GUARANTOR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Operating revenue:
Oil production									$ 281,246	$ 416,497	$ 516,104
Natural gas production									64,601	83,509	166,494
Natural gas liquids production									28,888	32,322	85,642
Other operational income									2,657	4,369	7,951
Derivative income, net									0	7,952	19,351
Total operating revenue	$ 113,107	$ 94,427	$ 89,319	$ 80,677	$ 110,499	$ 132,196	$ 149,525	$ 153,498	377,392	544,649	795,542
Operating expenses:
Lease operating expenses									79,650	100,139	176,495
Transportation, processing and gathering expenses									27,760	58,847	64,951
Production taxes									3,148	6,877	12,151
Depreciation, depletion, amortization									220,079	281,688	340,006
Write-down of oil and gas properties	73,094	36,484	118,649	129,204	351,062	295,679	224,294	491,412	357,431	1,362,447	351,192
Accretion expense									40,229	25,988	28,411
Salaries, general and administrative expenses									58,928	69,384	66,451
Incentive compensation expense									13,475	2,242	10,361
Restructuring fees	13,424	5,784	9,436	953					29,597	0	0
Other operational expenses	6,187	9,059	27,680	12,527					55,453	2,360	862
Derivative expense, net									810	0	0
Total operating expenses									886,560	1,909,972	1,050,880
Loss from operations	(90,234)	(72,128)	(174,656)	(172,150)	(342,759)	(297,209)	(228,161)	(497,194)	(509,168)	(1,365,323)	(255,338)
Other (income) expenses:
Interest expense									64,458	43,928	38,855
Interest income									(550)	(580)	(574)
Other income									(1,439)	(1,783)	(2,332)
Other expense									596	434	274
Reorganization items	10,947	0	0	0					10,947	0	0
Loss from investment in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Total other expenses									74,012	41,999	36,223
Loss before income taxes									(583,180)	(1,407,322)	(291,561)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes:
Current									(5,674)	(44,096)	159
Deferred									13,080	(272,311)	(102,177)
Total income taxes									7,406	(316,407)	(102,018)
Net loss	$ (116,406)	$ (89,635)	$ (195,761)	$ (188,784)	$ (318,656)	$ (291,965)	$ (152,906)	$ (327,388)	(590,586)	(1,090,915)	(189,543)
Comprehensive loss									(608,538)	(1,156,278)	(104,166)
Eliminations
Operating revenue:
Oil production									0	0	0
Natural gas production									0	0	0
Natural gas liquids production									0	0	0
Other operational income									0	0	0
Derivative income, net										0	0
Total operating revenue									0	0	0
Operating expenses:
Lease operating expenses									0	0	0
Transportation, processing and gathering expenses									0	0	0
Production taxes									0	0	0
Depreciation, depletion, amortization									0	0	0
Write-down of oil and gas properties									0	0	0
Accretion expense									0	0	0
Salaries, general and administrative expenses									0	0	0
Incentive compensation expense									0	0	0
Restructuring fees									0
Other operational expenses									0	0	0
Derivative expense, net									0
Total operating expenses									0	0	0
Loss from operations									0	0	0
Other (income) expenses:
Interest expense									0	0	0
Interest income									0	0	0
Other income									0	0	0
Other expense									0	0	0
Reorganization items									0
Loss from investment in subsidiaries									(299,064)	(279,442)	133,368
Total other expenses									(299,064)	(279,442)	133,368
Loss before income taxes									299,064	279,442	(133,368)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes:
Current									0	0	0
Deferred									0	0	0
Total income taxes									0	0	0
Net loss									299,064	279,442	(133,368)
Comprehensive loss									299,064	279,442	(133,368)
Parent
Operating revenue:
Oil production									9,268	12,804	29,701
Natural gas production									25,276	41,646	86,812
Natural gas liquids production									22,142	22,375	61,200
Other operational income									2,657	4,369	7,551
Derivative income, net										0	0
Total operating revenue									59,343	81,194	185,264
Operating expenses:
Lease operating expenses									12,048	16,264	18,719
Transportation, processing and gathering expenses									28,091	50,247	53,028
Production taxes									2,387	5,631	8,324
Depreciation, depletion, amortization									67,059	123,724	138,313
Write-down of oil and gas properties									26,706	785,463	351,192
