|**Common Stock (Tables)**                                                                                                | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|**Equity [Abstract]**                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Schedule of Compensation Cost for Share-based Payment Arrangements, Allocation of Share-based Compensation Costs by Plan | The following table provides a summary of the impact of our outstanding stock-based compensation plans on the results of operations for the periods presented:Three Months Ended March 31,20182017(in thousands)Stock-based compensation expense$5,261$4,453Income tax benefit(1,261)(1,666)Net stock-based compensation expense$4,000$2,787                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|                                                                                                                        
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Stock-based compensation expense                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Income tax benefit                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Net stock-based compensation expense                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Activity                               | The following table presents the changes in non-vested time-based awards to all employees, including executive officers, for thethreemonths endedMarch 31, 2018:SharesWeighted-AverageGrant DateFair Value per ShareNon-vested at December 31, 2017472,132$60.23Granted136,25650.94Vested(66,253)58.16Forfeited(5,800)68.18Non-vested at March 31, 2018536,33558.04The following table presents the weighted-average grant date fair value per share and related information as of/for the periods presented:As of/Three Months Ended March 31,20182017(in thousands, except per share data)Total intrinsic value of time-based awards vested$3,530$3,602Total intrinsic value of time-based awards non-vested26,29733,366Market price per share as of March 31,49.0362.35Weighted-average grant date fair value per share50.9473.28                                                                                                                                       
|                                                                                                                        
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                         | Shares                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Non-vested at December 31, 2017                                                                                          | 472,132                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Granted                                                                                                                  | 136,256                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Vested                                                                                                                   | (66,253                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|Forfeited                                                                                                                | (5,800                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Non-vested at March 31, 2018                                                                                             | 536,335                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                        
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                         | As of/Three Months Ended March 31,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|                                                                                                                         | 2018                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|                                                                                                                         | (in thousands, except per share data)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Total intrinsic value of time-based awards vested                                                                        | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Total intrinsic value of time-based awards non-vested                                                                    | 26,297                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Market price per share as of March 31,                                                                                   | 49.03                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Weighted-average grant date fair value per share                                                                         | 50.94                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Restricted Stock Awards, Market-Based, Valuation assumptions                                                             | he Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors awarded a total of90,778market-basedrestricted shares to our executive officers during thethreemonths endedMarch 31, 2018.  In addition to continuous employment, the vesting of these shares is contingent on our total stockholder return ("TSR"), which is essentially our stock price change including any dividends as compared to the TSR of a group of peer companies.  The shares are measured over a three-year period ending on December 31, 2020, and can result in a payout between0 percentand200 percentof the total shares awarded.  The weighted-average grant date fair value per market-based share for these awards was computed using the Monte Carlo pricing model using the following assumptions:Three Months Ended March 31,20182017Expected term of award (in years)33Risk-free interest rate2.4%1.4%Expected volatility42.3%51.4%Weighted-average grant date fair value per share$69.98$94.02
|                                                                                                                        
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                         | Three Months Ended March 31,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|                                                                                                                         | 2018                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Expected term of award (in years)                                                                                        | 3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Risk-free interest rate                                                                                                  | 2.4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|Expected volatility                                                                                                      | 42.3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Weighted-average grant date fair value per share                                                                         | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Schedule of Nonvested Performance-based Units Activity                                                                   | The following table presents the change in non-vested market-based awards during thethreemonths endedMarch 31, 2018:SharesWeighted-AverageGrant DateFair Value per ShareNon-vested at December 31, 201752,349$84.06Granted90,77869.98Forfeited(4,128)94.02Non-vested at March 31, 2018138,99974.57The following table presents the weighted-average grant date fair value per share and related information as of/for the periods presented:As of Three Months Ended March 31,20182017(in thousands, except per share data)Total intrinsic value of market-based awards non-vested$6,815$4,769Market price per common share as of March 31,49.0362.35Weighted-average grant date fair value per share69.9894.02                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                        
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Non-vested at December 31, 2017                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Granted                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Forfeited                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Non-vested at March 31, 2018                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                        
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                                                                                                                         | As of Three Months Ended March 31,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|                                                                                                                         | 2018                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|                                                                                                                         | (in thousands, except per share data)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Total intrinsic value of market-based awards non-vested                                                                  | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Market price per common share as of March 31,                                                                            | 49.03                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|Weighted-average grant date fair value per share                                                                         | 69.98                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

X- DefinitionRestricted Stock Awards, Market-Based, Valuation assumptions [Table Text Block]
+ ReferencesNo definition available.
+ Details**Name:**
pdce_RestrictedStockAwardsMarketBasedValuationAssumptionsTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
pdce_**Data Type:**
nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration X- ReferencesNo definition available.
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_EquityAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of the amount of total share-based compensation cost, including the amounts attributable to each share-based compensation plan and any related tax benefits.
+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (h)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ScheduleOfCompensationCostForShareBasedPaymentArrangementsAllocationOfShareBasedCompensationCostsByPlanTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of the changes in outstanding nonvested performance-based units.
+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ScheduleOfNonvestedPerformanceBasedUnitsActivityTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration X- DefinitionDisclosure of the number and weighted-average grant date fair value for restricted stock and restricted stock units that were outstanding at the beginning and end of the year, and the number of restricted stock and restricted stock units that were granted, vested, or forfeited during the year.
+ ReferencesNo definition available.
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ScheduleOfSharebasedCompensationRestrictedStockAndRestrictedStockUnitsActivityTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration