|**Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (Tables)**                                                                            | 6 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|**Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]**                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Schedule of Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis                                                      | Our crude oil and natural gas fixed-price swaps are included in Level 2.  Our collars, physical sales, and propane fixed-price swaps are included in Level 3.  Our basis swaps are included in Level 2 and Level 3.  The following table presents, for each applicable level within the fair value hierarchy, our derivative assets and liabilities, including both current and non-current portions, measured at fair value on a recurring basis:June 30, 2017December 31, 2016Significant OtherObservableInputs(Level 2)SignificantUnobservableInputs(Level 3)TotalSignificant OtherObservableInputs(Level 2)SignificantUnobservableInputs(Level 3)Total(in thousands)Assets:Total assets$58,226$10,276$68,502$6,350$4,827$11,177Total liabilities(10,792)(1,657)(12,449)(66,789)(14,401)(81,190)Net asset (liability)$47,434$8,619$56,053$(60,439)$(9,574)$(70,013)                                                   
|                                                                                                                               
|                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|                                                                                                                                | June 30, 2017                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                                | Significant OtherObservableInputs(Level 2)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|                                                                                                                                | (in thousands)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Assets:                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Total assets                                                                                                                    | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Total liabilities                                                                                                               | (10,792                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Net asset (liability)                                                                                                           | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Fair Value Assets and Liabilities Unobservable Input Reconciliation                                                             | The following table presents a reconciliation of our Level 3 assets measured at fair value:Three Months Ended June 30,Six Months Ended June 30,2017201620172016(in thousands)Fair value of Level 3 instruments, netasset (liability)beginning of period$2,316$73,195$(9,574)$91,288Changes in fair value included in condensed consolidated statement of operations line item:Commodity price risk management gain (loss), net9,262(26,422)22,622(20,257)Settlements included in condensed consolidated statement of operations line items:Commodity price risk management gain (loss), net(2,959)(19,398)(4,429)(43,656)Fair value of Level 3 instruments, netassetend of period$8,619$27,375$8,619$27,375Net change in fair value of Level 3 unsettled derivatives included in condensed consolidated statement of operations line item:Commodity price risk management gain (loss), net$8,161$(18,210)$17,194$(13,105)
|                                                                                                                               
|                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Fair value of Level 3 instruments, netasset (liability)beginning of period                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Changes in fair value included in condensed consolidated statement of operations line item:                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Commodity price risk management gain (loss), net                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Settlements included in condensed consolidated statement of operations line items:                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Commodity price risk management gain (loss), net                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Fair value of Level 3 instruments, netassetend of period                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Net change in fair value of Level 3 unsettled derivatives included in condensed consolidated statement of operations line item: |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Commodity price risk management gain (loss), net                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of the fair value measurement of assets and liabilities using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances, separately presenting changes attributable to the following: (1) total gains or losses for the period (realized and unrealized), segregating those gains or losses included in earnings (or changes in net assets or net liabilities), and gains or losses recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) and a description of where those gains or losses included in earnings (or changes in net assets) are reported in the statement of income (or activities); (2) purchases, sales, issues, and settlements (each type disclosed separately); and (3) transfers in and transfers out of Level 3 (for example, transfers due to changes in the observability of significant inputs) by class of asset or liability.
+ ReferencesNo definition available.
+ Details**Name:**
pdce_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesUnobservableInputReconciliationTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
pdce_**Data Type:**
nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration X- ReferencesNo definition available.
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_FairValueDisclosuresAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of assets and liabilities, including [financial] instruments measured at fair value that are classified in stockholders' equity, if any, that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis. The disclosures contemplated herein include the fair value measurements at the reporting date by the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall, segregating fair value measurements using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1), significant other observable inputs (Level 2), and significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).
+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66048111&loc=d3e19190-110258
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ScheduleOfFairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration