Equity and Distributions - Additional Information (Detail)					12 Months Ended
	Apr. 27, 2016 USD ($)	Feb. 13, 2015 shares	Sep. 09, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Jul. 15, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / Partnership shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) shares	Jun. 01, 2016	May 31, 2016	May 25, 2016 USD ($)
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Net proceeds from the issuance of common units					$ 1,849,000		$ 540,698,000
Proceeds from sale of common units, net					2,385,000	$ 0	553,288,000
Fees on sale of common unit					$ 536,000	0	12,510,000
Common units amount repurchased under repurchase program						52,813,000	12,903,000
Minimum Quarterly Distribution amount per common unit | $ / Partnership					0.4750
MEMP Repurchase Program [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Stock repurchase program, authorized amount							150,000,000
Common units amount repurchased under repurchase program						$ 52,800,000	$ 12,900,000
Common units repurchased under repurchase program | shares						3,547,921	899,912
MEMP GP [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Acquisition purchase price	$ 800,000
Partnership ownership percentage	0.10%
Gain (loss) on acquisition	$ 0
Incentive Distribution Rights (“IDRs”) [Member] | MEMP GP [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Partnership ownership percentage	50.00%
Incentive Distribution Rights (“IDRs”) [Member] | The Funds [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Percentage of economic interest in incentive distribution rights									50.00%
Memorial Resource [Member] | Incentive Distribution Rights (“IDRs”) [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Percentage of economic interest in incentive distribution rights									50.00%
Natural Gas Partners [Member] | Incentive Distribution Rights (“IDRs”) [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Agreed ownership interest percentage to acquire	50.00%							50.00%
General Partner [Member] | MEMP GP [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Partnership ownership percentage	0.10%
General Partner [Member] | Memorial Resource [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Partnership ownership percentage									100.00%
Subordinated Units [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Subordinated units converted to common units | shares						(5,360,912)
Common unit, issued | shares					0		0
Common units repurchased under repurchase program | shares						0	0
Subordinated Units [Member] | MRD Holdco [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Subordinated units converted to common units | shares		5,360,912
Conversion of stock description						The subordinated units converted on a one-for-one basis into common units upon the payment of MEMP's fourth quarter 2014 distribution. MRD Holdco sold all of the common units during the three months ended June 30, 2015 and no longer owns any of our outstanding common units.
Limited Partners Common Units [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Net proceeds from the issuance of common units					$ 1,849,000		$ 540,698,000
Subordinated units converted to common units | shares						5,360,912
Common unit, issued | shares					1,178,102		24,840,000
Common units amount repurchased under repurchase program						$ 52,813,000	$ 12,903,000
Common units repurchased under repurchase program | shares						3,547,921	899,912
2014 Public Equity Offerings [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Number of common units issued in public offering | shares			14,950,000	9,890,000
Number of over-allotment common units issued by Partnership | shares			1,950,000	1,290,000
Public offering price per common unit | $ / shares			$ 22.29	$ 22.25
Net proceeds from the issuance of common units			$ 321,300,000	$ 220,000,000
ATM Program
Limited Partners Capital Account [Line Items]
Authorized Value										$ 60,000,000
Proceeds from sale of common units, net					$ 1,800,000
Fees on sale of common unit					$ 500,000