| **BUSINESS SEGMENTS Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands** | 12 Months Ended |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
||
| **Crude oil and natural gas segment**                                           |            |   |   |
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization from continuing operations             | $ 416,874       | $ 303,258 | $ 192,528 |
| Oil and Gas Properties                                                          |            |   |   |
| **Crude oil and natural gas segment**                                           |            |   |   |
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization from continuing operations             | $ 413,100       | $ 298,800 | $ 188,500 |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The aggregate expense recognized in the current period that allocates the cost of tangible assets, intangible assets or depleting assets to period that benefits from use of the assets in continuing operations.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_DepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationFromContinuingOperations**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| 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_SegmentReportingOtherSignificantReconcilingItemLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                               |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_OilAndGasPropertiesMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |