Other Employee Benefits (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]

Schedule of Defined Benefit Plans Disclosures [Table Text Block]

The components of net periodic benefit costs are as follows:

	Pension Benefits									Other Postretirement Benefits
	For the Years Ended December 31,									For the Years Ended December 31,
	2011			2010			2009			2011			2010			2009
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	17,457		$	14,485		$	12,332		$	13,677		$	13,147		$	12,654
Interest cost	37,744			37,150			35,483			179,739			162,815			151,451
Expected return on plan assets	(38,522		)	(36,977		)	(36,631		)	—			—			—
Amortization of prior service cost (credits)	(666		)	(735		)	(1,109		)	(46,397		)	(46,415		)	(46,415		)
Recognized net actuarial loss	38,102			31,870			22,263			105,364			70,145			50,357
Benefit cost	$	54,115		$	45,793		$	32,338		$	252,383		$	199,692		$	168,047

Long term disability [Member]

Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]

Schedule of Defined Benefit Plans Disclosures [Table Text Block]

CONSOL Energy has a Long-Term Disability Plan available to all eligible full-time salaried employees. The benefits for this plan are based on a percentage of monthly earnings, offset by all other income benefits available to the disabled.

	For the Years Ended
	December 31,
	2011			2010			2009
Benefit Costs	$	6,439		$	3,294		$	3,642
Discount rate assumption used to determine net periodic benefit costs	4.04		%	4.72		%	5.92		%