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, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 175,884	$ 291,924	$ 507,977	$ 995,754
Operating (loss) profit:
Total operating loss	(56,417)	(52,899)	(206,726)	(98,872)
Interest expense	(115)	(250)	(566)	(1,331)
Interest income	169	5	296	20
Other (expense) income, net	86	(795)	274	4,932
Loss before income taxes	(56,277)	(53,939)	(206,722)	(95,251)
Depreciation and amortization	51,975	69,047	168,891	204,824
Capital expenditures			24,917	155,202
Identifiable assets	1,052,892		1,052,892		$ 1,237,094
Operating Segments
Revenues:
Revenues	175,884	291,924	507,977	995,754
Operating (loss) profit:
Total operating loss	(56,417)	(52,899)	(206,726)	(98,872)
Interest expense	(115)	(250)	(566)	(1,331)
Interest income	169	5	296	20
Other (expense) income, net	86	(795)	274	4,932
Loss before income taxes	(56,277)	(53,939)	(206,722)	(95,251)
Depreciation and amortization			168,891	204,824
Capital expenditures			24,917	155,202
Identifiable assets	1,052,892	1,288,091	1,052,892	1,288,091
Operating Segments | Technical Services
Revenues:
Revenues	163,331	271,346	470,020	925,245
Operating (loss) profit:
Total operating loss	(48,627)	(44,240)	(177,581)	(87,631)
Depreciation and amortization			148,880	179,778
Capital expenditures			20,596	144,715
Identifiable assets	749,721	1,094,802	749,721	1,094,802
Operating Segments | Support Services
Revenues:
Revenues	12,553	20,578	37,957	70,509
Operating (loss) profit:
Total operating loss	(5,541)	(1,850)	(19,340)	599
Depreciation and amortization			19,657	24,667
Capital expenditures			1,953	9,732
Identifiable assets	78,471	116,890	78,471	116,890
Corporate
Operating (loss) profit:
Total operating loss	(3,397)	(3,018)	(13,724)	(10,725)
Depreciation and amortization			354	379
Capital expenditures			2,368	755
Identifiable assets	224,700	76,399	224,700	76,399
Gain on disposition of assets, net
Operating (loss) profit:
Total operating loss	$ 1,148	$ (3,791)	$ 3,919	$ (1,115)