Guarantor Subsidiaries Financial Information Gurantor Subsidiaries Statement of Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ (1,645)	$ (64,049)	$ 89,424	$ (78,683)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax	184,154	24,980	185,475	113,641
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax	(39,151)	(13,246)	20,032	(40,400)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassification from Accumulated OCI to Income, Estimated Net Amount to be Transferred	19,510	24,354	(3,754)	56,595
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(203,795)	(13,872)	(169,197)	(97,446)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	202,150	(50,177)	258,621	18,763
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	(398)	0	(942)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	202,150	(49,779)	258,621	19,705
Parent Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(1,645)	(63,651)	89,424	(77,741)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax	(184,154)	(24,980)	(185,475)	(113,641)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax	39,151	13,246	(20,032)	40,400
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassification from Accumulated OCI to Income, Estimated Net Amount to be Transferred	(19,510)	(24,354)	3,754	(56,595)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	203,795	13,872	169,197	97,446
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		(49,779)		19,705
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		0		0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	202,150	(49,779)	258,621	19,705
CNX Gas Guarantor [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	24,405	(992)	86,776	(4,067)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax	0	0	0	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax	39,151	13,246	(20,032)	40,400
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassification from Accumulated OCI to Income, Estimated Net Amount to be Transferred	(19,510)	(24,354)	3,754	(56,595)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	19,641	(11,108)	(16,278)	(16,195)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		(12,100)		(20,262)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		(398)		(942)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	44,046	(11,702)	70,498	(19,320)
Other Guarantors Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	39,505	100,554	239,662	441,377
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax	(184,154)	(24,980)	(185,475)	(113,641)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax	0	0	0	0
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassification from Accumulated OCI to Income, Estimated Net Amount to be Transferred	0	0	0	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	184,154	24,980	185,475	113,641
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		125,534		555,018
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		0		0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	223,659	125,534	425,137	555,018
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	2,422	11,226	(586)	1,552
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax	0	0	0	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax	0	0	0	0
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassification from Accumulated OCI to Income, Estimated Net Amount to be Transferred	0	0	0	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		11,226		1,552
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		0		0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	2,422	11,226	(586)	1,552
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(66,332)	(111,186)	(325,852)	(439,804)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, Net of Tax	184,154	24,980	185,475	113,641
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, Net of Tax	(39,151)	(13,246)	20,032	(40,400)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Reclassification from Accumulated OCI to Income, Estimated Net Amount to be Transferred	19,510	24,354	(3,754)	56,595
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(203,795)	(13,872)	(169,197)	(97,446)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		(125,058)		(537,250)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		0		0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	$ (270,127)	$ (125,058)	$ (495,049)	$ (537,250)