Compensation Plans (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended						9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014 award	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 award	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 APO Incentive Plan Minimum	Sep. 30, 2014 APO Incentive Plan Maximum	Sep. 30, 2014 APO Reward Plan area award	Sep. 30, 2014 APO Reward Plan Full vesting Date May 1, 2015 award	Sep. 30, 2014 APO Reward Plan Full vesting Date August 1, 2015 award	Sep. 30, 2014 APO Reward Plan Full Vesting Date June 23, 2016 award	Sep. 30, 2014 APO Reward Plan Minimum	Sep. 30, 2014 APO Reward Plan Maximum	Jan. 31, 2007 SWR Reward Plan well
Non-Equity Award Plans
Options grants in period, shares			0	0
Options exercised in period, shares			4,000
Options exercised in period, intrinsic value			$ 262,890
Subsequent revenues received by participants (as a percent)						99.00%	100.00%
Subsequent expenses paid by participants (as a percent)						99.00%	100.00%
Economic interests in specified wells drilled or acquired as part of the plan (as a percent)						5.00%	7.50%
Number of specified areas in which awards granted								15
Quarterly bonus amount, percentage of after-payout cash flow from wells drilled or recompleted, one								7.00%
Quarterly bonus amount, percentage of after-payout cash flow from wells drilled or recompleted, two								10.00%
Number of awards with specified vesting date								15	2	2	3
Number of awards vested	8		8
Percentage of working interest in well														22.50%
Number of wells, working interest														1
Percentage of subsequent quarterly bonus amounts after full vesting date payable to participants														100.00%
Vesting period												2 years	5 years
Compensation expense recorded	(5,700,000)	1,800,000	12,400,000	(900,000)
Current liabilities:
Accrued liabilities and other	3,701,000		3,701,000		3,317,000
Non-current liabilities:
Accrued compensation under non-equity award plans	25,064,000		25,064,000		15,469,000
Total accrued compensation under non-equity award plans	$ 28,765,000		$ 28,765,000		$ 18,786,000