Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			96 Months Ended					1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011 years days	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 12, 2011	Dec. 31, 2008	Dec. 31, 2004	Dec. 31, 2011 Sendero [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 EFS Midstream [Member] years	Dec. 12, 2011 Pioneer Southwest [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Pioneer Southwest [Member]	Nov. 16, 2009 Pioneer Southwest [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Tunisian Subsidiaries [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Limited Partner Interest [Member] Pioneer Southwest [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 General Partner Interest [Member] Pioneer Southwest [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Land and Building [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Land and Building [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Wells and Related Equipment and Facilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Wells and Related Equipment and Facilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Transportation Equipment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Transportation Equipment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Furniture and Fixtures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Leasehold Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Leasehold Improvements [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other Energy Equipment [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Partnerships interest of oil and gas threshold		the Company proportionately consolidates certain affiliate partnerships that are less than wholly-owned and are involved in oil and gas producing activities.
Marketable securities issuance maturity date, in days		90
Accounts receivable - trade		$ 275,991,000	$ 237,511,000		$ 275,991,000
Investments available for sale		0	0		0
Partnerships interest			61.90%												52.40%	0.10%
Issued Common Units						4,400,000					2,600,000	2,600,000	3,100,000
Issued common units, offering price						$ 29.20
Sale of Common Units		1,800,000									1,800,000
Percentage of interest sold										49.90%
Interest and other		101,960,000	56,972,000	101,589,000
Allowances for doubtful accounts		1,146,000	3,674,000	14,299,000	1,146,000
Number of operating drilling rigs									15
Noncontrolling interest in net assets subsidiaries		162,300,000	105,400,000		162,300,000
Noncontrolling interest in consolidating subsidiaries		162,344,000	105,442,000		162,344,000
Total stockholders' equity		5,651,138,000	4,226,025,000	3,643,031,000	5,651,138,000		3,679,613,000
Net income (Loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interests		47,425,000	40,787,000	9,839,000
Proceeds from sale of interest in EFS Midstream										46,400,000
Deferred gain on sale of EFS midstream										46,200,000
EFS midstream deferred gain amortization period, years										20
Materials and supplies inventories		297,900,000	183,400,000		297,900,000
Commodities		4,500,000	3,900,000		4,500,000
Net materials and supplies inventories reserves		900,000	3,600,000		900,000
Inventory value classified as other noncurrent assets		60,800,000	13,700,000		60,800,000
Inventories classified as discontinued operations held for sale														13,600,000
Natural gas processing plants number		4
Treating facilities number		10
Operational natural gas processing plants		2
Operational treating facilities		10
Third party revenues, processing plants and treating facilities		46,000,000	34,000,000	26,500,000
Third party expenses, processing plants and treating facilities		22,700,000	14,300,000	13,700,000
Goodwill associated with business combination								327,800,000
Reduction in goodwill					29,700,000
Reduction in goodwill as a charge to gain from sale of US reporting unit			10,600,000	1,300,000
Tax benefit associated with exercise of stock options			17,800,000
Other property, plant and equipment		573,075,000	283,542,000		573,075,000												160,800,000	78,100,000	326,000,000	155,900,000	28,100,000	12,900,000	34,600,000	22,300,000	20,500,000	14,300,000	3,100,000
Accumulated depreciation property, plant and equipment, other assets		297,500,000	235,300,000		297,500,000
Economic useful lives minimum (in years)		2
Economic useful lives maximum (in years)		12
Basis points added to variable interest rate		225
Common stock, issued	5,500,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	$ 484,200,000	$ 484,160,000
Drilling rigs owned		15
Fracture stimulation fleets		10			10
Stock-based compensation awards, maximum vesting period (years)		three