Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Commodity price contracts	Dec. 31, 2012 Total Carrying Value Non-recurring basis	Dec. 31, 2010 Total Carrying Value Non-recurring basis	Dec. 31, 2012 Total Carrying Value Commodity price contracts Recurring basis	Dec. 31, 2011 Total Carrying Value Commodity price contracts Recurring basis	Dec. 31, 2012 Level 2 Commodity price contracts Recurring basis	Dec. 31, 2011 Level 2 Commodity price contracts Recurring basis	Dec. 31, 2012 Level 3 Non-recurring basis	Dec. 31, 2010 Level 3 Non-recurring basis
Fair Value Measurements
Maximum period of interest rate paid on floating-rate debt	3 months
Fair Value Measurements
Total net fair value of derivative assets					$ 1,960,005			$ 1,960,005	$ 4,248,194	$ 1,960,005	$ 4,248,194
Impairment of proved properties						149,515,252	2,320,977					35,149,381	1,847,872
Impairment of proved properties	$ 114,365,871	$ 473,105
Pre-tax discount rate (as a percent)			10.00%	15.00%