Consolidated Statement of Equity (Statement) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Total	Parent [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Stockholders' Equity Beginning, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest at Dec. 31, 2008			$ 0	$ 149	$ (292)	$ 5,818	$ 505,906	$ 694
Shares issued pursuant to sale of equity				4,312,500
Exercise of stock options				0
Issuance of stock awards, net of forfeitures				79,246
Retirement of treasury shares				(21,397)	(21,397)
Purchase of treasury shares					21,397
Issuance of treasury shares					0
Non-employee directors' deferred compensation plan					1,207
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Purchase of treasury shares	(364)				(364)
Convertible debt discount, net of issuance costs and taxes						0
Retirement of treasury shares					364	(364)
Issuance of stock awards, net of forfeitures				0		0
Share-based Compensation expense	5,935					5,935
Issuance of treasury shares					0	0
Tax benefit (detriment) of stock-based compensation						(1,630)
Contribution by investing partner in PDCM	55,000					55,000
Effect of PDCM deconsolidation/change in ownership interest						(48,800)
Non-employee directors' deferred compensation plan					(20)
Net income (Loss) attributable to shareholders	(79,277)						(79,277)
Shares issued pursuant to sale of equity				43		48,447
Noncontrolling Interest in PDC Mountaineer, LLC								48,800
Net loss attributed to noncontrolling interest in subsidiary	(1,816)							(1,816)
Stockholders' Equity Ending, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest at Dec. 31, 2009	538,593	490,915	0	192	(312)	64,406	426,629	47,678
Shares, Issued at Dec. 31, 2009				19,242,219	8,273
Shares end of year at Dec. 31, 2009				19,233,946
Shares issued pursuant to sale of equity				4,140,000
Exercise of stock options				0
Issuance of stock awards, net of forfeitures				110,680
Retirement of treasury shares				(30,573)	(30,573)
Purchase of treasury shares					30,573
Issuance of treasury shares					0
Non-employee directors' deferred compensation plan					(5,335)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Purchase of treasury shares	(788)				(788)
Convertible debt discount, net of issuance costs and taxes						12,165
Retirement of treasury shares					788	(788)
Issuance of stock awards, net of forfeitures				2		(2)
Share-based Compensation expense	5,314					5,314
Issuance of treasury shares					0	0
Tax benefit (detriment) of stock-based compensation						(164)
Contribution by investing partner in PDCM	20,077					20,077
Effect of PDCM deconsolidation/change in ownership interest						(17,275)
Non-employee directors' deferred compensation plan					201
Net income (Loss) attributable to shareholders	6,214						6,214
Shares issued pursuant to sale of equity				41		125,465
Noncontrolling Interest in PDC Mountaineer, LLC								(47,322)
Net loss attributed to noncontrolling interest in subsidiary	(280)							(280)
Stockholders' Equity Ending, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest at Dec. 31, 2010	642,241	642,165	0	235	(111)	209,198	432,843	76
Shares, Issued at Dec. 31, 2010				23,462,326	2,938
Shares end of year at Dec. 31, 2010				23,459,388
Shares issued pursuant to sale of equity				0
Exercise of stock options				2,814
Issuance of stock awards, net of forfeitures				242,334
Retirement of treasury shares				(72,516)	(72,516)
Purchase of treasury shares					87,588
Issuance of treasury shares					(15,072)
Non-employee directors' deferred compensation plan					0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Purchase of treasury shares	(3,143)				(3,143)
Convertible debt discount, net of issuance costs and taxes						0
Retirement of treasury shares					2,671	(2,671)
Issuance of stock awards, net of forfeitures				1		(1)
Share-based Compensation expense	8,781					8,781
Issuance of treasury shares					472	(472)
Tax benefit (detriment) of stock-based compensation						786
Contribution by investing partner in PDCM	12,464					12,464
Effect of PDCM deconsolidation/change in ownership interest						(10,378)
Non-employee directors' deferred compensation plan					0
Net income (Loss) attributable to shareholders	13,437						13,437
Shares issued pursuant to sale of equity				0		0
Noncontrolling Interest in PDC Mountaineer, LLC								0
Net loss attributed to noncontrolling interest in subsidiary	0							(76)
Stockholders' Equity Ending, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 664,112	$ 664,112		$ 236	$ (111)	$ 217,707	$ 446,280	$ 0
Shares, Issued at Dec. 31, 2011				23,634,958	2,938
Shares end of year at Dec. 31, 2011				23,632,020