Derivative Instruments (Derivative (losses) gains in the consolidated statements of operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017	Mar. 21, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Derivative Gains (Losses) [Line Items]
Change in fair value of commodity price derivatives	$ (22,236)		$ (19,232)
Settlement gains on commodity price derivatives	6,788		15,143
Total derivative (losses) gains	$ (15,448)		$ (4,089)
Predecessor
Derivative Gains (Losses) [Line Items]
Change in fair value of commodity price derivatives		$ 46,721		$ (163,238)
Settlement gains on commodity price derivatives		1,285		62,626
Settlement gains on early terminations of commodity price derivatives				91,144
Total derivative (losses) gains		$ 48,006		$ (9,468)

Derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments gain loss from early terminations of commodity contract.

No definition available.

Name:	cpr_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossFromEarlyTerminationsOfCommodityContract
Namespace Prefix:	cpr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments gain loss from settlement of commodity contracts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cpr_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossFromSettlementOfCommodityContracts
Namespace Prefix:	cpr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of realized and unrealized gain (loss) of derivative instruments not designated or qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net change in the difference between the fair value and the carrying value, or in the comparative fair values, of open agreements to purchase or sell mineral resources, energy, and agricultural products at some future point held at each balance sheet date, that was included in earnings for the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrealizedGainLossOnCommodityContracts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis=us-gaap_PredecessorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: