| **Fair Value of Financial Instruments Reconciliation of Level 3 Fair Value Measurements (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands**                      | 12 Months Ended |            |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|------------|
||
| Derivative Financial Instrument Net Assets [Member]                                                                                               |            |       |   |   |
| **Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]**                                                  |            |       |   |   |
| Fair Value, Measured With Unobservable Input Reconcilition, Recurring Basis, Net Asset Value                                                      | $ (35,990)      | $ (62,540) | $ (8,427) |   |
| Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets (liabilities) still held as of period end, included in statement of operations line item; | (31,367)        | (35,108)   | 0 |   |
| Derivative Financial Instrument Net Assets [Member] | Commodity Price Risk Management, net                                                        |            |       |   |   |
| **Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]**                                                  |            |       |   |   |
| Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Net Assets, Gain (Loss) Included in Earnings                    | (192,694)       | (206,109)  | 37,821 |   |
| Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Net Asset, Purchases, Sales, Issues, Settlements                | 241,960         | 151,996    | (54,662) |   |
| Fair Value of Assets Acquired                                                                                                                     | (22,716)        | 0          | 0 |   |
| Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets (liabilities) still held as of period end, included in statement of operations line item; | $ (31,367)      | (35,108)   | 0 |   |
| Derivative Financial Instruments, Assets                                                                                                          |            |       |   |   |
| **Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]**                                                  |            |       |   |   |
| Fair Value, Measured With Unobservable Input Reconcilition, Recurring Basis, Net Asset Value                                                      |            | $ (62,540) | $ (8,427) | $ 8,414 |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Net Asset, Period Increase (Decrease).
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_ChangesInUnrealizedGainsLossesRelatingToAssetsLiabilitiesStillHeldAsOfPeriodEndIncludedInStatementOfOperationsLineItem**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This element represents net assets measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) which is required for reconciliation purposes of beginning and ending balances.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_FairValueMeasuredWithUnobservableInputReconcilitionRecurringBasisNetAssetValue**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of purchases, sales, issues, and settlements (net) which have taken place in relation to net assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (level 3).
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisNetAssetPurchasesSalesIssuesSettlements**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Description of where the gain (loss), arising from net assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (level 3), is to be recognized in earnings.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisNetAssetsGainLossIncludedInEarnings**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringAndNonrecurringBasisLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The fair value of assets acquired in noncash investing or financing activities.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126999549&loc=d3e4313-108586Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126999549&loc=d3e4332-108586Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126999549&loc=d3e4304-108586
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_FairValueOfAssetsAcquired**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**pdce_IncomeStatementAndBalanceSheetLocationAxis=pdce_CommodityPriceRiskManagementNetMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                            |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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