|**TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES AND OTHER RELATED PARTIES Transactions with Affiliates and Other Related Parties (Tables)** | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
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|**Related Party Transactions [Abstract]**                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Schedule of Related Party Transactions [Table Text Block]                                                                  | The following table presents amounts included in our consolidated statement of operations related to the marketing of natural gas on behalf of PDCM and our affiliated partnerships and amounts included in our consolidated balance sheet related to the derivative instruments we entered into on behalf of our affiliated partnerships:As of/Year Ended December 31,201220112010(in thousands)PDCM:Sales from natural gas marketing$11,105$9,735$4,298Cost of natural gas marketing10,8889,5444,214Affiliated Partnerships:Sales from natural gas marketing5351,276651Cost of natural gas marketing5241,251638Receivable from affiliates2,1406,16314,616Payable to affiliates4,70714,15220,342We provide certain well operating and administrative services for PDCM. Amounts billed to PDCM for these services were$12.1 million,$10.4 millionand$11.1 millionin2012,2011and2010, respectively. Our statements of operations include only our proportionate share of these billings. The following table presents the statement of operations line item in which our proportionate share is recorded and the amount for each of the periods presented.Year Ended December 31,Statement of Operations Line Item201220112010(in thousands)Production Costs$3,945$3,441$3,862Exploration Expense492430883General and Administrative Expense1,6301,5431,899
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|                                                                                                                           | As of/Year Ended December 31,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
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|                                                                                                                           | (in thousands)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
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|PDCM:                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Sales from natural gas marketing                                                                                           | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Cost of natural gas marketing                                                                                              | 10,888                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Affiliated Partnerships:                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Sales from natural gas marketing                                                                                           | 535                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Cost of natural gas marketing                                                                                              | 524                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Receivable from affiliates                                                                                                 | 2,140                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Payable to affiliates                                                                                                      | 4,707                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
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|Statement of Operations Line Item                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
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|Production Costs                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Exploration Expense                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|General and Administrative Expense                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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                    duration X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of related party transactions. Examples of related party transactions include, but are not limited to, transactions between (a) a parent company and its subsidiary; (b) subsidiaries of a common parent; (c) and entity and its principal owners and (d) affiliates.+ ReferencesNo definition available.+ Details**Name:**
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