Stockholders' equity (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended				0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jan. 13, 2014	Jan. 12, 2014	Apr. 12, 2010 classes_of_stock	Dec. 31, 2011
Equity [Line Items]
Number of classes of common stock							7
Common stock, par value							$ 0.01
Minimum proceeds from Qualified IPO required to trigger share conversion	$ 250,000
Minimum percentage of beneficial ownership required to retain rights and preferences under stockholders agreement			5.00%			5.00%
Schedule of Changes in Common Stock Issued [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period (in shares)	1,422,160		1,420,034	1,418,208	1,422,160
Restricted stock issuance	15,278		8,056	17,494
Restricted stock repurchased	(2,025)		(1,025)	(1,469)
Restricted stock forfeited	(11,497)		(4,905)	(14,199)
Stock transfers(1)	0	[1]
Balance at end of period (in shares)	1,423,916		1,422,160	1,420,034
Fischer Investments, L.L.C. [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Maximum percentage of common stock that may be sold						20.00%
Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Maximum percentage of common stock that may be acquired						25.00%
CCMP [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Maximum percentage of common stock that may be sold						20.00%
Multiple of price per share paid by CCMP that must be received by the Company for Demand IPO						1.75
Class A Common Stock [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01		0.01
Schedule of Changes in Common Stock Issued [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period (in shares)	70,117		67,991	66,165	70,117
Restricted stock issuance	15,278		8,056	17,494
Restricted stock repurchased	(2,025)		(1,025)	(1,469)
Restricted stock forfeited	(11,497)		(4,905)	(14,199)
Stock transfers(1)	(293,023)	[1]
Balance at end of period (in shares)	364,896		70,117	67,991
Class B and C Common Stock [Member] | Number of Directors Class of Stock Designates [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Number of directors	3
Class B Common Stock [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01		0.01
Minimum percentage ownership of common stock owned as of the Closing Date							80.00%
Schedule of Changes in Common Stock Issued [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period (in shares)	357,882				357,882			357,882
Stock transfers(1)	(13,023)	[1]
Balance at end of period (in shares)	344,859			357,882				357,882
Class C Common Stock [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01		0.01
Schedule of Changes in Common Stock Issued [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period (in shares)	209,882				209,882			209,882
Stock transfers(1)	0	[1]
Balance at end of period (in shares)	209,882			209,882				209,882
Class D Common Stock [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01		0.01
Schedule of Changes in Common Stock Issued [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period (in shares)								279,999
Balance at end of period (in shares)	0		279,999	279,999				279,999
Class D Common Stock [Member] | CHK Energy Holdings Inc. [Member]
Schedule of Changes in Common Stock Issued [Roll Forward]
Stock transfers(1)	(279,999)	[1]
Class E Common Stock [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01		0.01
Schedule of Changes in Common Stock Issued [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period (in shares)								504,276
Balance at end of period (in shares)	504,276		504,276	504,276				504,276
Class E Common Stock [Member] | Number of Directors Class of Stock Designates [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Number of directors	2
Class E Common Stock [Member] | CHK Energy Holdings Inc. [Member]
Schedule of Changes in Common Stock Issued [Roll Forward]
Stock transfers(1)	0	[1]
Class F Common Stock [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01		0.01
Schedule of Changes in Common Stock Issued [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period (in shares)								1
Balance at end of period (in shares)	1		1	1				1
Class F Common Stock [Member] | CHK Energy Holdings Inc. [Member]
Schedule of Changes in Common Stock Issued [Roll Forward]
Stock transfers(1)	0	[1]
Class G Common Stock [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01		0.01
Schedule of Changes in Common Stock Issued [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period (in shares)								3
Balance at end of period (in shares)	2		3	3				3
Class G Common Stock [Member] | Fischer Investments, L.L.C. [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Common stock issued to existing stockholders							1
Class G Common Stock [Member] | Altoma Energy GP [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Common stock issued to existing stockholders							1
Class G Common Stock [Member] | CHK Energy Holdings Inc. [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Common stock issued to existing stockholders							1
Schedule of Changes in Common Stock Issued [Roll Forward]
Stock transfers(1)	(1)	[1]
Chesapeake [Member] | Class A Common Stock [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Company Shares, Transactions Between Company Stockholders, Shares					15,078
Chesapeake [Member] | Class A Common Stock [Member] | Converted From Common Class D And Common Class G To Common Class A [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Company Shares, Transactions Between Company Stockholders, Shares					280,000
Chesapeake [Member] | Class A Common Stock [Member] | Converted From Common Class B To Common Class A [Member]
Schedule of Changes in Common Stock Issued [Roll Forward]
Stock transfers(1)	(13,023)

[1] In this transaction, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund (“HOOPP”) purchased 280,000 shares of Class A common stock converted from Class D and Class G common stock held by CHK Energy Holdings, Inc. (“CHK Energy Holdings”) on January 13, 2014. An additional 15,078 shares of Class A common stock was purchased by HOOPP from various other stockholders of which 13,023 shares were converted from Class B common stock.