| **ASSETS HELD FOR SALE, DIVESTITURES AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS Additional Information (Details) (USD $)**                       | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                          | 0 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
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| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Notes Receivable from sale of oil and gas properties                                                                              | $ 39,707,000us-gaap_NotesAndLoansReceivableNetNoncurrent                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | $ 39,048,000us-gaap_NotesAndLoansReceivableNetNoncurrent |   |
| Shallow Upper Devonian Sale [Member]                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Oil and gas assets sale price before adjustments                                                                                  | 20,600,000pdce_OilAndGasAssetsSalePriceBeforeAdjustments/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= pdce_ShallowUpperDevonianSaleMember                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Piceance and NECO Asset Group [Member]                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Proceeds from Sale of Oil and Gas Property and Equipment                                                                          | 177,600,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= pdce_PiceanceAndNecoAssetGroupMember                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Proceeds To NonAffiliated Investor Partners                                                                                       | 17,000,000pdce_ProceedsToNonAffiliatedInvestorPartners/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= pdce_PiceanceAndNecoAssetGroupMember                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Gain/loss on sale                                                                                                                 | (2,300,000)us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossFromDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTax/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= pdce_PiceanceAndNecoAssetGroupMember                              |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Segment, Discontinued Operations [Member]                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Gain/loss on sale                                                                                                                 | 76,479,000us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossFromDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTax/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember          | (1,700,000)us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossFromDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTax/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember | 24,090,000us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossFromDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTax/ us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis= us-gaap_SegmentDiscontinuedOperationsMember |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Shallow Upper Devonian Letter of Credit [Member]                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount ($)                                                                                         | 6,700,000us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis= pdce_ShallowUpperDevonianLetterofCreditMember                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Shallow Upper Devonian Sale [Member] | PDCE proportionate share                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Oil and gas assets sale price before adjustments                                                                                  | 5,100,000pdce_OilAndGasAssetsSalePriceBeforeAdjustments/ dei_LegalEntityAxis= pdce_ShallowUpperDevonianSaleMember/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis= pdce_PdceProportionateShareMember |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| PDCM Divestiture [Member] | PDCM Divestiture [Member]                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   | 50.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByNoncontrollingOwners/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= pdce_PDCMDivestitureMember/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis= pdce_PDCMDivestitureMember |
| Gain/loss on sale                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            | 76,300,000us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossFromDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTax/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= pdce_PDCMDivestitureMember/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis= pdce_PDCMDivestitureMember |   |   |
| Divestiture Sale Price After Adjustment                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            | 192,000,000pdce_DivestitureSalePriceAfterAdjustment/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= pdce_PDCMDivestitureMember/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis= pdce_PDCMDivestitureMember                                               |   |   |
| Cash proceeds from PDCM divestiture                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            | 153,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfInterestInConsolidatedSubsidiaries/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= pdce_PDCMDivestitureMember/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis= pdce_PDCMDivestitureMember                    |   |   |
| Promissory note                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                            | $ 39,000,000us-gaap_NoncashOrPartNoncashDivestitureAmountOfConsiderationReceived1/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= pdce_PDCMDivestitureMember/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis= pdce_PDCMDivestitureMember                 |   |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
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| - Definition
Divestiture Sale Price After Adjustment. Net consideration, after purchase price adjustments, to be received upon sale of a portion of the company's business, for example a segment, division, branch or other business, during the period.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Oil and gas assets sale price before adjustments
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Proceeds To non-Affiliated Investor Partners as a result of the disposal of long-lived, physical assets and mineral interests in oil and gas properties used for normal oil and gas operations.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of gain (loss), before tax expense or benefit and not previously recognized, resulting from the sale of a business component.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
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| - Definition
The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The equity interest of noncontrolling shareholders, partners or other equity holders in consolidated entity.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of noncash consideration received for selling an asset or business through a noncash (or part noncash) transaction.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4332-108586Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4313-108586Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4304-108586
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|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
An amount representing an agreement for an unconditional promise by the maker to pay the Entity (holder) a definite sum of money at a future date more than one year from the balance sheet date, net of any write-downs taken for collection uncertainty on the part of the holder. Such amount may include accrued interest receivable in accordance with the terms of the debt. The debt also may contain provisions and related items including a discount or premium, payable on demand, secured, or unsecured, interest bearing or noninterest bearing, among a myriad of other features and characteristics. This amount does not include amounts related to receivables held-for-sale.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The cash inflow associated with the deconsolidation of a previously consolidated subsidiary or the sale of investment in consolidated subsidiaries (generally greater than 50 percent).
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The cash inflow to dispose of long-lived, physical assets and mineral interests in oil and gas properties used for normal oil and gas operations.
+ References
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