| **NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION Reclassifications (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions** | 12 Months Ended |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
||
| Misclassifications                                                                                     |            |   |
| **Reclassifications:**                                                                                 |            |   |
| Reclassification of production costs to general and administrative                                     | $ 7.7           | $ 3.8 |
| Reclassification of prepaid well costs to impairment                                                   | 3.3             | $ 0.4 |
| Reclassification of prepaid well costs to PP&E                                                     | 27.3            |   |
| Adoption of new accounting standards update                                                            |            |   |
| **Reclassifications:**                                                                                 |            |   |
| Debt issuance costs reclassified to debt                                                               | 9.4             |   |
| Current deferred income tax reclassified to long term                                                  | $ 59.2          |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Current deferred income tax liabilities reclassified to non-current pursuant to the income tax accounting standards update issued and adopted in 2015
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_Currentdeferredincometaxreclassifiedtolongterm**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Debt issuance costs reclassified from other assets and are presented as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of long-term debt.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_Debtissuancecostsreclassifiedtodebt**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Prepaid well costs reclassified from other assets to properties and equipment, net
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_ReclassificationofprepaidwellcoststoPPE**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Prepaid well costs write-offs reclassified from production costs to impairment of crude oil and natural gas properties
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_Reclassificationofprepaidwellcoststoimpairment**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Production-related general and administrative costs reclassified from production costs to general and administrative expense.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_Reclassificationofproductioncoststogeneralandadministrative**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Reclassifications made to prior period financial statements to conform to the current year presentation.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_ReclassificationsLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**pdce_ReclassificationsAxis=pdce_MisclassificationsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                    |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**pdce_ReclassificationsAxis=pdce_AdoptionofnewaccountingstandardsupdateMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |