| **Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures Notes Receivable (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands** | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended |          |           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|----------------|----------|-----------|
||
| **Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]**                                |           |           |     |      |   |   |   |
| Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Gross, Noncurrent                                        |           |           |     |      |   |   | $ 39,000 |
| Provision for uncollectible note receivable                                                     | $ 0            | $ 0            | $ 44,000 | $ 0       | $ (40,203) |   |   |
| 1.125% Convertible Senior Notes due 2021 [Member]                                               |           |           |     |      |   |   |   |
| **Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]**                                |           |           |     |      |   |   |   |
| Notes Payable, Fair Value Disclosure                                                            | $ 194,200      |           |     | $ 194,200 |   | $ 195,600 |   |
| Senior Notes fair value                                                                         | 97.10%         |           |     | 97.10%    |   | 97.80% |   |
| 5.75% Senior Notes due 2026 [Member]                                                            |           |           |     |      |   |   |   |
| **Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]**                                |           |           |     |      |   |   |   |
| Notes Payable, Fair Value Disclosure                                                            | $ 570,800      |           |     | $ 570,800 |   | $ 616,500 |   |
| Senior Notes fair value                                                                         | 95.10%         |           |     | 95.10%    |   | 102.80% |   |
| 6.125% Senior Notes due 2024 [Member]                                                           |           |           |     |      |   |   |   |
| **Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]**                                |           |           |     |      |   |   |   |
| Notes Payable, Fair Value Disclosure                                                            | $ 393,800      |           |     | $ 393,800 |   | $ 416,000 |   |
| Senior Notes fair value                                                                         | 98.50%         |           |     | 98.50%    |   | 104.00% |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This element represents the fair value of 12% Senior Notes, as a percentage of par value as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_A12SeniorNotesFairValue**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_AccountsNotesAndLoansReceivableLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
An amount representing an agreement for an unconditional promise by the maker to pay the Entity (holder) a definite sum of money at a future date(s) more than one year from the balance sheet date. Such amount may include accrued interest receivable in accordance with the terms of the debt. The debt also may contain provisions and related items including a discount or premium, payable on demand, secured, or unsecured, interest bearing or noninterest bearing, among a myriad of other features and characteristics. This amount does not include amounts related to receivables held-for-sale.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_NotesAndLoansReceivableGrossNoncurrent**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Fair value portion of notes payable.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19,20,22) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_NotesPayableFairValueDisclosure**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of expense related to write-down of receivables to the amount expected to be collected. Includes, but is not limited to, accounts receivable and notes receivable.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.5) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115205541&loc=SL114868664-224227Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 606 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913815&loc=SL49130534-203044
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pdce_A1.125ConvertibleSeniorNotesdue2021Member**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pdce_A775SeniorNotesDue2022Member**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                      |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pdce_A6.125SeniorNotesdue2024Member**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |