Guarantor Subsidiaries Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations [Line Items]
Sales-Outside	$ 1,226,165	$ 1,311,471
Sales-Gas Royalty Interests	14,204	12,206
Sales-Purchased Gas	1,358	839
Freight-Outside	14,061	49,293
Other Income (including equity earnings)	33,852	52,961
Total Revenue and Other Income	1,289,640	1,426,770
Cost of Goods Sold and Other Operating Charges	932,963	904,137
Gas Royalty Interests Costs	11,806	10,249
Purchased Gas Costs	959	517
Related Party Activity	0	0
Freight Expense	14,061	49,293
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses	33,670	38,903
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	161,315	155,347
Interest Expense	53,378	58,120
Taxes Other Than Income	82,787	91,627
Total Costs	1,290,939	1,308,193
Earnings Before Income Taxes	(1,299)	118,577
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	522	21,381
Net (Loss) Income	(1,821)	97,196
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	257	0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	(1,564)
Net Income (Loss)	(1,564)	97,196
Parent Issuer
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations [Line Items]
Sales-Outside	0	0
Sales-Gas Royalty Interests	0	0
Sales-Purchased Gas	0	0
Freight-Outside	0	0
Other Income (including equity earnings)	77,976	167,985
Total Revenue and Other Income	77,976	167,985
Cost of Goods Sold and Other Operating Charges	75,990	49,180
Gas Royalty Interests Costs	0	0
Purchased Gas Costs	0	0
Related Party Activity	(12,556)	7,013
Freight Expense	0	0
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses	0	0
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	3,195	2,921
Interest Expense	50,169	54,762
Taxes Other Than Income	177	636
Total Costs	116,975	114,512
Earnings Before Income Taxes	(38,999)	53,473
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(37,435)	(43,723)
Net (Loss) Income	(1,564)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	(1,564)
Net Income (Loss)		97,196
CNX Gas Guarantor
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations [Line Items]
Sales-Outside	168,679	160,669
Sales-Gas Royalty Interests	14,204	12,206
Sales-Purchased Gas	1,358	839
Freight-Outside	0	0
Other Income (including equity earnings)	13,224	16,305
Total Revenue and Other Income	197,465	190,019
Cost of Goods Sold and Other Operating Charges	114,352	98,644
Gas Royalty Interests Costs	11,817	10,255
Purchased Gas Costs	959	517
Related Party Activity	0	0
Freight Expense	0	0
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses	10,112	9,981
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	52,399	48,803
Interest Expense	1,661	1,218
Taxes Other Than Income	6,698	8,200
Total Costs	197,998	177,618
Earnings Before Income Taxes	(533)	12,401
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(208)	4,947
Net (Loss) Income	(325)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	257
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	(68)
Net Income (Loss)		7,454
Other Guarantors Subsidiaries [Member]
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations [Line Items]
Sales-Outside	1,004,157	1,082,288
Sales-Gas Royalty Interests	0	0
Sales-Purchased Gas	0	0
Freight-Outside	14,061	49,293
Other Income (including equity earnings)	15,255	29,703
Total Revenue and Other Income	1,033,473	1,161,284
Cost of Goods Sold and Other Operating Charges	681,705	682,853
Gas Royalty Interests Costs	0	0
Purchased Gas Costs	0	0
Related Party Activity	(7,778)	1,258
Freight Expense	14,061	49,293
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses	23,247	28,475
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	105,237	103,100
Interest Expense	1,644	2,229
Taxes Other Than Income	75,006	81,971
Total Costs	893,122	949,179
Earnings Before Income Taxes	140,351	212,105
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	36,809	57,789
Net (Loss) Income	103,542
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	103,542
Net Income (Loss)		154,316
Non-Guarantors
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations [Line Items]
Sales-Outside	54,053	69,022
Sales-Gas Royalty Interests	0	0
Sales-Purchased Gas	0	0
Freight-Outside	0	0
Other Income (including equity earnings)	5,373	5,957
Total Revenue and Other Income	59,426	74,979
Cost of Goods Sold and Other Operating Charges	53,726	66,416
Gas Royalty Interests Costs	0	0
Purchased Gas Costs	0	0
Related Party Activity	404	502
Freight Expense	0	0
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses	311	447
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	484	523
Interest Expense	11	11
Taxes Other Than Income	906	820
Total Costs	55,842	68,719
Earnings Before Income Taxes	3,584	6,260
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	1,356	2,368
Net (Loss) Income	2,228
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	2,228
Net Income (Loss)		3,892
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations [Line Items]
Sales-Outside	(724)	(508)
Sales-Gas Royalty Interests	0	0
Sales-Purchased Gas	0	0
Freight-Outside	0	0
Other Income (including equity earnings)	(77,976)	(166,989)
Total Revenue and Other Income	(78,700)	(167,497)
Cost of Goods Sold and Other Operating Charges	7,190	7,044
Gas Royalty Interests Costs	(11)	(6)
Purchased Gas Costs	0	0
Related Party Activity	19,930	(8,773)
Freight Expense	0	0
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses	0	0
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	0	0
Interest Expense	(107)	(100)
Taxes Other Than Income	0	0
Total Costs	27,002	(1,835)
Earnings Before Income Taxes	(105,702)	(165,662)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	0	0
Net (Loss) Income	(105,702)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	(105,702)
Net Income (Loss)		$ (165,662)