Guarantor Subsidiaries Financial Information Guarantor Subsidiaries Comprehensive Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Net Income (Loss)	$ 659,056	$ 388,073	$ 632,497
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]
Treasury Rate Lock, Net of Tax	0	0	(96)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	456,493	129,231	(32,813)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax	45,631	114,240	200,700
Net Income (Loss)	659,056	388,073	632,497
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	422,225	54,212	72,784
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	1,081,281	442,285	705,281
Less: Comprehensive Loss (Income), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	1,386	397	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	1,082,667	442,682	705,281
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassification from Accumulated OCI to Income, Estimated Net Amount to be Transferred	(79,899)	(189,259)	(95,007)
Parent Issuer
Net Income (Loss)	660,442	388,470	632,497
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]
Treasury Rate Lock, Net of Tax			(96)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	456,493	129,231	(32,813)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax	45,631	114,240	200,700
Net Income (Loss)	660,442	388,470	632,497
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	422,225	54,212	72,784
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	1,082,667	442,682
Less: Comprehensive Loss (Income), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	1,082,667	442,682	705,281
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassification from Accumulated OCI to Income, Estimated Net Amount to be Transferred	(79,899)	(189,259)	(95,007)
Cnx Gas Guarantor [Member]
Net Income (Loss)	(2,624)	24,363	77,701
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]
Treasury Rate Lock, Net of Tax			0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	0	0	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax	45,631	114,240	200,700
Net Income (Loss)	(2,624)	24,363	77,701
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(34,268)	(75,019)	105,693
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(36,892)	(50,656)
Less: Comprehensive Loss (Income), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	1,386	397
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	(35,506)	(50,259)	183,394
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassification from Accumulated OCI to Income, Estimated Net Amount to be Transferred	(79,899)	(189,259)	(95,007)
Other Subsidiary Guarantors
Net Income (Loss)	455,935	547,952	948,533
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]
Treasury Rate Lock, Net of Tax			0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	456,493	129,231	(32,813)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss)	455,935	547,952	948,533
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	456,493	129,231	(32,813)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	912,428	677,183
Less: Comprehensive Loss (Income), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	912,428	677,183	915,720
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassification from Accumulated OCI to Income, Estimated Net Amount to be Transferred	0	0	0
Non-Guarantors
Net Income (Loss)	585,616	80,690	(34,224)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]
Treasury Rate Lock, Net of Tax			0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	0	0	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss)	585,616	80,690	(34,224)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	0	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	585,616	80,690
Less: Comprehensive Loss (Income), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	585,616	80,690	(34,224)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassification from Accumulated OCI to Income, Estimated Net Amount to be Transferred	0	0	0
Elimination
Net Income (Loss)	(1,040,313)	(653,402)	(992,010)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]
Treasury Rate Lock, Net of Tax			0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	(456,493)	(129,231)	32,813
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax	(45,631)	(114,240)	(200,700)
Net Income (Loss)	(1,040,313)	(653,402)	(992,010)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(422,225)	(54,212)	(72,880)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(1,462,538)	(707,614)
Less: Comprehensive Loss (Income), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	(1,462,538)	(707,614)	(1,064,890)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassification from Accumulated OCI to Income, Estimated Net Amount to be Transferred	$ 79,899	$ 189,259	$ 95,007