Oil and Natural Gas Properties Acquisitions - Additional Information (Details) $ in Thousands				12 Months Ended
	Nov. 28, 2017 USD ($) shares	Nov. 21, 2017 well	Feb. 21, 2017 well phase	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) a well state	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Proceeds from issuance of Series B cumulative convertible preferred units of Black Stone Minerals, L.P., net of offering costs				$ 293,469	$ 0	$ 0
Asset acquisition payments to acquire oil mineral and royalty interests					1,200
Noble Acquisition
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Royalty interests spread | state				20
Payments to acquire businesses, gross				$ 335,000
Pro Forma revenues				2,800
Purchase of mineral and royalty interest				$ 334,543
Permian Basin
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Asset acquisition payments to acquire oil mineral and royalty interests					10,000
Purchase of mineral and royalty interest						51,700
Eagle Ford Shale Play
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Purchase of mineral and royalty interest						9,700
Utica Shale And Marcellus Plays
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Purchase of mineral and royalty interest						$ 1,800
Midland Basin
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Asset acquisition payments to acquire oil mineral and royalty interests					$ 8,300
Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Proceeds from issuance of Series B cumulative convertible preferred units of Black Stone Minerals, L.P., net of offering costs	$ 300,000
Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units | Noble Acquisition
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Proceeds from issuance of Series B cumulative convertible preferred units of Black Stone Minerals, L.P., net of offering costs	$ 300,000
Number of shares issued | shares	14,711,219
Senior Line of Credit | Revolving Credit Facility | Noble Acquisition
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 35,000
Farmout Agreement | Angelina County, Texas
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership interest, acreage, percent			50.00%
Exploratory wells, expected to be drilled | well			18
Exploratory wells drilled | well				10
Exploratory wells, additional wells to be drilled | well			20
Asset acquisition, number of phases			3
Canaan Resource Partners | Farmout Agreement | Angelina County, Texas
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Pro Forma revenues				$ 13,600
Asset acquisition, term of phase			2 years
Asset acquisition, option, number of additional phases | phase			2
Asset acquisition, funding requirements, drilling and completion costs, percent			80.00%
Asset acquisition, ownership interest in wells, percent			80.00%
Asset acquisition, ownership interest, gross, percent			40.00%
Asset acquisition,third phase, ownership interest In additional wells, percent			40.00%
Asset acquisition, third phase, ownership interest in additional wells, gross, percent			20.00%
Asset acquisition, third phase, funding requirements, drilling and completion costs, percent			40.00%
Pivotal | Farmout Agreement | San Augustine County, Texas
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Pro Forma revenues				$ 5,600
Exploratory wells, expected to be drilled | well		80
Asset acquisition, term of phase		8 years
Asset acquisition, ownership interest in wells, percent		20.00%
Asset acquisition, ownership interest, gross, percent		10.00%
Asset acquisition, ownership interest, in wells operated by others, percent		100.00%
Minimum | Pivotal | Farmout Agreement | San Augustine County, Texas
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Asset acquisition, ownership interest, in wells operated by others, gross, percent		12.50%
Maximum | Pivotal | Farmout Agreement | San Augustine County, Texas
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Asset acquisition, ownership interest, in wells operated by others, gross, percent		25.00%
Mineral Acres | Noble Acquisition
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Mineral interests and other non-cost bearing interests acquired, net | a				140,000
Overriding royalty interests, gross | a				1,100,000
Non-participating Royalty Interest | Noble Acquisition
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Overriding royalty interests, gross | a				380,000
Overriding Royalty Interest | Noble Acquisition
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Overriding royalty interests, gross | a				600,000