Accretion expense									232	365	230
Salaries, general and administrative expenses									59,127	69,147	66,430
Incentive compensation expense									13,475	2,242	10,361
Restructuring fees									29,597
Other operational expenses									49,247	2,360	669
Derivative expense, net									0
Total operating expenses									287,969	1,055,443	647,266
Loss from operations									(228,626)	(974,249)	(462,002)
Other (income) expenses:
Interest expense									64,458	43,907	38,810
Interest income									(503)	(327)	(333)
Other income									(482)	(617)	(836)
Other expense									596	434	274
Reorganization items									10,947
Loss from investment in subsidiaries									292,618	231,783	(133,336)
Total other expenses									367,634	275,180	(95,421)
Loss before income taxes									(596,260)	(1,249,429)	(366,581)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes:
Current									(5,674)	(44,096)	159
Deferred									0	(114,418)	(177,197)
Total income taxes									(5,674)	(158,514)	(177,038)
Net loss									(590,586)	(1,090,915)	(189,543)
Comprehensive loss									(608,538)	(1,156,278)	(104,166)
Guarantor Subsidiary
Operating revenue:
Oil production									271,978	403,693	486,403
Natural gas production									39,325	41,863	79,682
Natural gas liquids production									6,746	9,947	24,442
Other operational income									0	0	400
Derivative income, net										7,952	19,351
Total operating revenue									318,049	463,455	610,278
Operating expenses:
Lease operating expenses									67,589	83,872	157,776
Transportation, processing and gathering expenses									(331)	8,600	11,923
Production taxes									761	1,246	3,827
Depreciation, depletion, amortization									153,020	157,964	201,693
Write-down of oil and gas properties									330,373	529,354	0
Accretion expense									39,997	25,623	28,181
Salaries, general and administrative expenses									(199)	201	4
Incentive compensation expense									0	0	0
Restructuring fees									0
Other operational expenses									125	0	193
Derivative expense, net									810
Total operating expenses									592,145	806,860	403,597
Loss from operations									(274,096)	(343,405)	206,681
Other (income) expenses:
Interest expense									0	21	45
Interest income									(47)	(246)	(192)
Other income									(957)	(1,163)	(1,496)
Other expense									0	0	0
Reorganization items									0
Loss from investment in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Total other expenses									(1,004)	(1,388)	(1,643)
Loss before income taxes									(273,092)	(342,017)	208,324
Provision (benefit) for income taxes:
Current									0	0	0
Deferred									13,080	(157,893)	75,020
Total income taxes									13,080	(157,893)	75,020
Net loss									(286,172)	(184,124)	133,304
Comprehensive loss									(286,172)	(184,124)	133,304
Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Operating revenue:
Oil production									0	0	0
Natural gas production									0	0	0
Natural gas liquids production									0	0	0
Other operational income									0	0	0
Derivative income, net										0	0
Total operating revenue									0	0	0
Operating expenses:
Lease operating expenses									13	3	0
Transportation, processing and gathering expenses									0	0	0
Production taxes									0	0	0
Depreciation, depletion, amortization									0	0	0
Write-down of oil and gas properties									352	47,630	0
Accretion expense									0	0	0
Salaries, general and administrative expenses									0	36	17
Incentive compensation expense									0	0	0
Restructuring fees									0
Other operational expenses									6,081	0	0
Derivative expense, net									0
Total operating expenses									6,446	47,669	17
Loss from operations									(6,446)	(47,669)	(17)
Other (income) expenses:
Interest expense									0	0	0
Interest income									0	(7)	(49)
Other income									0	(3)	0
Other expense									0	0	0
Reorganization items									0
Loss from investment in subsidiaries									6,446	47,659	(32)
Total other expenses									6,446	47,649	(81)
Loss before income taxes									(12,892)	(95,318)	64
Provision (benefit) for income taxes:
Current									0	0	0
Deferred									0	0	0
Total income taxes									0	0	0
Net loss									(12,892)	(95,318)	64
Comprehensive loss									$ (12,892)	$ (95,318)	$ 64