Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Schedule of Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Net cash flow provided by operations	$ 174,666	$ 347,390
Capital expenditures	(550,954)	(494,338)
Distributions to parent
Proceeds from sale of BBEP Units	145,799	22,498
Proceeds from sale of properties and equipment	3,719	1,030
Net cash flow used by investing activities	(401,436)	(470,810)
Issuance of debt	648,819	661,232
Repayments of debt	(455,886)	(491,043)
Purchase of treasury stock	(4,841)	(4,851)
Debt issuance costs paid	(10,276)	(109)
Gas Purchase Commitment - net		(25,900)
Issuance of KGS common units		11,054
Distributions to parent
Distributions to noncontrolling interests		(13,550)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	733	1,388
Treasury transactions - equity		(5,995)
Net cash flow provided (used) by financing activities	178,549	137,077
Effect of exchange rates on cash	(114)	(306)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	(48,335)	13,351
Cash at beginning of period	54,937	1,785
Cash at end of period	6,602	15,136
Quicksilver Resources Inc. [Member]
Net cash flow provided by operations	126,921	257,090
Capital expenditures	(402,286)	(380,507)
Distributions to parent		80,276
Proceeds from sale of BBEP Units	145,799	22,498
Proceeds from sale of properties and equipment	2,515	1,030
Net cash flow used by investing activities	(253,972)	(276,703)
Issuance of debt	402,500	478,500
Repayments of debt	(313,880)	(414,500)
Purchase of treasury stock	(4,841)
Debt issuance costs paid	(7,467)	(109)
Gas Purchase Commitment - net		(25,900)
Issuance of KGS common units
Distributions to parent
Distributions to noncontrolling interests
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	733	1,388
Treasury transactions - equity		(4,851)
Net cash flow provided (used) by financing activities	77,045	34,528
Effect of exchange rates on cash
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	(50,006)	14,915
Cash at beginning of period	54,937	5
Cash at end of period	4,931	14,920
Restricted Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash flow provided by operations	2,224	593
Capital expenditures	(2,224)	(593)
Distributions to parent
Proceeds from sale of BBEP Units
Proceeds from sale of properties and equipment
Net cash flow used by investing activities	(2,224)	(593)
Issuance of debt
Repayments of debt
Purchase of treasury stock
Debt issuance costs paid
Gas Purchase Commitment - net
Issuance of KGS common units
Distributions to parent
Distributions to noncontrolling interests
Proceeds from exercise of stock options
Treasury transactions - equity
Net cash flow provided (used) by financing activities
Effect of exchange rates on cash
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents
Cash at beginning of period
Cash at end of period
Restricted Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash flow provided by operations	45,521	59,704
Capital expenditures	(146,444)	(53,362)
Distributions to parent
Proceeds from sale of BBEP Units
Proceeds from sale of properties and equipment	1,204
Net cash flow used by investing activities	(145,240)	(53,362)
Issuance of debt	246,319	39,532
Repayments of debt	(142,006)	(46,443)
Purchase of treasury stock
Debt issuance costs paid	(2,809)
Gas Purchase Commitment - net
Issuance of KGS common units
Distributions to noncontrolling interests
Proceeds from exercise of stock options
Treasury transactions - equity
Net cash flow provided (used) by financing activities	101,504	(6,911)
Effect of exchange rates on cash	(114)	(306)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents	1,671	(875)
Cash at beginning of period		1,034
Cash at end of period	1,671	159
Quicksilver And Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash flow provided by operations		317,387
Capital expenditures		(434,462)
Distributions to parent		80,276
Proceeds from sale of BBEP Units		22,498
Proceeds from sale of properties and equipment		1,030
Net cash flow used by investing activities		(330,658)
Issuance of debt		518,032
Repayments of debt		(460,943)
Debt issuance costs paid		(109)
Gas Purchase Commitment - net		(25,900)
Issuance of KGS common units
Distributions to parent
Distributions to noncontrolling interests
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		1,388
Treasury transactions - equity		(4,851)
Net cash flow provided (used) by financing activities		27,617
Effect of exchange rates on cash		(306)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents		14,040
Cash at beginning of period		1,039
Cash at end of period		15,079
Unrestricted Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash flow provided by operations		44,873
Capital expenditures		(52,470)
Distributions to parent		(80,276)
Proceeds from sale of BBEP Units
Proceeds from sale of properties and equipment
Net cash flow used by investing activities		(132,746)
Issuance of debt		143,200
Repayments of debt		(30,100)
Debt issuance costs paid
Gas Purchase Commitment - net
Issuance of KGS common units		11,054
Distributions to parent		(22,276)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests		(13,550)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options
Treasury transactions - equity		(1,144)
Net cash flow provided (used) by financing activities		87,184
Effect of exchange rates on cash
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents		(689)
Cash at beginning of period		746
Cash at end of period		57
Consolidating Eliminations [Member]
Net cash flow provided by operations		(14,870)
Capital expenditures		(7,406)
Distributions to parent
Proceeds from sale of BBEP Units
Proceeds from sale of properties and equipment
Net cash flow used by investing activities		(7,406)
Issuance of debt
Repayments of debt
Debt issuance costs paid
Gas Purchase Commitment - net
Issuance of KGS common units
Distributions to parent		22,276
Distributions to noncontrolling interests
Proceeds from exercise of stock options
Treasury transactions - equity
Net cash flow provided (used) by financing activities		22,276
Effect of exchange rates on cash
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents
Cash at beginning of period
Cash at end of period