Represents the number of specified areas in which awards are granted under the plan by the entity.

No definition available.

Name:	cwei_AwardsGrantedNumberOfSpecifiedAreas
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The compensation expense recognized during the period pertaining to the non-equity award plans.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cwei_CompensationArrangementOtherThanShareBasedCompensationAwardCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the vesting period over which the estimated compensation expense applicable to the non-equity award plan is recognized.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cwei_CompensationArrangementOtherThanShareBasedCompensationAwardVestingPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	cwei_CompensationArrangementOtherThanShareBasedCompensationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of Awards Expected To Vest

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cwei_NumberofAwardsExpectedToVest
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of fully vested awards under the non-equity award plans.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cwei_NumberOfAwardsVested
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of awards under the plan vesting on a specified date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cwei_NumberOfAwardsWithSpecifiedVestingDate
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the percentage of economic interests in specified wells drilled or acquired by the entity subjected to the non-equity award plans.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cwei_PercentageOfEconomicInterestsInSpecifiedWellsDrilledOrAcquiredSubjectedToPlan
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of subsequent expenses payable by the participants under the non-equity award plans at payout.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cwei_PercentageOfSubsequentExpensesPaidByParticipants
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of all subsequent quarterly bonus amounts after the full vesting date, payable to participants.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cwei_PercentageOfSubsequentQuarterlyBonusAmountsAfterFullVestingDatePayableToParticipants
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of subsequent revenues received by the participants under the non-equity award plans at payout.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cwei_PercentageOfSubsequentRevenuesReceivedByParticipants
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of working interest in well used for establishing quarterly bonus amount.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cwei_PercentageOfWorkingInterestInWell
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the established quarterly bonus amount equal to specified percentage of after-payout cash flow from wells drilled or recompleted in the respective areas, one.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cwei_QuarterlyBonusAmountPercentageOfAfterPayoutCashFlowFromWellsDrilledOrRecompletedInSpecifiedAreasOne
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the established quarterly bonus amount equal to specified percentage of after-payout cash flow from wells drilled or recompleted in the respective areas, two.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cwei_QuarterlyBonusAmountPercentageOfAfterPayoutCashFlowFromWellsDrilledOrRecompletedInSpecifiedAreasTwo
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of wells in which the company has working interest.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cwei_WorkingInterestNumberOfWells
Namespace Prefix:	cwei_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for all deferred compensation arrangements payable beyond one year (or the operating cycle, if longer).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for all deferred compensation arrangements payable within one year (or the operating cycle, if longer). Represents currently earned compensation under compensation arrangements that is not actually paid until a later date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 710

-SubTopic 10

-Section 30

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6409875&loc=d3e20028-108363

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 710

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 9

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6409733&loc=d3e19512-108361

+ Details

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

- Definition

Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for all deferred compensation arrangements. Represents currently earned compensation under compensation arrangements that is not actually paid until a later date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	cwei_CompensationArrangementOtherThanShareBasedCompensationByPlanNameAxis=cwei_AfterPayoutIncentivePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cwei_CompensationArrangementOtherThanShareBasedCompensationByPlanNameAxis=cwei_AfterPayoutRewardPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	cwei_CompensationArrangementOtherThanShareBasedCompensationByPlanNameAxis=cwei_SouthwestRoyaltiesRewardPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Period Type:

Compensation Plans (Details 4) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
Compensation Plans (Details 4) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jan. 31, 2007 well
Non-Equity Award Plans
Compensation expense recorded	$ 4,600,000	$ 2,100,000	$ 2,100,000
Current liabilities:
Accrued liabilities and other	2,317,000	3,317,000
Non-current liabilities:
Accrued compensation under non-equity award plans	17,866,000	15,469,000
Total accrued compensation under non-equity award plans	$ 20,183,000	$ 18,786,000
Minimum
Non-Equity Award Plans
Vesting period	2 years
Maximum
Non-Equity Award Plans
Vesting period	5 years
APO Incentive Plan \| Minimum
Non-Equity Award Plans
Subsequent revenues received by participants (as a percent)	99.00%
Subsequent expenses paid by participants (as a percent)	99.00%
Economic interests in specified wells drilled or acquired as part of the plan (as a percent)	5.00%
APO Incentive Plan \| Maximum
Non-Equity Award Plans
Subsequent revenues received by participants (as a percent)	100.00%
Subsequent expenses paid by participants (as a percent)	100.00%
Economic interests in specified wells drilled or acquired as part of the plan (as a percent)	7.50%
APO Reward Plan
Non-Equity Award Plans
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
Number of award fully vested	8
APO Reward Plan \| Full vesting date, May 1, 2015
Non-Equity Award Plans
Number of Awards Expected To Vest	2
APO Reward Plan \| Full vesting date, August 1,2015
Non-Equity Award Plans
Number of Awards Expected To Vest	2
APO Reward Plan \| Full vesting date, June 23, 2016
Non-Equity Award Plans
Number of Awards Expected To Vest	3
SWR Reward Plan
Non-Equity Award Plans
Percentage of working interest in well				22.50%
Number of wells, working interest				1
SWR Reward Plan \| Full vesting date, October 25, 2011
Non-Equity Award Plans
Percentage of subsequent quarterly bonus amounts after full vesting date payable to participants				100.00%