Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Common Stock and Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Common Stock and Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Share-based awards vesting period 3 years    
Restricted shares to selected key personnel   2,602,973us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesShareBasedCompensationGross  
Compensation expense related to the performance units $ 9.3us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense $ 9.4us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense $ 7.2us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Total fair value of the shares vested 7.1us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue 7.4us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue 5.2us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue
Weighted-average grant-date fair value of shares granted (in usd per share) $ 6.66us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 4.77us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 5.37us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
Non-vested restricted stock awards and restricted stock units (in shares)   3,407,354us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber  
Performance units under 2010 Long Term Incentive Plan (in shares) 1,541,395us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod   1,558,347us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
Performance units forfeited (in shares) 204,062us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod    
Performance period - awards percentage 200.00%pkd_PercentageOfNumberOfSharesEarnedRelatedToPerformanceMaximum    
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range, Number of Outstanding Options 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions    
Performance Units [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Compensation expense related to the performance units 3.9us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= pkd_PerformanceUnitsMember
1.8us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= pkd_PerformanceUnitsMember
0.5us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= pkd_PerformanceUnitsMember
Performance units under 2010 Long Term Incentive Plan (in shares) 16,574us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= pkd_PerformanceUnitsMember
18,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= pkd_PerformanceUnitsMember
38,429us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= pkd_PerformanceUnitsMember
Performance units forfeited (in shares) 110us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= pkd_PerformanceUnitsMember
13,358us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= pkd_PerformanceUnitsMember
3,955us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= pkd_PerformanceUnitsMember
Nominal value $ 100pkd_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageNominalValuePerShare
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= pkd_PerformanceUnitsMember
   
Performance at the maximum level 3 years    
Nonvested RSUs [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Non-vested restricted stock awards and restricted stock units (in shares) 3,344,813us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= pkd_NonvestedRestrictedStockUnitsMember
   
Total unrecognized compensation cost of unamortized non-vested stock awards $ 7.7us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedShareBasedAwardsOtherThanOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= pkd_NonvestedRestrictedStockUnitsMember
   
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term 18 months    
Chief Executive Officer [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Performance units under 2010 Long Term Incentive Plan (in shares)     349,651us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= us-gaap_ChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
Chief Financial Officer [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Performance units under 2010 Long Term Incentive Plan (in shares)   261,438us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis
= us-gaap_ChiefFinancialOfficerMember
 
2010 Long-Term Incentive Plan [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Common stock granted 11,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= pkd_TwoThousandAndTenLongTermIncentivePlanMember
   
2010 Long-Term Incentive Plan [Member] | Common Stock [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Stock option outstanding or exercisable (in shares) 3,915,594us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= pkd_TwoThousandAndTenLongTermIncentivePlanMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember