STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT) - USD ($)	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings (Deficit)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		63,120,384
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ (197,602,113)	$ 63,121	$ 440,221,018	$ (637,886,252)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of Common Stock (in shares)	2,109,814	2,109,814
Issuance of Common Stock	$ 2,110	$ 2,110
Restricted Stock Forfeitures (in shares)		(1,594,542)
Restricted Stock Forfeitures	(2,155,872)	$ (1,595)	(2,154,277)
Share Based Compensation	7,231,175		7,231,175
Restricted Stock Surrenders - Tax Obligations (in shares)		(375,875)
Restricted Stock Surrenders - Tax Obligations	$ (1,403,260)	$ (376)	(1,402,884)
Equity Offerings (in shares)	0
Debt Exchange Agreements (in shares)	0
Acquisition of Oil and Natural Gas Properties (in shares)	0
Repurchases of Common Stock (in shares)	0
Net Income (Loss)	$ (293,493,708)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		63,259,781
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ (487,421,668)	$ 63,260	443,895,032	(931,379,960)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of Common Stock (in shares)	911,355	3,911,355
Issuance of Common Stock	$ 2,820,911	$ 3,911	2,817,000
Restricted Stock Forfeitures (in shares)		(108,993)
Restricted Stock Forfeitures	(23,697)	$ (109)	(23,588)
Share Based Compensation	3,646,065		3,646,065
Restricted Stock Surrenders - Tax Obligations (in shares)		(270,510)
Restricted Stock Surrenders - Tax Obligations	$ (668,389)	$ (270)	(668,119)
Equity Offerings (in shares)	0
Debt Exchange Agreements (in shares)	0
Acquisition of Oil and Natural Gas Properties (in shares)	0
Repurchases of Common Stock (in shares)	0
Net Income (Loss)	$ (9,193,772)			(9,193,772)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017		66,791,633
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ (490,840,550)	$ 66,792	449,666,390	(940,573,732)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of Common Stock (in shares)	3,295,302	3,295,302
Issuance of Common Stock	$ 3,295	$ 3,295
Restricted Stock Forfeitures (in shares)		(910,086)
Restricted Stock Forfeitures	(910)	$ (910)
Share Based Compensation	4,361,933		4,361,933
Restricted Stock Surrenders - Tax Obligations (in shares)		(266,683)
Restricted Stock Surrenders - Tax Obligations	$ (679,836)	$ (267)	(679,569)
Equity Offerings (in shares)	96,926,019	96,926,019
Equity Offerings	$ 141,673,861	$ 96,926	141,576,935
Debt Exchange Agreements (in shares)	136,063,799	136,063,799
Debt Exchange Agreements	$ 327,499,418	$ 136,064	327,363,354
Acquisition of Oil and Natural Gas Properties (in shares)	83,730,539	83,730,539
Acquisition of Oil and Natural Gas Properties	$ 326,353,472	$ 83,730	326,269,742
Net Exercise of Stock Options (in shares)	62,500	62,500
Net Exercise of Stock Options		$ 63	(63)
Repurchases of Common Stock (in shares)	(7,359,953)	(7,359,953)
Repurchases of Common Stock	$ (22,195,035)	$ (7,360)	(22,187,675)
Net Income (Loss)	143,689,235			143,689,235
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		378,333,070
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 429,864,883	$ 378,333	$ 1,226,371,047	$ (796,884,497)