Acquisitions and Divestitures - Schedule of Consideration Paid to Acquire Net Assets and Estimated Values of Net Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	May 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total consideration			$ 45,698
Fair Value of Assets Acquired:
Goodwill			$ 20,549	$ 17,532
Lynden Arrangement [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Shares of Earthstone common stock issued in the Arrangement	3,700,279
Closing price of Earthstone common stock as of May 18, 2016	$ 12.35
Total consideration	$ 45,698
Fair Value of Liabilities Assumed:
Credit facility	36,597
Current liabilities	1,895
Deferred tax liability	664
Asset retirement obligations	250
Total consideration plus liabilities assumed	85,104
Fair Value of Assets Acquired:
Cash and cash equivalents	5,263
Current assets	2,108
Amount attributable to assets acquired	82,087
Goodwill	3,017
Total consideration plus liabilities assumed	85,104
Lynden Arrangement [Member] | Proved Oil and Gas Properties [Member]
Fair Value of Assets Acquired:
Oil and gas properties	48,116
Lynden Arrangement [Member] | Unproved Oil and Gas Properties [Member]
Fair Value of Assets Acquired:
Oil and gas properties	$ 26,600
Other Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total consideration		$ 4,066
Fair Value of Liabilities Assumed:
Asset retirement obligations		13
Total consideration plus liabilities assumed		4,066
Other liabilities		5
Amount attributable to liabilities assumed		18
Fair Value of Assets Acquired:
Amount attributable to assets acquired		4,084
Total consideration plus liabilities assumed		4,066
Other Acquisitions [Member] | Proved Oil and Gas Properties [Member]
Fair Value of Assets Acquired:
Oil and gas properties		588
Other Acquisitions [Member] | Unproved Oil and Gas Properties [Member]
Fair Value of Assets Acquired:
Oil and gas properties		$ 3,496