Variable Interest Entity Arrangements (Schedule of Assets and Liabilities) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 612	$ 6,452	$ 91,557	$ 701
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts		77,994	119,397
Prepaid expenses and other		12,472	6,602
Total current assets		117,265	170,359
Property and equipment:
Gas gathering and processing equipment		806,862	767,388
Transportation equipment		30,088	29,524
Property, plant, and equipment, gross		8,907,999	8,615,042
Less accumulated depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment		6,522,621	6,182,726
Net property and equipment		2,385,378	2,432,316
Operating right of use asset		7,315	0
Other assets		29,823	32,570
Total assets	[1]	2,539,909	2,698,053
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		80,414	149,945
Accrued liabilities		73,274	49,664
Current operating lease liability		4,291	0
Current portion of other long-term liabilities		15,402	14,250
Total current liabilities		173,381	213,859
Long-term debt		784,352	644,475
Operating lease liability		2,800	0
Other long-term liabilities		96,360	101,234
VIE [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		3	5,841
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts		18,215	33,207
Prepaid expenses and other		5,921	1,049
Total current assets		24,139	40,097
Property and equipment:
Gas gathering and processing equipment		806,862	767,388
Transportation equipment		3,373	3,086
Property, plant, and equipment, gross		810,235	770,474
Less accumulated depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairment		399,574	364,740
Net property and equipment		410,661	405,734
Operating right of use asset		5,464	0
Other assets		11,307	17,551
Total assets		451,571	463,382
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		13,850	32,214
Accrued liabilities		5,156	3,688
Current operating lease liability		3,334	0
Current portion of other long-term liabilities		7,017	6,875
Total current liabilities		29,357	42,777
Long-term debt		4,100	0
Operating lease liability		1,938	0
Other long-term liabilities		9,774	14,687
Total liabilities		$ 45,169	$ 57,464

[1] Unit Corporation's consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2019 include total current and long-term assets of its variable interest entity (VIE) (Superior Pipeline Company, L.L.C.) of $24.1 million and $427.4 million, respectively, which can only settle obligations of the VIE. Unit Corporation's consolidated total liabilities as of September 30, 2019 include total current and long-term liabilities of the VIE of $29.4 million and $15.8 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIE have no recourse to Unit Corporation. Unit Corporation's consolidated total assets as of December 31, 2018 include total current and long-term assets of the VIE of $40.1 million and $423.3 million, respectively, which can only settle obligations of the VIE. Unit Corporation's consolidated total liabilities as of December 31, 2018 include total current and long-term liabilities of the VIE of $42.8 million and $14.7 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIE have no recourse to Unit Corporation. See Note 15 – Variable Interest Entity Arrangements.