| **Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups (Details) (USD $)**                                                                 | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
||
| **Balance Sheet - Discontinued Operations**                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |
| Assets held for sale - non-current                                                                                                | $ 2,874,000us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationAssetsNoncurrent                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                         | $ 2,874,000us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationAssetsNoncurrent |
| **Statement of Operations - Discontinued Operations**                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |
| Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax                                                                                     | 0us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxAttributableToReportingEntity                                                                                                                                                                                                            | (719,000)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxAttributableToReportingEntity                                                                                                   |   |
| **Supplemental Cash Flow Information**                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |
| Capital expenditures                                                                                                              | (176,111,000)us-gaap_PaymentsToExploreAndDevelopOilAndGasProperties                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | (135,758,000)us-gaap_PaymentsToExploreAndDevelopOilAndGasProperties                                                                                                                          |   |
| Change in accounts payable related to purchases of properties and equipment                                                       | (35,836,000)us-gaap_CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | (10,978,000)us-gaap_CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid                                                                                                                                 |   |
| PDCM Divestiture                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |
| **Supplemental Cash Flow Information**                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |
| Capital expenditures                                                                                                              | (10,380,000)us-gaap_PaymentsToExploreAndDevelopOilAndGasProperties/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= pdce_PDCMDivestitureMember                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |
| Change in accounts payable related to purchases of properties and equipment                                                       | (1,536,000)us-gaap_CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= pdce_PDCMDivestitureMember                                                                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |
| Assets Held-for-sale | Assets Held-for-sale                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |
| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |
| Discontinued Operations, Properties and equipment                                                                                 | 2,900,000pdce_DiscontinuedOperationsPropertiesAndEquipment/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= us-gaap_AssetsHeldForSaleMember/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_AssetsHeldForSaleMember |                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |
| Discontinued Operations                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |
| **Statement of Operations - Discontinued Operations**                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |
| Crude oil, natural gas and NGL sales                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 9,831,000us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationRevenue/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember                            |   |
| Commodity price risk management gain (loss), net                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | (2,248,000)pdce_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsGainonDerivativeInstruments/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember        |   |
| Well operations, pipeline income and other                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 22,000pdce_OtherOperatingIncomeDiscontuinedOperations/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember                                          |   |
| Total revenues                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 7,605,000pdce_DisposalGroupDiscontinuedOperationsTotalRevenue/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember                                  |   |
| Production Costs                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 3,121,000us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationOperatingExpense/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember                   |   |
| Impairment of Natural Gas and Crude Oil Properties                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 69,000pdce_DiscontinuedOperationsImpairmentOfNaturalGasAndCrudeOilProperties/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember                   |   |
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 3,750,000us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortizationDiscontinuedOperations/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember                             |   |
| Other                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 1,148,000us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationOtherExpense/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember                       |   |
| Loss on sale of properties and equipment                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 146,000us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossFromDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTax/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember |   |
| Total costs, expenses and other                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 8,234,000pdce_DisposalGroupTotalOperatingExpense/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember                                               |   |
| Interest Expense                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | (647,000)us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationInterestExpense/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember                    |   |
| Interest income                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 64,000us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationInterestIncome/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember                        |   |
| Income from discontinued operations                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | (1,212,000)us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationIncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTax/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember     |   |
| Provision for income taxes                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 493,000pdce_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitDiscontinuedOperations/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember                                      |   |
| Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | $ (719,000)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxAttributableToReportingEntity/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember   |   |

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Costs related to the impairment of discontinued crude oil and gas properties.
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For the disposal group, including discontinued Operations, of oil and gas properties carried under the successful effort method.
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Disposal Group, Discontinued Operations, Total revenue
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Aggregate gain on all derivative instruments related to a disposal group and that was recognized in earnings from discontinued operations during the period, before tax effects.
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Amount of total operating expenses attributable to the disposal group during the reporting period.
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| - Definition
The sum of the current income tax expense or benefit and the deferred income tax expense or benefit pertaining to discontinued operations.
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| - Definition
The total amount of other operating income classified as discontinued operations, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, from items that are associated with the entity's normal revenue producing operation.
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| - Definition
Future cash outflow to pay for purchases of fixed assets that have occurred.
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Amount of expense from discontinued operations, that reflects the allocation of the cost of tangible and intangible assets over the assets' useful lives.
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| - Definition
Amount of gain (loss), before tax expense or benefit and not previously recognized, resulting from the sale of a business component.
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|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Overall income (loss) from a disposal group that is classified as a component of the entity, before income tax, reported as a separate component of income before extraordinary items. Includes the following (before income tax): income (loss) from operations during the phase-out period, gain (loss) on disposal, provision (or any reversals of earlier provisions) for loss on disposal, and adjustments of a prior period gain (loss) on disposal.
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| - Definition
Amount classified as assets attributable to disposal group held for sale or disposed of, expected to be disposed of after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.
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| - Definition
Amount of interest expense allocated to disposal group, including a discontinued operation.
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Amount of interest income attributable to disposal group.
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Amount of operating expenses attributable to the disposal group, including a component of the entity (discontinued operation), during the reporting period.
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Amount of other expense attributable to disposal group.
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| - Definition
Amount of sales or other form of revenues attributable to the disposal group, including a component of the entity (discontinued operation), during the reporting period.
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| - Definition
Amount of income (loss) from a disposal group, net of income tax, reported as a separate component of income before extraordinary items after deduction or consideration of the amount allocable to noncontrolling interests. Includes, net of tax, income (loss) from operations during the phase-out period, gain (loss) on disposal, provision (or any reversals of earlier provisions) for loss on disposal, and adjustments of a prior period gain (loss) on disposal.
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| - Definition
The cash outflow for exploration and development of oil and gas properties. It includes cash payments related to development of oil and gas wells drilled at previously untested geologic structures (to determine the presence of oil or gas) and wells drilled at sites where the presence of oil or gas has already been established (to extract the oil or gas).
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