2.4.0.82202201 - Disclosure - Basis of Presentation (Policies)truefalsefalse1false falsefalseD2013Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000077159duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:001true 3pva_ScheduleOfPoliciesLineItemspva_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Schedule of Policies [Line Items]2false 4us-gaap_BasisOfAccountingPolicyPolicyTextBlockus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Basis of Presentation</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-indent:33px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-indent:33px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Our unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Penn Virginia and all of our subsidiaries. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. Our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (&#8220;U.S. GAAP&#8221;). Preparation of these statements involves the use of estimates and judgments where appropriate. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals, considered necessary for a fair presentation of our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been included. Our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">December&#160;31, 2012</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">. Operating results for the </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">six months ended June 30, 2013</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">December&#160;31, 2013</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">. Certain amounts for the 2012 period have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-indent:33px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Effective January 1, 2013, we adopted Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-02, </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> (&#8220;ASU 2013-02&#8221;). The disclosures required by ASU 2013-02 are included in Note 11. The adoption of ASU 2013-02 did not have a significant impact on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;&#160;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-indent:32px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Management has evaluated all activities of the Company, through the date upon which our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements were issued, and concluded that no subsequent events have occurred that would require recognition in our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements or disclosure in the Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.</font></div></div>falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaDisclosure of accounting policy for basis of accounting, or basis of presentation, used to prepare the financial statements (for example, US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Other Comprehensive Basis of Accounting, IFRS).No definition available.false0Basis of Presentation3false 4us-gaap_FairValueOfFinancialInstrumentsPolicyus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-indent:30px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">We apply the authoritative accounting provisions for measuring fair value of both our financial and nonfinancial assets and liabilities. Fair value is an exit price representing the expected amount we would receive upon the sale of an asset or that we would expect to pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction with market participants at the measurement date. </font></div></div>falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaDisclosure of accounting policy for determining the fair value of financial instruments.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2155942 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 107 -Paragraph 8, 10, 12, 13, 14 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. false0Fair Value Measurements4false 0truefalsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2false truefalseD2013Q2YTD_us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis_us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000077159duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:00falsefalseFair Value, Measurements, Recurringus-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMemberus-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxisexplicitMembernanafalse0Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring5true 3pva_ScheduleOfPoliciesLineItemspva_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Schedule of Policies [Line Items]6false 4us-gaap_FairValueOfFinancialInstrumentsPolicyus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-indent:32px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">We used the following methods and assumptions to estimate fair values for the financial assets and liabilities described below:</font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="padding-top:5px;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:66px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"></td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;padding-left:42px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#8226;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Commodity derivatives</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">: We determine the fair values of our commodity derivative instruments based on discounted cash flows derived from third-party quoted forward prices for West Texas Intermediate crude oil and NYMEX Henry Hub gas closing prices as of the end of the reporting periods. We generally use the income approach, using valuation techniques that convert future cash flows to a single discounted value. Each of these is a level 2 input.</font></div></td></tr></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="padding-top:5px;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:66px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"></td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;padding-left:42px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#8226;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Assets of SERP</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">: We hold various publicly traded equity securities in a Rabbi Trust as assets for funding certain deferred compensation obligations. The fair values are based on quoted market prices, which are level 1 inputs.</font></div></td></tr></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="padding-top:5px;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:66px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"></td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;padding-left:42px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#8226;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Deferred compensation - SERP obligations</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">: Certain of our deferred compensation obligations are ultimately to be settled in cash based on the underlying fair value of certain assets, including those held in the Rabbi Trust. The fair values are based on quoted market prices, which are level 1 inputs.</font></div></td></tr></table></div>falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaDisclosure of accounting policy for determining the fair value of financial instruments.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2155942 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 107 -Paragraph 8, 10, 12, 13, 14 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. false0Fair Value Measurements7false 0truefalsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3false truefalseD2013Q2YTD_us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis_us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000077159duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:00falsefalseFair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurringus-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMemberus-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxisexplicitMembernanafalse0Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring8true 3pva_ScheduleOfPoliciesLineItemspva_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Schedule of Policies [Line Items]9false 4us-gaap_FairValueOfFinancialInstrumentsPolicyus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-indent:32px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">The most significant non-recurring fair value measurements utilized in the preparation of our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are those attributable to the recognition and measurement of net assets acquired, the recognition and measurement of asset impairments and the initial determination of AROs. The factors used to determine fair value for purposes of recognizing and measuring net assets acquired and asset impairments include, but are not limited to, estimates of proved and probable reserves, future commodity prices, indicative sales prices for properties, the timing of future production and capital expenditures and a discount rate commensurate with the risk reflective of the lives remaining for the respective oil and gas properties. Because these significant fair value inputs are typically not observable, we have categorized the amounts as level 3 inputs.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-indent:32px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-indent:32px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">The determination of the fair value of AROs is based upon regional market and facility specific information. The amount of an ARO and the costs capitalized represent the estimated future cost to satisfy the abandonment obligation using current prices that are escalated by an assumed inflation factor after discounting the future cost back to the date that the abandonment obligation was incurred using a rate commensurate with the risk, which approximates our cost of funds. Because these significant fair value inputs are typically not observable, we have categorized the initial fair value estimates as level 3 inputs.</font></div></div>falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaDisclosure of accounting policy for determining the fair value of financial instruments.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2155942 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 107 -Paragraph 8, 10, 12, 13, 14 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. false0Fair Value MeasurementsfalseBasis of Presentation (Policies)UnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.pennvirginia.com/role/BasisOfPresentationPolicies19