Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Net revenues	$ 157,683	$ 182,462	$ 166,016	$ 189,641	$ 207,160	$ 340,837	$ 305,587	$ 253,572	$ 695,802	$ 1,107,156	$ 876,561
Gross profit (loss)	(324,898)	31,969	24,208	34,947	32,805	126,247	109,138	75,846	(233,774)	344,036	260,685
Net income (loss) applicable to common shareholders	$ (403,867)	$ 9,880	$ (2,635)	$ 19,642	$ 7,960	$ 75,586	$ 57,782	$ 53,719	$ (376,980)	$ 195,047	$ 109,922
Basic earnings (loss) per common share (in dollars per share)	$ (3.83)	$ 0.09	$ (0.03)	$ 0.19	$ 0.08	$ 0.72	$ 0.55	$ 0.51	$ (3.58)	$ 1.85	$ 1.04
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share (in dollars per share)	$ (3.83)	$ 0.09	$ (0.03)	$ 0.19	$ 0.08	$ 0.71	$ 0.55	$ 0.51	$ (3.58)	$ 1.85	$ 1.04
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Impairment charges									$ 345,010	$ 0	$ 0
Goodwill impairment									16,399	0	0
Loss from equity method investments									124,345	(879)	(2,965)
Unrealized losses on derivatives	$ 19,000								18,281	$ 1,320	$ 77
Deepwater Gateway LLC and Independence Hub LLC [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Loss from equity method investments	123,800
Well Intervention [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment	16,400								16,399
Helix 534 [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Impairment charges	205,200								205,200
Helix 534 [Member] | Well Intervention [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Impairment charges									205,200
HP I [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Impairment charges	133,400								133,400
Capitalized Vessel Project Costs [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Impairment charges to write off capitalized costs	$ 6,300								6,300
Capitalized Vessel Project Costs [Member] | Well Intervention [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Impairment charges to write off capitalized costs									$ 6,300