Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Reportable Segments - Results of Operations by Geographic Area (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Reportable Segments - Results of Operations by Geographic Area (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2013
Mar. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Revenues:                      
Total revenues $ 243,213us-gaap_Revenues $ 242,012us-gaap_Revenues $ 254,234us-gaap_Revenues $ 229,225us-gaap_Revenues $ 243,321us-gaap_Revenues $ 237,762us-gaap_Revenues $ 225,954us-gaap_Revenues $ 167,135us-gaap_Revenues $ 968,684us-gaap_Revenues $ 874,172us-gaap_Revenues $ 677,761us-gaap_Revenues
Operating gross margin:                      
Total operating gross margin 36,768us-gaap_GrossProfit 45,066us-gaap_GrossProfit 43,485us-gaap_GrossProfit 28,863us-gaap_GrossProfit 48,564us-gaap_GrossProfit 48,733us-gaap_GrossProfit 50,273us-gaap_GrossProfit 20,877us-gaap_GrossProfit 154,182us-gaap_GrossProfit 168,447us-gaap_GrossProfit 151,556us-gaap_GrossProfit
General and administrative expense                 (35,016)us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense (68,025)us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense (46,257)us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
Provision for reduction in carrying value of certain assets                 0us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges (2,544)us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges 0us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges
Gain on disposition of assets, net                 1,054us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets 3,994us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets 1,974us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets
Total operating income 27,714us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 35,239us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 37,497us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 19,770us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 28,516us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 35,589us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 28,587us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 9,180us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 120,220us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 101,872us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 107,273us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Interest expense                 (44,265)us-gaap_InterestExpense (47,820)us-gaap_InterestExpense (33,542)us-gaap_InterestExpense
Interest income                 195us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest 2,450us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest 153us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest
Loss on extinguishment of debt                 (30,152)us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt (5,218)us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt (2,130)us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt
Changes in fair value of derivative positions                 0us-gaap_GainLossOnDerivativeInstrumentsNetPretax 53us-gaap_GainLossOnDerivativeInstrumentsNetPretax 55us-gaap_GainLossOnDerivativeInstrumentsNetPretax
Other                 2,539us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense 1,450us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense (832)us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense
Income before income taxes                 48,537us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 52,787us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 70,977us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Long-lived assets:                      
Total long-lived assets 895,940us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet       871,356us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet       895,940us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet 871,356us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet  
Africa and Middle East [Member]                      
Revenues:                      
Total revenues                 128,214us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_AfricaAndMiddleEastMember
58,416us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_AfricaAndMiddleEastMember
26,528us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_AfricaAndMiddleEastMember
Operating gross margin:                      
Total operating gross margin                 (16,973)us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_AfricaAndMiddleEastMember
(383)us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_AfricaAndMiddleEastMember
(2,027)us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_AfricaAndMiddleEastMember
Long-lived assets:                      
Total long-lived assets 115,713us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_AfricaAndMiddleEastMember
      110,336us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_AfricaAndMiddleEastMember
      115,713us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_AfricaAndMiddleEastMember
110,336us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_AfricaAndMiddleEastMember
 
Asia Pacific [Member]                      
Revenues:                      
Total revenues                 187,799us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AsiaPacificMember
170,165us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AsiaPacificMember
117,392us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AsiaPacificMember
Operating gross margin:                      
Total operating gross margin                 29,769us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AsiaPacificMember
21,995us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AsiaPacificMember
16,550us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AsiaPacificMember
Long-lived assets:                      
Total long-lived assets 43,252us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AsiaPacificMember
      44,606us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AsiaPacificMember
      43,252us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AsiaPacificMember
44,606us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AsiaPacificMember
 
CIS [Member]                      
Revenues:                      
Total revenues                 61,849us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_CisMember
55,165us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_CisMember
44,312us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_CisMember
Operating gross margin:                      
Total operating gross margin                 19,534us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_CisMember
11,888us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_CisMember
(9,580)us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_CisMember
Long-lived assets:                      
Total long-lived assets 49,951us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_CisMember
      55,722us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_CisMember
      49,951us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_CisMember
55,722us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= pkd_CisMember
 
Europe [Member]                      
Revenues:                      
Total revenues                 20,296us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_EuropeMember
16,788us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_EuropeMember
0us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_EuropeMember
Operating gross margin:                      
Total operating gross margin                 11,534us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_EuropeMember
274us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_EuropeMember
0us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_EuropeMember
Long-lived assets:                      
Total long-lived assets 20,140us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_EuropeMember
      82,473us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_EuropeMember
      20,140us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_EuropeMember
82,473us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_EuropeMember
 
Latin America [Member]                      
Revenues:                      
Total revenues                 86,651us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember
120,261us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember
103,540us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember
Operating gross margin:                      
Total operating gross margin                 (9,914)us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember
1,140us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember
9,581us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember
Long-lived assets:                      
Total long-lived assets 77,136us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember
      15,198us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember
      77,136us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember
15,198us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember
 
United States [Member]                      
Revenues:                      
Total revenues                 483,875us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= country_US
453,377us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= country_US
385,989us-gaap_Revenues
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= country_US
Operating gross margin:                      
Total operating gross margin                 120,232us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= country_US
133,533us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= country_US
137,032us-gaap_GrossProfit
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= country_US
Long-lived assets:                      
Total long-lived assets $ 589,748us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= country_US
      $ 563,021us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= country_US
      $ 589,748us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= country_US
$ 563,021us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
/ dei_EntityByLocationAxis
= country_US