Condensed Consolidated Statements of Shareholders Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Treasury Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Retained Earnings	Continental Resources Shareholders' Equity	Noncontrolling Interest
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Noncontrolling interests								$ 0
Total Equity	$ 5,131,203
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017		$ 3,752	$ 1,409,326		$ 307	$ 3,717,818	$ 5,131,203
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2017		375,219,769
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Continental Resources						233,946	233,946
Net income	233,946
Other comprehensive income, net of tax (unaudited)	2				2		2
Stock-based compensation (unaudited)	10,905		10,905				10,905
Restricted stock:
Granted (unaudited)	12	$ 12					12
Granted (unaudited), shares		1,180,032
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited)	(14,846)	$ (3)	(14,843)				(14,846)
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited), shares		(276,108)
Forfeited (unaudited), shares		(66,489)
Forfeitures (unaudited)	(1)	$ (1)					(1)
Balance at Mar. 31, 2018		$ 3,760	1,405,388		309	3,951,764	5,361,221
Balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2018		376,057,204
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017		$ 3,752	1,409,326		307	3,717,818	5,131,203
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2017		375,219,769
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Continental Resources	790,580
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0
Net income	790,580
Other comprehensive income, net of tax (unaudited)	123
Balance at Sep. 30, 2018		$ 3,760	1,426,222		430	4,508,398	5,938,810
Balance, shares at Sep. 30, 2018		375,995,294
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Noncontrolling interests								0
Total Equity	5,361,221
Balance at Mar. 31, 2018		$ 3,760	1,405,388		309	3,951,764	5,361,221
Balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2018		376,057,204
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Continental Resources						242,465	242,465
Net income	242,465
Other comprehensive income, net of tax (unaudited)	16				16		16
Stock-based compensation (unaudited)	10,560		10,560				10,560
Restricted stock:
Granted (unaudited)	1	$ 1					1
Granted (unaudited), shares		97,459
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited)	(773)	$ 0	(773)				(773)
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited), shares		(11,398)
Forfeited (unaudited), shares		(112,468)
Forfeitures (unaudited)	(1)	$ (1)					(1)
Balance at Jun. 30, 2018		$ 3,760	1,415,175		325	4,194,229	5,613,489
Balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2018		376,030,797
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Noncontrolling interests								0
Total Equity	5,613,489
Net income attributable to Continental Resources	314,169					314,169	314,169
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0
Net income	314,169
Other comprehensive income, net of tax (unaudited)	105				105		105
Stock-based compensation (unaudited)	11,731		11,731				11,731
Restricted stock:
Granted (unaudited)	0	$ 0					0
Granted (unaudited), shares		55,214
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited)	(684)	$ 0	(684)				(684)
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited), shares		(11,142)
Forfeited (unaudited), shares		(79,575)
Forfeitures (unaudited)	0	$ 0					0
Balance at Sep. 30, 2018		$ 3,760	1,426,222		430	4,508,398	5,938,810
Balance, shares at Sep. 30, 2018		375,995,294
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Noncontrolling interests								0
Total Equity	5,938,810
Noncontrolling interests	276,728							276,728
Total Equity	6,421,861
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 6,145,133	$ 3,760	1,434,823		415	4,706,135	6,145,133
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2018	376,021,575	376,021,575
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Continental Resources						186,976	186,976
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests								(483)
Net income	$ 186,493
Other comprehensive income, net of tax (unaudited)	116				116		116
Contributions from Noncontrolling Interests	42,204							42,204
Distributions to Noncontrolling Interests	(3,856)							(3,856)
Stock-based compensation (unaudited)	12,095		12,095				12,095
Restricted stock:
Granted (unaudited)	13	$ 13					13
Granted (unaudited), shares		1,333,602
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited)	(20,622)	$ (4)	(20,618)				(20,622)
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited), shares		(439,419)
Forfeited (unaudited), shares		(147,074)
Forfeitures (unaudited)	(1)	$ (1)					(1)
Balance at Mar. 31, 2019		$ 3,768	1,426,300		531	4,893,111	6,323,710
Balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2019		376,768,684
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 6,145,133	$ 3,760	1,434,823		415	4,706,135	6,145,133
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2018	376,021,575	376,021,575
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Continental Resources	$ 581,695
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,330)
Net income	580,365
Other comprehensive income, net of tax (unaudited)	$ 128
Restricted stock:
Granted (unaudited), shares	1,496,186
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited)	$ (172,000)
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited), shares	(5,006,553)
Forfeited (unaudited), shares	(314,613)
Balance at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 6,551,985	$ 3,717	1,278,482		543	5,269,243	6,551,985
Balance, shares at Sep. 30, 2019	371,730,488	371,730,488
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Noncontrolling interests								314,593
Total Equity	$ 6,638,303
Balance at Mar. 31, 2019		$ 3,768	1,426,300		531	4,893,111	6,323,710
Balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2019		376,768,684
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Continental Resources						236,557	236,557
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests								(107)
Net income	236,450
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(18,747)					(18,747)	(18,747)
Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Cost Method	(69,661)			$ (69,661)			(69,661)
Treasury Stock, Shares, Retired		(1,800,000)
Treasury Stock, Retired, Cost Method, Amount		$ (18)	(69,643)	(69,661)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax (unaudited)	30				30		30
Contributions from Noncontrolling Interests	35,118							35,118
Distributions to Noncontrolling Interests	(3,272)							(3,272)
Stock-based compensation (unaudited)	12,176		12,176				12,176
Restricted stock:
Granted (unaudited)	1	$ 1					1
Granted (unaudited), shares		59,639
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited)	(562)	$ (1)	(561)				(562)
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited), shares		(13,335)
Forfeited (unaudited), shares		(71,440)
Forfeitures (unaudited)	(1)	$ (1)					(1)
Balance at Jun. 30, 2019		$ 3,749	1,368,272		561	5,110,921	6,483,503
Balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2019		374,943,548
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Noncontrolling interests								346,332
Total Equity	6,829,835
Net income attributable to Continental Resources	158,162					158,162	158,162
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(740)							(740)
Net income	157,422
Change in dividends payable	160					160	160
Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Cost Method	(102,304)			(102,304)			(102,304)
Treasury Stock, Shares, Retired		(3,206,553)
Treasury Stock, Retired, Cost Method, Amount		$ (32)	(102,272)	$ (102,304)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax (unaudited)	(18)				(18)		(18)
Contributions from Noncontrolling Interests	19,713							19,713
Distributions to Noncontrolling Interests	(3,110)							(3,110)
Stock-based compensation (unaudited)	12,871		12,871				12,871
Restricted stock:
Granted (unaudited)	1	$ 1					1
Granted (unaudited), shares		102,945
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited)	(389)	$ 0	(389)				(389)
Repurchased and canceled (unaudited), shares		(13,353)
Forfeited (unaudited), shares		(96,099)
Forfeitures (unaudited)	(1)	$ (1)					(1)
Balance at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 6,551,985	$ 3,717	$ 1,278,482		$ 543	$ 5,269,243	$ 6,551,985
Balance, shares at Sep. 30, 2019	371,730,488	371,730,488
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Noncontrolling interests	$ 362,195							$ 362,195
Total Equity	$ 6,914,180