Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	1. Basis of Presentation Basis of presentation - The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively referred to herein as the “Company”). All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Except for wholly-owned subsidiaries, the Company has no controlling financial interests in any entity which would require consolidation. As used in these notes, “the Company” refers collectively to Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. conducts its operations through its wholly-owned subsidiaries and has no employees or independent operations. The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by management of the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) have been omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although the Company believes the disclosures included either on the face of the financial statements or herein are sufficient to make the information presented not misleading. In the opinion of management, all recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of the information in conformity with U.S. GAAP have been included. The unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017, as presented herein, was derived from the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Company, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The U.S. dollar is the functional currency for all of the Company’s operations except for its Canadian operations, which use the Canadian dollar as its functional currency. The effects of exchange rate changes are reflected in accumulated other comprehensive income, which is a separate component of stockholders’ equity. On December 12, 2016, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “merger agreement”) with Seventy Seven Energy Inc. (“SSE”), and the merger closed on April 20, 2017 (the “merger date”). The Company’s results include the results of operations of SSE since the merger date (See Note 2). On October 11, 2017, the Company acquired all of the issued and outstanding limited liability company interests of MS Directional, LLC (f/k/a Multi-Shot, LLC) (“MS Directional”). The Company’s results include the results of operations of MS Directional since October 11, 2017 (See Note 2). The acquisition of MS Directional created a new directional drilling reporting segment for the Company (See Note 14). Recently Issued Accounting Standards – In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an accounting standards update to provide guidance on the recognition of revenue from customers. Under this guidance, an entity will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects what it expects in exchange for the goods or services. This guidance also requires more detailed disclosures to enable users of the financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty, if any, of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The requirements in this update are effective during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company adopted this new revenue guidance effective January 1, 2018, utilizing the modified retrospective method, and expanded its consolidated financial statement disclosures in order to comply with the update (See Note 3). The adoption of this update did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to provide guidance for the accounting for leasing transactions. The standard requires the lessee to recognize a lease liability along with a right-of-use asset for all leases with a term longer than one year. A lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset to not recognize the lease liability and related right-of-use asset for leases with a term of one year or less. The provisions of this standard also apply to situations where the Company is the lessor and may require the Company to separately account for lease components from non-lease components within a contract. The Company will elect the practical expedient that allows the exclusion of leases with terms less than one year, as well as the practical expedient allowed to lessors to not separate the lease components when the non-lease component is the predominant component. The Company has selected a lease software platform, and is in the final stages of aggregating the information from its lease contracts into the lease software. The Company is also assessing and updating its procedures and controls to prepare for the changes resulting from the new guidance. The Company expects its assets and liabilities to increase as a result of recognizing the right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, but the Company does not expect a significant impact to its earnings or cash flows. The Company will adopt the new lease guidance effective January 1, 2019, utilizing the transition method that allows a retrospective approach through a cumulative-effect adjustment at the beginning of the period of adoption for current leases as of that date. Lease arrangements for the working interests from oil and gas properties are excluded from the scope of the new lease standard. The Company is continuing to evaluate the impact this new guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements. In August 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to clarify the presentation of cash receipts and payments in specific situations on the statement of cash flows. The requirements in this update are effective during interim and annual periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. The adoption of this update on January 1, 2018 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In May 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that provided clarity on which changes to the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards require an entity to apply modification accounting provisions. The requirements in this update are effective during interim and annual periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. The adoption of this update on January 1, 2018 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In March 2018, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to update the income tax accounting in U.S. GAAP to reflect the SEC interpretive guidance released on December 22, 2017, when significant U.S. tax law changes were enacted with the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“Tax Reform”). The adoption of this update in March 2018 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, as the Company was already following the SEC guidance. See Note 12 for additional information. In August 2018, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to align the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The amendments in the update are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this new guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.

1. Basis of Presentation

Basis of presentation - The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively referred to herein as the “Company”). All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Except for wholly-owned subsidiaries, the Company has no controlling financial interests in any entity which would require consolidation. As used in these notes, “the Company” refers collectively to Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. conducts its operations through its wholly-owned subsidiaries and has no employees or independent operations.

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by management of the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) have been omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although the Company believes the disclosures included either on the face of the financial statements or herein are sufficient to make the information presented not misleading. In the opinion of management, all recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of the information in conformity with U.S. GAAP have been included. The unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017, as presented herein, was derived from the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Company, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

The U.S. dollar is the functional currency for all of the Company’s operations except for its Canadian operations, which use the Canadian dollar as its functional currency. The effects of exchange rate changes are reflected in accumulated other comprehensive income, which is a separate component of stockholders’ equity.

On December 12, 2016, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “merger agreement”) with Seventy Seven Energy Inc. (“SSE”), and the merger closed on April 20, 2017 (the “merger date”). The Company’s results include the results of operations of SSE since the merger date (See Note 2). On October 11, 2017, the Company acquired all of the issued and outstanding limited liability company interests of MS Directional, LLC (f/k/a Multi-Shot, LLC) (“MS Directional”). The Company’s results include the results of operations of MS Directional since October 11, 2017 (See Note 2). The acquisition of MS Directional created a new directional drilling reporting segment for the Company (See Note 14).

Recently Issued Accounting Standards – In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an accounting standards update to provide guidance on the recognition of revenue from customers. Under this guidance, an entity will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects what it expects in exchange for the goods or services. This guidance also requires more detailed disclosures to enable users of the financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty, if any, of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The requirements in this update are effective during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company adopted this new revenue guidance effective January 1, 2018, utilizing the modified retrospective method, and expanded its consolidated financial statement disclosures in order to comply with the update (See Note 3). The adoption of this update did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to provide guidance for the accounting for leasing transactions. The standard requires the lessee to recognize a lease liability along with a right-of-use asset for all leases with a term longer than one year. A lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset to not recognize the lease liability and related right-of-use asset for leases with a term of one year or less. The provisions of this standard also apply to situations where the Company is the lessor and may require the Company to separately account for lease components from non-lease components within a contract. The Company will elect the practical expedient that allows the exclusion of leases with terms less than one year, as well as the practical expedient allowed to lessors to not separate the lease components when the non-lease component is the predominant component. The Company has selected a lease software platform, and is in the final stages of aggregating the information from its lease contracts into the lease software. The Company is also assessing and updating its procedures and controls to prepare for the changes resulting from the new guidance. The Company expects its assets and liabilities to increase as a result of recognizing the right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, but the Company does not expect a significant impact to its earnings or cash flows. The Company will adopt the new lease guidance effective January 1, 2019, utilizing the transition method that allows a retrospective approach through a cumulative-effect adjustment at the beginning of the period of adoption for current leases as of that date. Lease arrangements for the working interests from oil and gas properties are excluded from the scope of the new lease standard. The Company is continuing to evaluate the impact this new guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to clarify the presentation of cash receipts and payments in specific situations on the statement of cash flows. The requirements in this update are effective during interim and annual periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. The adoption of this update on January 1, 2018 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In May 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that provided clarity on which changes to the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards require an entity to apply modification accounting provisions. The requirements in this update are effective during interim and annual periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. The adoption of this update on January 1, 2018 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In March 2018, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to update the income tax accounting in U.S. GAAP to reflect the SEC interpretive guidance released on December 22, 2017, when significant U.S. tax law changes were enacted with the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“Tax Reform”). The adoption of this update in March 2018 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, as the Company was already following the SEC guidance. See Note 12 for additional information.

In August 2018, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to align the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The amendments in the update are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this new guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.