Debt (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 129,611	$ 46,094	$ 264,425	$ 90,717
Total expenses	90,622	146,705	171,157	292,957
Operating income (loss)	38,989	(100,611)	93,268	(202,240)
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment	0	1,002	7	2,067
Interest expense	(9,224)	(6,167)	(17,679)	(13,365)
Other income	1,922	29	1,991	124
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	31,687	(105,747)	77,587	(213,414)
Total income tax (benefit) provision	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(3,178)	(106)	(5,094)	(93)
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	28,509	(105,853)	72,493	(213,507)
Eliminating Entries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	(8,861)	(1,894)	(16,358)	(2,635)
Total expenses	(8,861)	(1,894)	(16,358)	(2,635)
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment	0	0	0	0
Earnings in subsidiaries	(42,472)	96,830	(99,969)	195,168
Net income (loss)	(42,472)	96,830	(99,969)	195,168
Total income tax (benefit) provision	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	(42,472)	96,830	(99,969)	195,168
Matador [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total expenses	1,586	1,032	2,846	2,967
Operating income (loss)	(1,586)	(1,032)	(2,846)	(2,967)
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment	0	0
Interest expense	(9,224)	(6,167)	(17,679)	(13,365)
Other income	(27)
Earnings in subsidiaries	39,228	(98,672)	92,900	(197,200)
Net income (loss)	28,391	(105,871)	72,375	(213,532)
Total income tax (benefit) provision	(118)	(18)	(118)	(25)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	28,509	(105,853)	72,493	(213,507)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	11,274	3,210	20,937	4,527
Total expenses	4,814	1,244	8,682	2,377
Operating income (loss)	6,460	1,966	12,255	2,150
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment	0	0	0	0
Other income	26		26
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	6,486	1,966	12,281	2,150
Total income tax (benefit) provision	64	18	118	25
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(3,178)	(106)	(5,094)	(93)
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	3,244	1,842	7,069	2,032
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	127,198	44,778	259,846	88,825
Total expenses	93,083	146,323	175,987	290,248
Operating income (loss)	34,115	(101,545)	83,859	(201,423)
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment	0	1,002	7	2,067
Other income	1,923	29	1,965	124
Earnings in subsidiaries	3,244	1,842	7,069	2,032
Net income (loss)	39,282	(98,672)	92,900	(197,200)
Total income tax (benefit) provision	54	0	0	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	$ 39,228	$ (98,672)	$ 92,900	$ (197,200)