Crude Oil and Natural Gas Property Information - Schedule of Costs Incurred in Oil and Gas Property Acquisition Exploration and Development Activities (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Industries Disclosures [Abstract]
Property Acquisition Costs - Proved	$ 557	$ 48,917	$ 16,604
Property Acquisition Costs - Unproved	168,492	409,529	546,881
Total property acquisition costs	169,049	458,446	563,485
Exploration Costs	241,523	863,606	687,767
Development Costs	2,148,530	3,670,448	2,549,203
Total	$ 2,559,102	$ 4,992,500	$ 3,800,455

Costs Incurred For Oil And Gas Property Acquisition Exploration And Development Activities

No definition available.

Name:	clr_CostsIncurredForOilAndGasPropertyAcquisitionExplorationAndDevelopmentActivities
Namespace Prefix:	clr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Cost incurred, including capitalized costs and costs charged to expense, in acquisition of oil and gas properties.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CostsIncurredAcquisitionOfOilAndGasProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Costs incurred, including capitalized costs and costs charged to expense, associated with the acquisition of oil and gas properties that have proved reserves.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 932
-SubTopic 235
-Section 50
-Paragraph 18
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51678428&loc=d3e62014-109447

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 932
-SubTopic 235
-Section 50
-Paragraph 19
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51678428&loc=d3e62038-109447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CostsIncurredAcquisitionOfOilAndGasPropertiesWithProvedReserves
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Costs incurred, including capitalized costs and costs charged to expense, associated with the acquisition of oil and gas properties that have unproved reserves.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 932
-SubTopic 235
-Section 50
-Paragraph 19
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51678428&loc=d3e62038-109447

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 932
-SubTopic 235
-Section 50
-Paragraph 18
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51678428&loc=d3e62014-109447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CostsIncurredAcquisitionOfUnprovedOilAndGasProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Development costs incurred, including capitalized costs and costs charged to expense, in oil and gas activities.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CostsIncurredDevelopmentCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Exploration costs incurred, including capitalized costs and costs charged to expense, in oil and gas activities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Exploration
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6512329

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 932
-SubTopic 235
-Section 50
-Paragraph 18
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51678428&loc=d3e62014-109447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CostsIncurredExplorationCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OilAndGasExplorationAndProductionIndustriesDisclosuresAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration