Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders — numerator	$ 274,207	$ 125,867	$ (97,421)
Weighted average common shares outstanding — denominator
Basic (in shares)	113,580,000	102,029,000	91,273,000
Dilutive effect of options and restricted stock units (in shares)	111,000	514,000	0
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding (in shares)	113,691,000	102,543,000	91,273,000
Earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders
