Subsidiary Guarantors Consolidated Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 211,367	$ 129,611	$ 402,547	$ 264,425
Total expenses	137,374	90,622	255,192	171,157
Operating (loss) income	73,993	38,989	147,355	93,268
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment	0	0	0	7
Interest expense	(8,004)	(9,224)	(16,495)	(17,679)
Other (expense) income	(352)	1,922	(299)	1,991
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	65,637	31,687	130,561	77,587
Total income tax provision (benefit)		0		0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(5,831)	(3,178)	(10,861)	(5,094)
Net income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	59,806	28,509	119,700	72,493
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	(16,208)	(8,861)	(28,702)	(16,358)
Total expenses	(16,208)	(8,861)	(28,702)	(16,358)
Operating (loss) income	0	0	0	0
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment				0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Earnings in subsidiaries	(75,058)	(42,472)	(149,907)	(99,969)
Income before income taxes	(75,058)	(42,472)	(149,907)	(99,969)
Total income tax provision (benefit)		0		0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	(75,058)	(42,472)	(149,907)	(99,969)
Matador | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	0		0
Total expenses	1,178	1,586	2,412	2,846
Operating (loss) income	(1,178)	(1,586)	(2,412)	(2,846)
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment				0
Interest expense	(8,004)	(9,224)	(16,495)	(17,679)
Other (expense) income		(27)	6
Earnings in subsidiaries	68,988	39,228	138,601	92,900
Income before income taxes	59,806	28,391	119,700	72,375
Total income tax provision (benefit)		(118)		(118)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	59,806	28,509	119,700	72,493
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	21,356	11,274	38,550	20,937
Total expenses	9,466	4,814	16,394	8,682
Operating (loss) income	11,890	6,460	22,156	12,255
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment				0
Interest expense	0		0
Other (expense) income	11	26	11	26
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	11,901	6,486	22,167	12,281
Total income tax provision (benefit)		64		118
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(5,831)	(3,178)	(10,861)	(5,094)
Net income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	6,070	3,244	11,306	7,069
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	206,219	127,198	392,699	259,846
Total expenses	142,938	93,083	265,088	175,987
Operating (loss) income	63,281	34,115	127,611	83,859
Net gain on asset sales and inventory impairment				7
Interest expense		0		0
Other (expense) income	(363)	1,923	(316)	1,965
Earnings in subsidiaries	6,070	3,244	11,306	7,069
Income before income taxes	68,988	39,282	138,601	92,900
Total income tax provision (benefit)		54		0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	$ 68,988	$ 39,228	$ 138,601	$ 92,900