Consolidated Statements Of Stockholders' Equity (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Pioneer Southwest [Member]	Pioneer Southwest [Member] Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]	Pioneer Southwest [Member] Noncontrolling Interests [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	$ 4,226,025	$ 1,262	$ 3,022,768	$ (421,235)	$ 1,510,427	$ 7,361	$ 105,442
Beginning Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2010	115,309,000
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	5,500,000
Issuance of Common Stock	484,160	55	484,105
Sale of Pioneer Southwest common units, net of tax								35,091	26,915	8,176
Issuance of Pioneer Southwest common units, net of tax								48,792	8,104	40,688
Dividends declared ($0.08 per share)	(9,498)				(9,498)
Exercise of long-term incentive plan stock options and employee stock purchases, shares	76,000
Exercise of long-term incentive plan stock options and employee stock purchases	3,696		951	3,097	(352)
Purchase of treasury stock, shares	(439,000)
Purchase of treasury stock	(40,355)			(40,157)			(198)
Conversion of 2.875% senior convertible notes, shares	0
Conversion of 2.875% senior convertible notes	(6)		(20)	14
Tax benefits related to stock-based compensation	31,087		31,087
Deferred tax provision attributable to 2008 Pioneer Southwest initial public offering									0
Pioneer Southwest noncontrolling interest transferred to APIC									0
Pioneer Southwest merger transaction costs									0
Deferred tax benefit associated with the Pioneer Southwest merger									0
Disposition of subsidiary	(510)		(510)
Compensation costs:
Vested compensation awards, net, shares	1,410,000
Vested compensation awards, net	0	14	(14)
Compensation costs included in net income	41,673		40,422				1,251
Cash distributions to noncontrolling interests	(26,702)						(26,702)
Net income (loss)	881,914				834,489		47,425
Deferred hedging activity, net of tax:
Net hedge (gains) losses included in continuing operations	(24,229)					(10,491)	(13,738)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	5,651,138	1,331	3,613,808	(458,281)	2,335,066	(3,130)	162,344
Ending Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2011	121,856,000
Sale of Pioneer Southwest common units, net of tax									0
Issuance of Pioneer Southwest common units, net of tax									0
Dividends declared ($0.08 per share)	(9,989)				(9,989)
Exercise of long-term incentive plan stock options and employee stock purchases, shares	195,000
Exercise of long-term incentive plan stock options and employee stock purchases	7,271		(849)	10,842	(2,722)
Purchase of treasury stock, shares	(542,000)
Purchase of treasury stock	(63,325)			(63,136)			(189)
Conversion of 2.875% senior convertible notes, shares	0
Conversion of 2.875% senior convertible notes	0		(5)	5
Tax benefits related to stock-based compensation	58,486		58,486
Deferred tax provision attributable to 2008 Pioneer Southwest initial public offering	(49,072)		(49,072)						(49,072)
Pioneer Southwest noncontrolling interest transferred to APIC									0
Pioneer Southwest merger transaction costs									0
Deferred tax benefit associated with the Pioneer Southwest merger									0
Compensation costs:
Vested compensation awards, net, shares	1,847,000
Vested compensation awards, net	0	19	(19)
Compensation costs included in net income	62,750		61,585				1,165
Cash distributions to noncontrolling interests	(35,903)						(35,903)
Net income (loss)	242,822				192,285		50,537
Deferred hedging activity, net of tax:
Net hedge (gains) losses included in continuing operations	3,130					3,130	0
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	5,867,308	1,350	3,683,934	(510,570)	2,514,640	0	177,954
Ending Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2012	123,356,000
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	10,350,000
Issuance of Common Stock	1,280,916	103	1,280,813
Sale of Pioneer Southwest common units, net of tax									0
Issuance of Pioneer Southwest common units, net of tax									0
Dividends declared ($0.08 per share)	(11,145)				(11,145)
Exercise of long-term incentive plan stock options and employee stock purchases, shares	222,000
Exercise of long-term incentive plan stock options and employee stock purchases	10,054		11	10,043	0
Purchase of treasury stock, shares	(154,000)
Purchase of treasury stock	(20,102)			(20,102)
Conversion of 2.875% senior convertible notes, shares	4,381,000
Conversion of 2.875% senior convertible notes	(8)		(197,240)	197,232
Tax benefit related to conversion of 2.875% senior convertible notes	38,415		38,415
Tax benefits related to stock-based compensation	17,639		17,639
Deferred tax provision attributable to 2008 Pioneer Southwest initial public offering									0
Issuance of treasury stock to acquire outstanding PSE units, shares	3,956,000
Issuance of treasury stock to acquire outstanding PSE units	0		(178,621)	178,621
Pioneer Southwest noncontrolling interest transferred to APIC	0		168,685				(168,685)		168,685
Pioneer Southwest merger transaction costs	(3,880)		(3,880)						(3,880)
Deferred tax benefit associated with the Pioneer Southwest merger	200,091		200,091						200,091
Compensation costs:
Vested compensation awards, net, shares	517,000
Vested compensation awards, net	0	5	(5)
Compensation costs included in net income	71,073		69,979				1,094
Cash distributions to noncontrolling interests	(36,054)						(36,054)
Net income (loss)	(799,549)				(838,414)		38,865
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 6,614,758	$ 1,458	$ 5,079,821	$ (144,776)	$ 1,665,081		$ 13,174
Ending Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2013	142,628,000