Basis Of Presentation And New Accounting Standards	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis Of Presentation And New Accounting Standards	Basis of Presentation and New Accounting Standards The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Helix” or the “Company”). Unless the context indicates otherwise, the terms “we,” “us” and “our” in this report refer collectively to Helix and its subsidiaries. All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to instructions for the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and do not include all information and footnotes normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP and are consistent in all material respects with those applied in our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K (“2016 Form 10-K”). The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and the related disclosures. Actual results may differ from our estimates. We have made all adjustments (which were normal recurring adjustments) that we believe are necessary for a fair presentation of the condensed consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations, statements of comprehensive income (loss), and statements of cash flows, as applicable. The operating results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017. Our balance sheet as of December 31, 2016 included herein has been derived from the audited balance sheet as of December 31, 2016 included in our 2016 Form 10-K. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the annual audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2016 Form 10-K. Certain reclassifications were made to previously reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto to make them consistent with the current presentation format. In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).” This ASU provides a single five-step approach to account for revenue arising from contracts with customers. The ASU requires an entity to recognize revenue in a way that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This revenue standard was originally effective prospectively for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14 to defer the effective date of ASU No. 2014-09 by one year to annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Adoption as of the original effective date is permitted. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-08, which amends the guidance to clarify the implementation issues on principal versus agent considerations (gross versus net revenue presentation). In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-10, which amends the guidance with respect to certain implementation issues on identifying performance obligations and accounting for licenses of intellectual property. In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-12, which provides certain narrow-scope improvements and practical expedients to the guidance. In December 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-20, which provides certain technical corrections and improvements to the guidance. The new revenue standard permits companies to either apply the requirements retrospectively to all prior periods presented or apply the requirements in the year of adoption through a cumulative adjustment. We are in the process of assessing differences between the new revenue standard and current accounting practices (gap analysis). Remaining implementation matters include completing the gap analysis, establishing new policies, procedures and controls, and quantifying any adjustments upon adoption. We have not yet determined if we will apply the full retrospective or the modified retrospective method. In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, “Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes.” This ASU requires companies to classify all deferred tax assets and liabilities as non-current on the balance sheet instead of separating deferred taxes into current and non-current amounts. The requirement that deferred tax liabilities and assets of a tax-paying component of an entity be offset and presented as a single amount was not affected by this guidance. We adopted this guidance prospectively in the first quarter of 2017. Prior periods were not retrospectively adjusted. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842).” This ASU amends the existing accounting standards for leases. The amendments are intended to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by requiring recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods. Early adoption is permitted. The guidance is required to be adopted at the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach. We are currently evaluating the impact these amendments will have on our consolidated financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, “Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” This ASU simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including income tax consequences, forfeitures, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification in the statement of cash flows. Our restricted stock typically vests in the beginning of each year. Our income tax benefit for the three-month period ended March 31, 2017 was reduced by $0.4 million as a result of the adoption of this guidance in the first quarter of 2017. Otherwise, the adoption of this guidance had no material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” This ASU replaces the current incurred loss model for measurement of credit losses on financial assets including trade receivables with a forward-looking expected loss model based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, “Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory.” This ASU eliminates the exception in current guidance that prohibits the recognition of current and deferred income taxes for an intra-entity asset transfer until the asset has been sold to an outside party. Under the new ASU, an entity should recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Basis of Presentation and New Accounting Standards

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Helix” or the “Company”). Unless the context indicates otherwise, the terms “we,” “us” and “our” in this report refer collectively to Helix and its subsidiaries. All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to instructions for the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and do not include all information and footnotes normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”).

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP and are consistent in all material respects with those applied in our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K (“2016 Form 10-K”). The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and the related disclosures. Actual results may differ from our estimates. We have made all adjustments (which were normal recurring adjustments) that we believe are necessary for a fair presentation of the condensed consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations, statements of comprehensive income (loss), and statements of cash flows, as applicable. The operating results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017. Our balance sheet as of December 31, 2016 included herein has been derived from the audited balance sheet as of December 31, 2016 included in our 2016 Form 10-K. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the annual audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2016 Form 10-K.

Certain reclassifications were made to previously reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto to make them consistent with the current presentation format.

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).” This ASU provides a single five-step approach to account for revenue arising from contracts with customers. The ASU requires an entity to recognize revenue in a way that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This revenue standard was originally effective prospectively for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14 to defer the effective date of ASU No. 2014-09 by one year to annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Adoption as of the original effective date is permitted. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-08, which amends the guidance to clarify the implementation issues on principal versus agent considerations (gross versus net revenue presentation). In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-10, which amends the guidance with respect to certain implementation issues on identifying performance obligations and accounting for licenses of intellectual property. In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-12, which provides certain narrow-scope improvements and practical expedients to the guidance. In December 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-20, which provides certain technical corrections and improvements to the guidance. The new revenue standard permits companies to either apply the requirements retrospectively to all prior periods presented or apply the requirements in the year of adoption through a cumulative adjustment. We are in the process of assessing differences between the new revenue standard and current accounting practices (gap analysis). Remaining implementation matters include completing the gap analysis, establishing new policies, procedures and controls, and quantifying any adjustments upon adoption. We have not yet determined if we will apply the full retrospective or the modified retrospective method.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, “Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes.” This ASU requires companies to classify all deferred tax assets and liabilities as non-current on the balance sheet instead of separating deferred taxes into current and non-current amounts. The requirement that deferred tax liabilities and assets of a tax-paying component of an entity be offset and presented as a single amount was not affected by this guidance. We adopted this guidance prospectively in the first quarter of 2017. Prior periods were not retrospectively adjusted.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842).” This ASU amends the existing accounting standards for leases. The amendments are intended to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by requiring recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods. Early adoption is permitted. The guidance is required to be adopted at the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach. We are currently evaluating the impact these amendments will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, “Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” This ASU simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including income tax consequences, forfeitures, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification in the statement of cash flows. Our restricted stock typically vests in the beginning of each year. Our income tax benefit for the three-month period ended March 31, 2017 was reduced by $0.4 million as a result of the adoption of this guidance in the first quarter of 2017. Otherwise, the adoption of this guidance had no material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” This ASU replaces the current incurred loss model for measurement of credit losses on financial assets including trade receivables with a forward-looking expected loss model based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, “Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory.” This ASU eliminates the exception in current guidance that prohibits the recognition of current and deferred income taxes for an intra-entity asset transfer until the asset has been sold to an outside party. Under the new ASU, an entity should recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.