|**SCHEDULE II- VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS - USD ($) $ in Thousands**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|allowance for uncollectible notes [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|**Movement in Valuation Allowances and Reserves [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Beginning Balance, January 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Charged to Cost and Expense                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Deductions                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | [1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Ending Balance, December 31                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Allowance for Doubtful Accounts [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|**Movement in Valuation Allowances and Reserves [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Beginning Balance, January 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Charged to Cost and Expense                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Deductions                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | [1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Ending Balance, December 31                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Valuation Allowance for Unproved Natural Gas and Crude Oil Properties [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|**Movement in Valuation Allowances and Reserves [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Beginning Balance, January 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Charged to Cost and Expense                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Deductions                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | [1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Ending Balance, December 31                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|[1]
For allowance for doubtful accounts, deductions represent the write-off of accounts receivable deemed uncollectible. For allowance for expirations of unproved crude oil and natural gas properties, deductions represent accumulated amortization of expired or abandoned unproved crude oil and natural gas properties, with a corresponding decrease to the historical cost of the associated asset. | [1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|[1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | For allowance for doubtful accounts, deductions represent the write-off of accounts receivable deemed uncollectible. For allowance for expirations of unproved crude oil and natural gas properties, deductions represent accumulated amortization of expired or abandoned unproved crude oil and natural gas properties, with a corresponding decrease to the historical cost of the associated asset.

X- DefinitionA roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.
+ ReferencesNo definition available.
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_MovementInValuationAllowancesAndReservesRollForward**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration X- DefinitionTotal of allowances and reserves, the valuation and qualifying accounts that are either netted against the cost of an asset (in order to value it at its carrying value) or that reflect a liability established to represent expected future costs.
+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-09) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e24092-122690
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesBalance**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**
credit**Period Type:**
instant X- DefinitionAmount of increase in the allowances and reserves, which consist of the valuation and qualifying accounts that are either netted against the cost of an asset or that reflect a liability established to represent expected future costs, from charges to costs and expenses.
+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-09) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e24092-122690
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesChargedToCostAndExpense**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**
credit**Period Type:**
duration X- DefinitionTotal of the deductions in a given period to allowances and reserves, the valuation and qualifying accounts that are either netted against the cost of an asset (in order to value it at its carrying value) or that reflect a liability established to represent expected future costs, representing receivables written off as uncollectible and portions of the reserves utilized, respectively.
+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-09) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e24092-122690
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesDeductions**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**
debit**Period Type:**
duration X- Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=pdce_AllowanceforuncollectiblenotesMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**
na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** X- Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**
na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** X- Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceForImpairmentOfRecognizedServicingAssetsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**
na**Balance Type:****Period Type:**