CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 21, 2010 Predecessor [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Predecessor [Member]
Revenues:
Oil and natural gas sales	$ 6,661	$ 257,903	$ 244,572	$ 69,823
Processing and other	24	1,965	8,814	2,978
Total revenues	6,685	259,868	253,386	72,801
Operating Expenses:
Production expenses	2,355	88,057	108,408	44,841
Impairment of oil and gas properties	0	0	0	28,338
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	2,130	78,354	66,482	16,993
Accretion of asset retirement obligations	77	2,702	3,674	3,585
Management fees	0	0	10,486	12,018
Acquisition evaluation costs	0	0	1,192	582
Offering costs	0	0	5,148	0
General and administrative	763	31,666	25,477	18,697
Bargain purchase gain	0	0	0	(1,200)
Other expense	0	0	224	0
Total operating expenses	5,325	200,779	221,091	123,854
Operating income (loss)	1,360	59,089	32,295	(51,053)
Other income (expense):
Equity in earnings of Ute Energy, LLC (See Note 16)	0	0	3,782	2,675
Dividends on investment in marketable equity securities	0	0	0	233
Gain on investment in marketable equity securities	0	0	0	394
Realized (losses) gains on commodity derivative contracts	(289)	(72,053)	5,373	47,993
Unrealized gains (losses) on commodity derivative contracts	(12,068)	120,478	8,204	(111,113)
Gain on equity share issuance (See Note 16)	0	0	4,064	0
Interest expense, net	(1,136)	(45,527)	(22,179)	(3,716)
Other income (expense)	0	0	482	(645)
Total other income (expense), net	(13,493)	2,898	(274)	(64,179)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(12,133)	61,987	32,021	(115,232)
Income tax (expense) benefit , net	66	(850)	(108)	(182)
Net income (loss)	(12,067)	61,137	31,913	(115,414)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	30,101	(107,528)
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interest	(12,067)	61,137	1,812	(7,886)
Net (income) loss attributable to predecessor operations	4,968	(49,091)
Less: Distribution on Class C convertible preferred units	0	(7,062)
Net income (loss) available to other unitholders	(7,099)	4,984
Less: general partner's interest in net income (loss)	(7)	1,575
Limited partner's interest in net income (loss)	(7,092)	3,409
Common unitholders' interest in net income (loss)	(5,577)	2,730
Subordinated unitholders' interest in net income (loss)	$ (1,515)	$ 679
Net income (loss) per limited partner unit:
Common unitholders' (basic and diluted) (in dollars per unit)	$ (0.21)	$ 0.10
Subordinated unitholders' (basic and diluted) (in dollars per unit)	$ (0.21)	$ 0.10
Weighted-average limited partner units outstanding:
Common units (basic and diluted) (in units)	26,298	28,728
Subordinated units (basic and diluted) (in shares)	7,146	7,146