CHAPTER 11 PROCEEDINGS (Liabilities Subject to Compromise) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	$ 855,943	$ 0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	20,315
Accrued interest payable on 2024 Notes	9,516
Operating lease liabilities	11,088
Liabilities subject to compromise	896,862	$ 0
2024 Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	500,000
Alta Mesa RBL \| Alta Mesa RBL
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	$ 355,943

The amount of trade accounts payable included in liabilities subject to compromise.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 852
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6918054&loc=d3e56015-112765

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 852
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114872137&loc=d3e55717-112764

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 852
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84165509&loc=d3e56145-112766

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesSubjectToCompromiseAccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant