| **Other liabilities (Details) - Non Current Liabilities [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands** | 12 Months Ended |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
||
| **Schedule of Other Liabilities [Line Items]**                                              |            |   |
| Deferred Midstream gathering credits                                                        | $ 145,937       | $ 159,788 |
| Production Tax Liability                                                                    | 315,758         | 131,865 |
| Operating and Finance Lease Liability, Noncurrent                                           | 41,815          | 6,274 |
| Other Accrued Liabilities                                                                   | 29,360          | 16,842 |
| Other Accrued Liabilities, Noncurrent                                                       | $ 532,870       | $ 314,769 |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Deferred Midstream gathering credits
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_DeferredMidstreamgatheringcredits**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Operating and Finance Lease Liability, Noncurrent
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_OperatingandFinanceLeaseLiabilityNoncurrent**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Production Tax Liability
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_ProductionTaxLiability**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
[Line Items] for Schedule of Other Liabilities [Table]
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pdce_ScheduleofOtherLiabilitiesLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**pdce_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of expenses incurred but not yet paid classified as other.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.15(a)) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126734703&loc=d3e572229-122910Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.15(5)) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126897435&loc=d3e534808-122878
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrentAndNoncurrent**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of expenses incurred but not yet paid classified as other, due after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.24) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesNoncurrent**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                              |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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