Debt (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany receivable	$ 0	$ 0
Third-party current assets	150,345	279,182
Net property and equipment	1,697,167	1,184,525
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Third-party long-term assets	1,025	958
Total assets	1,848,537	1,464,665	$ 1,177,693
Intercompany payable	0	0
Third-party current liabilities	252,095	169,505
Senior unsecured notes payable	574,027	573,924
Other third-party long-term liabilities	29,618	29,791
Total equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	906,203	690,125
Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	86,594	1,320
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	1,848,537	1,464,665
Eliminating Entries [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany receivable	(394,110)	(332,453)
Third-party current assets	0	0
Net property and equipment	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(1,198,273)	(947,037)
Third-party long-term assets	0	0
Total assets	(1,592,383)	(1,279,490)
Intercompany payable	(394,110)	(332,453)
Third-party current liabilities	0	0
Senior unsecured notes payable	0	0
Other third-party long-term liabilities	0	0
Total equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	(1,198,273)	(947,037)
Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	(1,592,383)	(1,279,490)
Matador [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany receivable	392,082	316,791
Third-party current assets	635	101,102
Net property and equipment	0	33
Investment in subsidiaries	1,107,280	856,762
Third-party long-term assets	0	0
Total assets	1,499,997	1,274,688
Intercompany payable	1,314	0
Third-party current liabilities	18,453	9,265
Senior unsecured notes payable	574,027	573,924
Other third-party long-term liabilities	0	1,374
Total equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	906,203	690,125
Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	1,499,997	1,274,688
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany receivable	0	3,571
Third-party current assets	11,676	4,242
Net property and equipment	185,464	113,107
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Third-party long-term assets	0	0
Total assets	197,140	120,920
Intercompany payable	714	12,091
Third-party current liabilities	18,191	16,632
Senior unsecured notes payable	0	0
Other third-party long-term liabilities	648	602
Total equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	90,993	90,275
Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	86,594	1,320
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	197,140	120,920
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany receivable	2,028	12,091
Third-party current assets	138,034	173,838
Net property and equipment	1,511,703	1,071,385
Investment in subsidiaries	90,993	90,275
Third-party long-term assets	1,025	958
Total assets	1,743,783	1,348,547
Intercompany payable	392,082	320,362
Third-party current liabilities	215,451	143,608
Senior unsecured notes payable	0	0
Other third-party long-term liabilities	28,970	27,815
Total equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	1,107,280	856,762
Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$ 1,743,783	$ 1,348,547