Subsidiary Guarantors Consolidated Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany receivable	$ 0	$ 0
Third-party current assets	206,978	257,170
Net property and equipment	2,061,734	1,881,456
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Third-party long-term assets	6,993	7,064
Total assets	2,275,705	2,145,690	$ 1,686,393
Intercompany payable	0	0
Third-party current liabilities	306,492	282,606
Senior unsecured notes payable	574,118	574,073
Other third-party long-term liabilities	32,329	31,465
Total equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	1,232,246	1,156,556
Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	130,520	100,990
Total liabilities and equity	2,275,705	2,145,690
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany receivable	(601,833)	(588,021)
Third-party current assets	0	0
Net property and equipment	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(1,353,621)	(1,258,372)
Third-party long-term assets	(2,955)	(3,003)
Total assets	(1,958,409)	(1,849,396)
Intercompany payable	(601,833)	(588,021)
Third-party current liabilities	(274)	(274)
Senior unsecured notes payable	0	0
Other third-party long-term liabilities	(2,681)	(2,729)
Total equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	(1,353,621)	(1,258,372)
Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Total liabilities and equity	(1,958,409)	(1,849,396)
Matador | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany receivable	601,346	585,109
Third-party current assets	292	2,240
Net property and equipment	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	1,216,908	1,147,295
Third-party long-term assets	6,444	6,425
Total assets	1,824,990	1,741,069
Intercompany payable	0	0
Third-party current liabilities	18,626	8,847
Senior unsecured notes payable	574,118	574,073
Other third-party long-term liabilities	0	1,593
Total equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	1,232,246	1,156,556
Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Total liabilities and equity	1,824,990	1,741,069
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany receivable	487	2,912
Third-party current assets	30,637	9,334
Net property and equipment	267,651	223,178
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Third-party long-term assets	0	0
Total assets	298,775	235,424
Intercompany payable	0	0
Third-party current liabilities	28,113	19,891
Senior unsecured notes payable	0	0
Other third-party long-term liabilities	3,429	3,466
Total equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	136,713	111,077
Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	130,520	100,990
Total liabilities and equity	298,775	235,424
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Balance Sheet Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Third-party current assets	176,049	245,596
Net property and equipment	1,794,083	1,658,278
Investment in subsidiaries	136,713	111,077
Third-party long-term assets	3,504	3,642
Total assets	2,110,349	2,018,593
Intercompany payable	601,833	588,021
Third-party current liabilities	260,027	254,142
Senior unsecured notes payable	0	0
Other third-party long-term liabilities	31,581	29,135
Total equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	1,216,908	1,147,295
Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Total liabilities and equity	$ 2,110,349	$ 2,018,593