Financial Information Related to Guarantor Subsidiaries (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 135,758	$ 80,274	$ 71,082	$ 50,727
Accounts receivable, net	1,035,985	540,602
Prepaid expenses	72,792	34,037
Inventory and other current assets	278,229	228,309
Total current assets	1,522,764	883,222
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,766,310	1,507,368
Goodwill	2,504,670	581,379
Notes receivable	74,750	73,568
Equity-method investments	69,552	72,472
Intangible and other long-term assets, net	530,312	930,136
Total assets	7,468,358	4,048,145
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	312,985	178,645
Accrued expenses	284,760	197,574
Income taxes payable	40,864	717
Deferred income taxes	16,721	831
Current portion of decommissioning liabilities	15,678	14,956	17,063
Current maturities of long-term debt	20,000	810
Total current liabilities	691,008	393,533
Deferred income taxes	684,894	297,458
Decommissioning liabilities	110,151	108,220	102,321
Long-term debt, net	1,978,508	1,685,087
Other long-term liabilities	104,943	110,248
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock of $.01 par value
Common stock of $.001 par value	157	80
Additional paid in capital	2,832,360	447,007
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net	(21,031)	(26,936)
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	1,087,368	1,033,448
Total stockholders' equity	3,898,854	1,453,599
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	7,468,358	4,048,145
Parent [Member]
Current assets:
Prepaid expenses	141	34
Total current assets	141	34
Investments in subsidiaries	1,743,595	1,650,049
Total assets	1,743,736	1,650,083
Current liabilities:
Accrued expenses	95	164
Income taxes payable	38,559	1,415
Deferred income taxes	16,721	831
Total current liabilities	55,375	2,410
Deferred income taxes	672,752	285,871
Intercompany payables/(receivables)	(2,889,199)	(96,989)
Other long-term liabilities	5,954	5,192
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock of $.01 par value
Common stock of $.001 par value	157	80
Additional paid in capital	2,832,360	447,007
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net	(21,031)	(26,936)
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	1,087,368	1,033,448
Total stockholders' equity	3,898,854	1,453,599
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	1,743,736	1,650,083
Issuer [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	50,257	29,057	16,845
Accounts receivable, net	352	531
Prepaid expenses	7,543	3,893
Inventory and other current assets	1,799	1,796
Total current assets	59,951	35,277
Property, plant and equipment, net	7,305	2,758
Investments in subsidiaries	3,872,497	2,833,659
Equity-method investments	67,828	70,614
Intangible and other long-term assets, net	64,843	828,447
Total assets	4,072,424	3,770,755
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	6,383	4,307
Accrued expenses	82,413	54,000
Current maturities of long-term debt	20,000
Total current liabilities	108,526	58,307
Long-term debt, net	1,978,508	1,673,351
Intercompany interest payable	15,000
Intercompany payables/(receivables)	197,441	356,668
Other long-term liabilities	29,358	32,380
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock of $.01 par value
Additional paid in capital	124,721	124,271
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net	(21,031)	(26,936)
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	1,640,351	1,552,714
Total stockholders' equity	1,743,591	1,650,049
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	4,072,424	3,770,755
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	31,562	6,272	1,911	5,493
Accounts receivable, net	886,632	437,963
Prepaid expenses	34,713	9,796
Inventory and other current assets	257,364	214,381
Total current assets	1,210,271	668,412
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,194,197	1,096,036
Goodwill	2,119,476	437,614
Notes receivable	74,750	73,568
Investments in subsidiaries	195,970	20,062
Intangible and other long-term assets, net	400,822	71,625
Total assets	6,195,486	2,367,317
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	244,427	128,996
Accrued expenses	158,532	105,512
Current portion of decommissioning liabilities	15,678	14,956
Total current liabilities	418,637	249,464
Decommissioning liabilities	107,878	108,220
Intercompany payables/(receivables)	2,529,678	(253,053)
Other long-term liabilities	24,574	26,704
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock of $.01 par value
Common stock of $.001 par value	782
Additional paid in capital	687,939
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net	(165)
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	2,426,163	2,235,982
Total stockholders' equity	3,114,719	2,235,982
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	6,195,486	2,367,317
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	53,939	44,945	52,326	45,234
Accounts receivable, net	203,570	143,444
Income taxes receivable		698
Prepaid expenses	30,395	20,314
Inventory and other current assets	19,066	12,132
Total current assets	306,970	221,533
Property, plant and equipment, net	564,808	408,574
Goodwill	385,194	143,765
Intercompany notes receivable	15,000
Equity-method investments	1,724	1,858
Intangible and other long-term assets, net	64,647	30,064
Total assets	1,338,343	805,794
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	111,070	86,723
Accrued expenses	50,427	38,503
Income taxes payable	2,305
Current maturities of long-term debt		810
Total current liabilities	163,802	126,036
Deferred income taxes	12,142	11,587
Decommissioning liabilities	2,273
Long-term debt, net		11,736
Intercompany payables/(receivables)	324,982	(7,276)
Other long-term liabilities	45,057	45,972
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock of $.01 par value
Common stock of $.001 par value	4,212	4,212
Additional paid in capital	680,871	517,209
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net	(21,031)	(26,936)
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	126,035	123,254
Total stockholders' equity	790,087	617,739
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	1,338,343	805,794
Eliminations [Member]
Current assets:
Accounts receivable, net	(54,569)	(41,336)
Income taxes receivable		(698)
Total current assets	(54,569)	(42,034)
Intercompany notes receivable	(15,000)
Investments in subsidiaries	(5,812,062)	(4,503,770)
Total assets	(5,881,631)	(4,545,804)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(48,895)	(41,381)
Accrued expenses	(6,437)	(605)
Income taxes payable		(698)
Total current liabilities	(55,332)	(42,684)
Intercompany interest payable	(15,000)
Intercompany payables/(receivables)	(162,902)	650
Other long-term liabilities		0
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock of $.01 par value
Common stock of $.001 par value	(4,994)	(4,212)
Additional paid in capital	(1,493,081)	(641,480)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net	42,227	53,872
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	(4,192,549)	(3,911,950)
Total stockholders' equity	(5,648,397)	(4,503,770)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (5,881,631)	$ (4,545,804)