| **BUSINESS SEGMENTS Business segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands** | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|-----------------|
||
| **Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]**                             |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Total revenues                                                             | $ 108,097      | $ 163,890       | $ 20,097 | $ 90,831 | $ 168,634 | $ 231,100 | $ 50,960 | $ 144,632 | $ 382,915 | $ 595,326 | $ 856,207 |
| Segment income (loss) before income taxes                                  | (90,636)       | $ (35,341)      | $ (153,777) | $ (113,369) | 5,274 | $ (62,661) | $ (76,986) | $ 27,785 | (393,123) | (106,588) | 177,228 |
| Expenditures for segment long-lived assets                                 |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 1,514,071 | 604,668 | 628,592 |
| Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired                       |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 1,073,723 | 0 | 0 |
| Segment assets                                                             | 4,485,842      |            |   |   | 2,370,543 |   |   |   | 4,485,842 | 2,370,543 |   |
| Oil and Gas Properties                                                     |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]**                             |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Total revenues                                                             |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 374,190 | 584,406 | 784,636 |
| Segment income (loss) before income taxes                                  |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | (170,370) | 31,429 | 344,149 |
| Expenditures for segment long-lived assets                                 |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 436,884 | 599,617 | 623,912 |
| Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired                       |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 1,073,723 | 0 | 0 |
| Segment assets                                                             | 4,451,510      |            |   |   | 2,294,288 |   |   |   | 4,451,510 | 2,294,288 |   |
| Marketing                                                                  |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]**                             |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Total revenues                                                             |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 8,725 | 10,920 | 71,571 |
| Segment income (loss) before income taxes                                  |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | (1,468) | (797) | (445) |
| Segment assets                                                             | 4,329          |            |   |   | 4,217 |   |   |   | 4,329 | 4,217 |   |
| Corporate and Other                                                        |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]**                             |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Segment income (loss) before income taxes                                  |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | (221,285) | (137,220) | (166,476) |
| Expenditures for segment long-lived assets                                 |           |            |   |   |   |   |   |   | 3,464 | 5,051 | $ 4,680 |
| Segment assets                                                             | $ 30,003       |            |   |   | $ 72,038 |   |   |   | $ 30,003 | $ 72,038 |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all assets that are recognized. Assets are probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(12)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(11)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_Assets**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations before deduction of income tax expense (benefit) and income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest, and addition of income (loss) from equity method investments.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of a business, net of the cash acquired from the purchase.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3213-108585Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Investing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of acquisition of long-lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentAdditions**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_Revenues**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**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_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems**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:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                  |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=pdce_MarketingMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                             |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |