| **Common Stock Stock Repurchase (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands**    |                | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |        |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|--------|
||
| **Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items]**                        |           |           |           |            |   |   |
| Document Period End Date                                                |           |           |           | Jun. 30,  2019  |   |   |
| Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount                             |           |           |           |            |   | $ 200,000 |
| Other Nonoperating Expense                                              |           |           |           | $ 11,102        | $ 0    |   |
| Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Authorized Repurchase Amount        |           |           | $ 75,000       | $ 75,000        |   |   |
| Subsequent Event [Member]                                               |           |           |           |            |   |   |
| **Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items]**                        |           |           |           |            |   |   |
| Stock Repurchase Program Expiration Date                                | Dec. 31,  2020 |           |           |            |   |   |
| Treasury Stock, Common [Member]                                         |           |           |           |            |   |   |
| **Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items]**                        |           |           |           |            |   |   |
| Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares                                 |           |           | (3,136,406)    | (3,136,406)     |   |   |
| Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock                                 |           |           |           | $ 105,200       |   |   |
| Other Nonoperating Expense                                              |           |           |           |            | $ 0    |   |
| Treasury Stock, Common [Member] | Amount settled during period [Member] |           |           |           |            |   |   |
| **Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items]**                        |           |           |           |            |   |   |
| Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock                                 |           |           |           | $ 94,100        |   |   |
| Treasury Stock, Common [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]             |           |           |           |            |   |   |
| **Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items]**                        |           |           |           |            |   |   |
| Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares                                 |           | (569,733)      |           |            |   |   |
| Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock                                 |           | $ 19,800       |           |            |   |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The end date of the period reflected on the cover page if a periodic report. For all other reports and registration statements containing historical data, it is the date up through which that historical data is presented.  If there is no historical data in the report, use the filing date. The format of the date is CCYY-MM-DD.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate**Namespace Prefix:**dei_**Data Type:**xbrli:dateItemType**Balance Type:**na**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_EquityClassOfTreasuryStockLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of expense related to nonoperating activities, classified as other.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.9) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingExpense**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The cash outflow to reacquire common stock during the period.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3291-108585
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of stock repurchase plan authorized.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Expiration date for the purchase of an entity's own shares under a stock repurchase plan, in the CCYY-MM-DD format.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramExpirationDate**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:dateItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount remaining of a stock repurchase plan authorized.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and have not been retired and are not held in treasury. Some state laws may govern the circumstances under which an entity may acquire its own stock and prescribe the accounting treatment therefore. This element is used when state law does not recognize treasury stock.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21463-112644Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:sharesItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                     |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                               |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_TreasuryStockCommonMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                               |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis=pdce_AmountsettledduringperiodMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |