695)	(12,407)
Depreciation and amortization			379	460
Capital expenditures			755	869
Identifiable assets	76,399	63,557	76,399	63,557
Loss on disposition of assets, net
Operating (loss) profit:
Total operating (loss) profit	$ (3,791)	$ (7,684)	$ (1,115)	$ (11,321)