Guarantor Subsidiaries Financial Information Gurantor Subsidiaries Statement of Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net (Loss) Income	$ (1,821)	$ 97,196
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	45,757	59,573
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, (Net of Tax: ($49,008), ($2,814))	(18,595)	76,076
Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) Reclassified to Earnings, (Net of tax: $31,380, $12,615)	(22,713)	(47,941)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	4,449	87,708
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	2,628	184,904
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(257)	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	2,885	184,904
Parent Issuer
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net (Loss) Income	(1,564)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	45,757	59,573
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, (Net of Tax: ($49,008), ($2,814))	(18,595)	76,076
Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) Reclassified to Earnings, (Net of tax: $31,380, $12,615)	(22,713)	(47,941)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	4,449	87,708
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	2,885
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	2,885	184,904
CNX Gas Guarantor
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net (Loss) Income	(325)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	0	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, (Net of Tax: ($49,008), ($2,814))	(18,595)	76,076
Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) Reclassified to Earnings, (Net of tax: $31,380, $12,615)	(22,713)	(47,941)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(41,308)	28,135
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(41,633)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(257)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(41,376)	35,589
Other Guarantors Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net (Loss) Income	103,542
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	45,757	59,573
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, (Net of Tax: ($49,008), ($2,814))	0	0
Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) Reclassified to Earnings, (Net of tax: $31,380, $12,615)	0	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	45,757	59,573
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	149,299
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	149,299	213,889
Non-Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net (Loss) Income	2,228
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	0	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, (Net of Tax: ($49,008), ($2,814))	0	0
Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) Reclassified to Earnings, (Net of tax: $31,380, $12,615)	0	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	2,228
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	2,228	3,892
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net (Loss) Income	(105,702)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	(45,757)	(59,573)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, (Net of Tax: ($49,008), ($2,814))	18,595	(76,076)
Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) Reclassified to Earnings, (Net of tax: $31,380, $12,615)	22,713	47,941
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(4,449)	(87,708)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(110,151)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ (110,151)	$ (253,370)