CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net loss		$ (556,798)	$ (107,452)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net gain on divestiture activity		(3,413)	(38,497)
Depletion, depreciation, amortization, and asset retirement obligation liability accretion		619,193	680,984
Exploratory dry hole expense		(16)	22,860
Impairment of proved properties		277,834	124,430
Abandonment and impairment of unproved properties		5,917	24,046
Stock-based compensation expense		20,485	20,492
Change in Net Profits Plan liability		(6,449)	(13,174)
Derivative (gain) loss		121,086	(285,491)
Derivative settlement gain		306,234	387,719
Amortization of discount and deferred financing costs		5,687	5,803
Non-cash (gain) loss on extinguishment of debt, net		(15,722)	4,123
Deferred income taxes		(314,770)	(80,388)
Plugging and abandonment		(5,222)	(5,540)
Other, net		(2,392)	3,670
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable		1,221	105,336
Prepaid expenses and other		7,652	587
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		(65,166)	(74,247)
Accrued derivative settlements		19,651	9,588
Net cash provided by operating activities		415,012	784,849
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net proceeds from the sale of oil and gas properties		201,829	335,103
Capital expenditures		(492,794)	(1,261,871)
Acquisition of proved and unproved oil and gas properties		(21,853)	(7,088)
Acquisition Deposit Held in Escrow		(49,000)	0
Other, net		0	(990)
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities		(361,818)	(934,846)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from credit facility		743,000	1,604,500
Repayment of credit facility		(945,000)	(1,586,500)
Debt issuance costs related to credit facility		(3,132)	0
Net proceeds from Senior Notes		492,397	490,951
Cash paid to repurchase Senior Notes		(29,904)	(350,000)
Net proceeds from Senior Convertible Notes		166,681	0
Cash paid for capped transactions		(24,109)	0
Net proceeds from sale of common stock		533,266	3,157
Dividends paid		(3,404)	(3,373)
Net share settlement from issuance of stock awards		(2,341)	(8,502)
Other, net		0	(159)
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities		927,454	150,074
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		980,648	77
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		18	120
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		980,666	197
Supplemental schedule of additional cash flow information and non-cash activities:
Cash paid for interest, net of capitalized interest	[1]	88,109	88,920
Net cash (refunded) paid for income taxes		(4,481)	492
Changes in capital expenditure accruals and other		(1,287)	$ (183,945)
Cash Paid To Terminate Second Lien Facility		$ 10,000

[1] Cash paid for interest, net of capitalized interest for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, does not include the $10.0 million paid to terminate a second lien facility that was no longer necessary to fund acquisition activity.