Long-Term Debt (Maturities Of Long-Term Debt) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010	Jan. 31, 2009
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Less than one year	$ 7,877,000
One to two years	8,120,000
Two to three years	8,376,000
Three to four years	276,394,000
Four to five years	480,885,000
Over five years	383,224,000
Total debt	1,164,876,000
Current maturities	(7,877,000)		(10,179,000)
Long-term debt, less current maturities	1,156,999,000
Unamortized debt Discount	(9,555,000)			(60,200,000)
Long-term debt	1,147,444,000		1,347,753,000
Face amount notes will increase to through accretion of non-cash interest charges	300,000,000
Helix Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Less than one year	3,000,000
One to two years	3,000,000
Two to three years	3,000,000
Three to four years	270,750,000
Total debt	279,750,000
Current maturities	(3,000,000)
Long-term debt, less current maturities	276,750,000
Long-term debt	276,750,000
Helix Revolving Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Less than one year
One to two years
Two to three years
Three to four years
Four to five years
Over five years
Total debt
Current maturities
Long-term debt, less current maturities
Unamortized debt Discount
Long-term debt
Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Four to five years	474,960,000
Total debt	474,960,000
Long-term debt, less current maturities	474,960,000
Long-term debt	474,960,000
Convertible Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Over five years	300,000,000	[1]
Total debt	300,000,000	[1]
Long-term debt, less current maturities	300,000,000	[1]
Unamortized debt Discount	(9,555,000)	[1]	(18,500,000)
Long-term debt	290,445,000	[1]
MARAD Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Less than one year	4,877,000
One to two years	5,120,000
Two to three years	5,376,000
Three to four years	5,644,000
Four to five years	5,925,000
Over five years	83,224,000
Total debt	110,166,000
Current maturities	(4,877,000)
Long-term debt, less current maturities	105,289,000
Long-term debt	$ 105,289,000

[1] Beginning in December 2012, we may at our option repurchase the notes or the holders may require us to repurchase the notes. The notes will increase to the $300 million face amount through accretion of non-cash interest charges through December 2012.