| **Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)** | 9 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
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| **Accounting Policies [Abstract]**             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| Consolidation, Policy                          | The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of PDC, our wholly owned subsidiaries, and our proportionate share of PDC Mountaineer, LLC ("PDCM") and our 21 affiliated partnerships. Pursuant to the proportionate consolidation method, our accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include our pro rata share of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of the entities which we proportionately consolidate. All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| Basis of Accounting, Policy                    | In our opinion, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of our financial statements for interim periods in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the SEC. Accordingly, pursuant to such rules and regulations, certain notes and other financial information included in audited financial statements have been condensed or omitted. The information presented in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2012 Form 10-K. Our results of operations and cash flows for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year or any other future period. |
| Reclassification, Policy                       | Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period financial statements to conform to the current year presentation. These reclassifications had no impact on previously reported cash flows, net income, earnings per share or shareholders' equity.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| Accounting Standards Recently Adopted          | Recently Adopted Accounting StandardOn January 1, 2013, we adopted changes issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") regarding the disclosure of offsetting assets and liabilities. These changes require an entity to disclose both gross and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of financial position and instruments and transactions subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement or similar agreement. The enhanced disclosures enable users of an entity’s financial statements to understand and evaluate the effect or potential effect of master netting arrangements on the entity’s financial position, including the effect or potential effect of rights of setoff associated with certain financial instruments and derivative instruments. Adoption of these changes had no impact on the condensed consolidated financial statements, except for additional disclosures.                                              |
| Earnings Per Share, Policy                     | Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net earnings by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share is similarly computed except that the denominator includes the effect, using the treasury stock method, of unvested restricted stock, outstanding SARs, stock options, Convertible Notes and shares held pursuant to our non-employee director deferred compensation plan, if including such potential shares of common stock is dilutive.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |

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Accounting Standards Recently Adopted [Policy Text Block]
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Disclosure of accounting policy for basis of accounting, or basis of presentation, used to prepare the financial statements (for example, US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Other Comprehensive Basis of Accounting, IFRS).
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Disclosure of accounting policy regarding (1) the principles it follows in consolidating or combining the separate financial statements, including the principles followed in determining the inclusion or exclusion of subsidiaries or other entities in the consolidated or combined financial statements and (2) its treatment of interests (for example, common stock, a partnership interest or other means of exerting influence) in other entities, for example consolidation or use of the equity or cost methods of accounting.  The accounting policy may also address the accounting treatment for intercompany accounts and transactions, noncontrolling interest, and the income statement treatment in consolidation for issuances of stock by a subsidiary.
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Disclosure of accounting policy for computing basic and diluted earnings or loss per share for each class of common stock and participating security. Addresses all significant policy factors, including any antidilutive items that have been excluded from the computation and takes into account stock dividends, splits and reverse splits that occur after the balance sheet date of the latest reporting period but before the issuance of the financial statements.
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Disclosure of accounting policy for reclassifications that affects the comparability of the financial statements.
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