Short-Term Notes Payable (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Interest Payable, Current	$ 113,589	$ 113,589	$ 63,363
Senior Secured Credit Facility April122016 Member [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Credit facility, face amount			1,500,000
Additional Capacity Available On Credit Lines At Request	250,000	250,000
Minimum interest coverage ratio	2.50
Interest coverage ratio	3.96	3.96
Maximum leverage ratio	4.50
Current maximum leverage ratio	3.21
Senior secured leverage ratio, maximum	2.00	2.00
Current secured leverage ratio	0.11	0.11
Letters of credit outstanding	104,137	104,137	100,292
Borrowings and issuance of letters of credit remaining capacity	1,395,863	1,395,863	1,399,708
CNX Gas Senior Secured Credit Facility April122016 Member [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Credit facility, face amount			1,000,000
Short-term Debt	47,000	47,000
Additional Capacity Available On Credit Lines At Request	250,000	250,000
loans, advances, dividends allowed	600,000	600,000
Minimum interest coverage ratio	3.00
Interest coverage ratio	28.55	28.55
Maximum leverage ratio	3.50
Current maximum leverage ratio	0.75
Letters of credit outstanding	70,051	70,051	70,203
Borrowings and issuance of letters of credit remaining capacity	882,949	882,949	929,797
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate During Period	1.80%	1.76%
Interest Payable, Current	5	5		29
Interim Funding for Longwall Shields [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term Debt			$ 25,073
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.46%	2.46%