| **ACQUISITIONS Pro Forma Information (Details) (Merit Acquisition [Member], USD $)In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified** | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
||
| Merit Acquisition [Member]                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                |
| **Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]**                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                |
| Revenues                                                                                                                                            | $ 370,488us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionsProFormaRevenue/ us-gaap_NonrecurringAdjustmentAxis= pdce_MeritAcquisitionMember               |
| Total costs, expenses and other                                                                                                                     | 521,178pdce_ProFormaCostsExpenseAndOther/ us-gaap_NonrecurringAdjustmentAxis= pdce_MeritAcquisitionMember                           |
| Net Income (Loss)                                                                                                                                   | $ (119,343)us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionsProFormaNetIncomeLoss/ us-gaap_NonrecurringAdjustmentAxis= pdce_MeritAcquisitionMember       |
| Basic                                                                                                                                               | $ (4.31)us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionProFormaEarningsPerShareBasic/ us-gaap_NonrecurringAdjustmentAxis= pdce_MeritAcquisitionMember   |
| Diluted                                                                                                                                             | $ (4.31)us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionProFormaEarningsPerShareDiluted/ us-gaap_NonrecurringAdjustmentAxis= pdce_MeritAcquisitionMember |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Pro-Forma Costs Expense and Other
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_ProFormaCostsExpenseAndOther**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The pro forma basic net income per share for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (h)(2)-(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1392-128463
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionProFormaEarningsPerShareBasic**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**num:perShareItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The pro forma diluted net income per share for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (h)(2)-(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1392-128463
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionProFormaEarningsPerShareDiluted**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**num:perShareItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionProFormaInformationAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The pro forma net Income or Loss for the period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (h)(2)-(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1392-128463
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionsProFormaNetIncomeLoss**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The pro forma revenue for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of the period.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (h)(2)-(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1392-128463
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionsProFormaRevenue**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |