Organization and Description of Business - Common Stock (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016 class shares
Common Stock
Number of classes of common stock \| class	2
Class A common stock
Common Stock
Ratio in which JEH Units and Class B common stock are exchanged for Class A common stock	1
Economic interests/rights (as a percent)	100.00%
Votes per share entitled to holders	1
Class B common stock
Common Stock
Economic interests/rights (as a percent)	0.00%
Votes per share entitled to holders	1
JEH \| Class B common stock
Common Stock
Number of units held (in shares)	29,832,098
JEH \| Jones Energy, Inc.
Common Stock
Number of units held (in shares)	57,025,474

Represents the number of classes of common stock of the entity.

No definition available.

Name:	jone_CommonStockClassesNumber
Namespace Prefix:	jone_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the ratio in which units and Class B common stock is exchanged for another class of common stock.

No definition available.

Name:	jone_CommonStockConversionOfUnitsAndClassBCommonStockRatio
Namespace Prefix:	jone_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the economic interests, as a percent, entitled to the stockholders.

No definition available.

Name:	jone_CommonStockEconomicInterests
Namespace Prefix:	jone_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the ratio of the number of votes per share entitled to stockholders.

No definition available.

Name:	jone_CommonStockVotesPerShareRatio
Namespace Prefix:	jone_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The number of units of an entity held by a shareholder or group of shareholders.

No definition available.

Name:	jone_OwnershipInterestNumberOfUnits
Namespace Prefix:	jone_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassBMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=jone_JonesEnergyHoldingsLLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=jone_JonesEnergyIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: