Supplemental Condensed Consolidated Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 155,439	$ 220,058	$ 510,276	$ 628,493
Expenses:
Operating costs	92,653	107,305	294,164	320,553
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	70,214	63,537	198,632	178,976
Impairments	234,880	0	234,880	0
General and administrative	10,094	9,278	29,899	28,752
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	231	(253)	1,424	(575)
Total operating costs	408,072	179,867	758,999	527,706
Income (loss) from operations	(252,633)	40,191	(248,723)	100,787
Interest, net	(9,534)	(7,945)	(27,067)	(25,678)
Gain (loss) on derivatives	4,237	(4,385)	5,232	(25,608)
Other, net	(622)	6	(611)	17
Income (loss) before income taxes	(258,552)	27,867	(271,169)	49,518
Income tax expense (benefit)	(50,763)	6,744	(53,081)	12,380
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(207,789)	21,123	(218,088)	37,138
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	(903)	2,224	811	4,586
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation	(206,886)	18,899	(218,899)	32,552
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	(9,817)	(32,459)	(53,001)	(82,974)
Expenses:
Operating costs	(9,904)	(31,273)	(51,374)	(80,540)
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	0	0	0	0
Impairments	0		0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs	(9,904)	(31,273)	(51,374)	(80,540)
Income (loss) from operations	87	(1,186)	(1,627)	(2,434)
Interest, net	0	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on derivatives	0	0	0	0
Other, net	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	87	(1,186)	(1,627)	(2,434)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	202,090	(29,077)	198,945	(74,360)
Net income (loss)	202,177	(30,263)	197,318	(76,794)
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation	202,177	(30,263)	197,318	(76,794)
Parent [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Expenses:
Operating costs	0	0	0	0
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	1,935	1,923	5,804	5,759
Impairments	0		0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	(1)	0	(11)	(30)
Total operating costs	1,934	1,923	5,793	5,729
Income (loss) from operations	(1,934)	(1,923)	(5,793)	(5,729)
Interest, net	(9,086)	(7,564)	(25,938)	(24,844)
Gain (loss) on derivatives	4,237	(4,385)	5,232	(25,608)
Other, net	5	6	16	17
Income (loss) before income taxes	(6,778)	(13,866)	(26,483)	(56,164)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(1,982)	(3,688)	(6,529)	(14,356)
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	(202,090)	29,077	(198,945)	74,360
Net income (loss)	(206,886)	18,899	(218,899)	32,552
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation	(206,886)	18,899	(218,899)	32,552
Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	116,671	169,635	389,553	478,529
Expenses:
Operating costs	66,534	71,646	211,836	215,355
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	56,432	50,349	157,153	139,724
Impairments	232,615		232,615
General and administrative	10,094	9,252	29,899	26,136
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	260	(237)	1,571	(450)
Total operating costs	365,935	131,010	633,074	380,765
Income (loss) from operations	(249,264)	38,625	(243,521)	97,764
Interest, net	0	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on derivatives	0	0	0	0
Other, net	(627)	(1)	(627)	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(249,891)	38,624	(244,148)	97,764
Income tax expense (benefit)	(48,781)	9,839	(46,552)	25,299
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(201,110)	28,785	(197,596)	72,465
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation	(201,110)	28,785	(197,596)	72,465
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	48,585	82,882	173,724	232,938
Expenses:
Operating costs	36,023	66,932	133,702	185,738
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	11,847	11,265	35,675	33,493
Impairments	2,265		2,265
General and administrative	0	26	0	2,616
(Gain) loss on disposition of assets	(28)	(16)	(136)	(95)
Total operating costs	50,107	78,207	171,506	221,752
Income (loss) from operations	(1,522)	4,675	2,218	11,186
Interest, net	(448)	(381)	(1,129)	(834)
Gain (loss) on derivatives	0	0	0	0
Other, net	0	1	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(1,970)	4,295	1,089	10,352
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	593	0	1,437
Equity in net earnings from investment in subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(1,970)	3,702	1,089	8,915
Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interest	(903)	2,224	811	4,586
Net income (loss) attributable to Unit Corporation	$ (1,067)	$ 1,478	$ 278	$ 4,329