|**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 DD&A:As of December 31,20152014(in thousands)Properties and equipment, net:Crude oil and natural gas propertiesProved$2,881,189$2,267,165Unproved60,498188,206Total crude oil and natural gas properties2,941,6872,455,371Equipment and other30,09829,562Land and buildings9,0159,015Construction in progress113,115165,205Properties and equipment, at cost3,093,9152,659,153Accumulated DD&A(1,156,237)(831,699)Properties and equipment, net$1,937,678$1,827,454                                                                                    
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|                                                                      | As of December 31,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|                                                                      | 2015                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|                                                                      | (in thousands)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Properties and equipment, net:                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Crude oil and natural gas properties                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Proved                                                                | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Unproved                                                              | 60,498                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Total crude oil and natural gas properties                            | 2,941,687                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Equipment and other                                                   | 30,098                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Land and buildings                                                    | 9,015                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Construction in progress                                              | 113,115                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Properties and equipment, at cost                                     | 3,093,915                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Accumulated DD&A                                                      | (1,156,237                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|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 crude oil and natural gas properties:Year Ended December 31,201520142013(in thousands)Continuing operations:Impairment of proved and unproved properties$154,608$161,604$49,631Amortization of individually insignificant unproved properties7,0124,4653,242Other—778—Total continuing operations161,620166,84752,873Discontinued operations:Impairment of proved and unproved properties—433566Amortization of individually insignificant unproved properties——363Total discontinued operations—433929Total impairment of crude oil and natural gas properties$161,620$167,280$53,802
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|                                                                      | Year Ended December 31,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                      | 2015                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|                                                                      | (in thousands)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Continuing operations:                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Impairment of proved and unproved properties                          | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Amortization of individually insignificant unproved properties        | 7,012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Other                                                                 | —                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Total continuing operations                                           | 161,620                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Discontinued operations:                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Impairment of proved and unproved properties                          | —                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Amortization of individually insignificant unproved properties        | —                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Total discontinued operations                                         | —                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Total impairment of crude oil and natural gas properties              | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
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