|**PROPERTIES AND EQUIPMENT Properties and Equipment (Tables)**                                                                              | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
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|**Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]**                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Property, Plant and Equipment [Table Text Block]                                                                                            | The following table presents the components of properties and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization:As of December 31,20122011(in thousands)Properties and equipment, net:Natural gas and crude oil propertiesProved$2,075,924$1,694,694Unproved319,327102,466Total natural gas and crude oil properties2,395,2511,797,160Pipelines and related facilities47,78640,721Transportation and other equipment34,85832,475Land and buildings14,93514,572Construction in progress67,21769,633Gross properties and equipment2,560,0471,954,561Accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization(943,341)(652,845)Properties and equipment, net$1,616,706$1,301,716                                                                       
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|                                                                                                                                            | As of December 31,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|                                                                                                                                            | 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|                                                                                                                                            | (in thousands)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Properties and equipment, net:                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Natural gas and crude oil properties                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Proved                                                                                                                                      | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Unproved                                                                                                                                    | 319,327                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Total natural gas and crude oil properties                                                                                                  | 2,395,251                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Pipelines and related facilities                                                                                                            | 47,786                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Transportation and other equipment                                                                                                          | 34,858                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Land and buildings                                                                                                                          | 14,935                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Construction in progress                                                                                                                    | 67,217                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Gross properties and equipment                                                                                                              | 2,560,047                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization                                                                                        | (943,341                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Properties and equipment, net                                                                                                               | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
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|Impairment of natural gas and crude oil properties [Table Text Block]                                                                       | The following table presents impairment charges recorded for natural gas and crude oil properties:Year Ended December 31,201220112010(in thousands)Continuing operations:Impairment of proved properties$—$—$—Impairment of individually significant unproved properties1,6291,1081,477Amortization of individually insignificant unproved properties4,2661,1932,893Total continuing operations5,8952,3014,370Discontinued operations:Impairment of proved properties161,18522,4604,666Impairment of individually significant unproved properties313——Amortization of individually insignificant unproved properties7563982,111Total discontinued operations162,25422,8586,777Total impairment of natural gas and crude oil properties$168,149$25,159$11,147         
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|                                                                                                                                            | Year Ended December 31,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|                                                                                                                                            | 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|                                                                                                                                            | (in thousands)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Continuing operations:                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Impairment of proved properties                                                                                                             | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Impairment of individually significant unproved properties                                                                                  | 1,629                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Amortization of individually insignificant unproved properties                                                                              | 4,266                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Total continuing operations                                                                                                                 | 5,895                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Discontinued operations:                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Impairment of proved properties                                                                                                             | 161,185                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Impairment of individually significant unproved properties                                                                                  | 313                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Amortization of individually insignificant unproved properties                                                                              | 756                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Total discontinued operations                                                                                                               | 162,254                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Total impairment of natural gas and crude oil properties                                                                                    | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
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|Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs, Roll Forward [Table Text Block]                                                                         | The following table presents the capitalized exploratory well costs pending determination of proved reserves, and included in properties and equipment on the balance sheets:201220112010(in thousands, except for number of wells)Balance beginning of year, January 1,$4,432$2,297$1,174Additions to capitalized exploratory well costs pending the determination of proved reserves30,4823,6924,353Reclassifications to wells, facilities and equipment based on the determination of proved reserves—(1,557)(2,231)Deconsolidation of PDCM and change in ownership interest——(462)Capitalized exploratory well costs charged to expense(15,347)—(537)Balance end of year, December 31,$19,567$4,432$2,297Number of wells pending determination at December 31,263
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|                                                                                                                                            | 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|                                                                                                                                            | (in thousands, except for number of wells)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
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|Balance beginning of year, January 1,                                                                                                       | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Additions to capitalized exploratory well costs pending the determination of proved reserves                                                | 30,482                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Reclassifications to wells, facilities and equipment based on the determination of proved reserves                                          | —                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Deconsolidation of PDCM and change in ownership interest                                                                                    | —                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Capitalized exploratory well costs charged to expense                                                                                       | (15,347                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Balance end of year, December 31,                                                                                                           | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
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|Number of wells pending determination at December 31,                                                                                       | 2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
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|Schedule of Aging of Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs [Table Text Block]                                                                  | The following table presents an aging of capitalized exploratory well costs based on the date that drilling commenced and the number of projects for which exploratory well costs have been capitalized for a period greater than one year since the commencement of drilling:As of December 31,201220112010(in thousands)Exploratory well costs capitalized for a period of one year or less$19,567$3,587$2,297Exploratory well costs capitalized for a period greater than one year since commencement of drilling—845—Balance end of year, December 31,$19,567$4,432$2,297Number of projects with exploratory well costs that have been capitalized for a period greater than one year since commencement of drilling—2—                                          
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|                                                                                                                                            | As of December 31,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|                                                                                                                                            | 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|                                                                                                                                            | (in thousands)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
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|Exploratory well costs capitalized for a period of one year or less                                                                         | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Exploratory well costs capitalized for a period greater than one year since commencement of drilling                                        | —                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Balance end of year, December 31,                                                                                                           | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Number of projects with exploratory well costs that have been capitalized for a period greater than one year since commencement of drilling | —                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

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