Fair Value of Derivative and Balance Sheet Location (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Derivatives, Fair Value
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	$ 219,125	$ 266,046
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	11,139	2,290
Current Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	183,484	221,659
Non Current Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	35,641	44,387
Current Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	5,173	1,595
Non Current Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	5,966	695
Commodity Contracts Related to Natural Gas and Crude Oil Sales \| Current Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	183,240	221,161
Commodity Contracts Related to Natural Gas and Crude Oil Sales \| Non Current Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	35,542	44,292
Commodity Contracts Related to Natural Gas and Crude Oil Sales \| Current Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	3,622	0
Commodity Contracts Related to Natural Gas and Crude Oil Sales \| Non Current Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	5,854	275
Commodity Contracts Related to Natural Gas Marketing \| Current Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	276	441
Commodity Contracts Related to Natural Gas Marketing \| Non Current Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	19	51
Commodity Contracts Related to Natural Gas Marketing \| Current Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	249	417
Commodity Contracts Related to Natural Gas Marketing \| Non Current Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	12	46
Basis Protection Contracts Related to Natural Gas and Crude Oil Sales \| Current Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	(32)	57
Basis Protection Contracts Related to Natural Gas and Crude Oil Sales \| Non Current Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	80	44
Basis Protection Contracts Related to Natural Gas and Crude Oil Sales \| Current Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	1,302	1,178
Basis Protection Contracts Related to Natural Gas and Crude Oil Sales \| Non Current Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	$ 100	$ 374

Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes assets elected not to be offset. Excludes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (a),(c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5624163-113959

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51825145&loc=SL20226000-175313

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51814546&loc=SL51823488-111719

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes liabilities elected not to be offset. Excludes liabilities not subject to a master netting arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51814546&loc=SL51823488-111719

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (a),(c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5624163-113959

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51825145&loc=SL20226000-175313

+ Details

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

- Definition

Fair value as of the balance sheet date of derivative instrument not designated as hedging instrument and classified as an asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5624163-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsAssetAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=pdce_CurrentAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=pdce_NonCurrentAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=pdce_CurrentLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=pdce_NonCurrentLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis=pdce_CommodityContractsRelatedToNaturalGasAndCrudeOilSalesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis=pdce_CommodityContractsRelatedToNaturalGasMarketingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis=pdce_BasisProtectionContractsRelatedToNaturalGasAndCrudeOilSalesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: