Fair Value of Derivative and Balance Sheet Location (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Derivatives, Fair Value
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	$ 151,679	$ 31,824
Derivative liability, gross	110,417	3,613
Current Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	0	312
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	138,652	28,078
Current Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	12,988	2,392
Derivative liability, gross	63,957	2,921
Non Current Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	6,316	0
Derivative liability, gross	46,460	692
Commodity Contracts Related to Natural Gas and Crude Oil Sales \| Current Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	138,652	27,766
Commodity Contracts Related to Natural Gas and Crude Oil Sales \| Non Current Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	13,027	3,746
Commodity Contracts Related to Natural Gas and Crude Oil Sales \| Current Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	50,969	529
Commodity Contracts Related to Natural Gas and Crude Oil Sales \| Non Current Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Fair Value of Derivatives	$ 40,144	$ 692

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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393222&loc=SL20226000-175313

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118948506&loc=SL51823488-111719

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-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 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (a),(c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624163-113959

+ 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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118948506&loc=SL51823488-111719

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (a),(c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624163-113959

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-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 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393222&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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&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_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_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=pdce_CommodityContractsRelatedToNaturalGasAndCrudeOilSalesMember
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: