| **Other liabilities (Details) - Non Current Liabilities [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands** | 12 Months Ended |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
||
| **Schedule of Other Liabilities [Line Items]**                                              |            |   |
| Deferred Midstream gathering credits                                                        | $ 159,788       | $ 168,478 |
| Deferred oil gathering credits                                                              | 16,080          | 18,090 |
| Production Tax Liability                                                                    | 131,865         | 65,592 |
| Operating and Finance Lease Liability, Noncurrent                                           | 6,274           | 10,763 |
| Other Accrued Liabilities                                                                   | 762             | 1,111 |
| Other Accrued Liabilities, Noncurrent                                                       | $ 314,769       | $ 264,034 |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Deferred Midstream gathering credits
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_DeferredMidstreamgatheringcredits**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Deferred oil gathering credits
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_DeferredOilGatheringCredits**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Operating and Finance Lease Liability, Noncurrent
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_OperatingandFinanceLeaseLiabilityNoncurrent**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Production Tax Liability
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_ProductionTaxLiability**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
[Line Items] for Schedule of Other Liabilities [Table]
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_ScheduleofOtherLiabilitiesLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of expenses incurred but not yet paid classified as other.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.15(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.15(5)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrentAndNoncurrent**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of expenses incurred but not yet paid classified as other, due after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.
+ 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 210.5-02.24) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesNoncurrent**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                              |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis=pdce_NonCurrentLiabilitiesMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |