Debt (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 134,814	$ 44,623
Total expenses	80,536	146,252
Operating income (loss)	54,278	(101,629)
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment	7	1,065
Interest expense	(8,455)	(7,197)
Other income	70	94
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0
Net income (loss)	45,900	(107,667)
Total income tax provision (benefit)	0	0
Net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(1,916)	13
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	43,984	(107,654)
Eliminating Entries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	(7,497)	(741)
Total expenses	(7,497)	(741)
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment	0	0
Earnings in subsidiaries	(57,497)	98,661
Net income (loss)	(57,497)	98,661
Total income tax provision (benefit)	0	0
Net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	(57,497)	98,661
Matador [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total expenses	1,260	1,935
Operating income (loss)	(1,260)	(1,935)
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment	0	0
Interest expense	(8,455)	(6,875)
Other income	27
Earnings in subsidiaries	53,672	(98,851)
Net income (loss)	43,984	(107,661)
Total income tax provision (benefit)	0	(7)
Net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	43,984	(107,654)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	9,663	1,317
Total expenses	3,868	1,133
Operating income (loss)	5,795	184
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment	0	0
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0
Net income (loss)	5,795	184
Total income tax provision (benefit)	54	7
Net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(1,916)	13
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	3,825	190
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	132,648	44,047
Total expenses	82,905	143,925
Operating income (loss)	49,743	(99,878)
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment	7	1,065
Interest expense		(322)
Other income	43	94
Earnings in subsidiaries	3,825	190
Net income (loss)	53,618	(98,851)
Total income tax provision (benefit)	(54)	0
Net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	$ 53,672	$ (98,851)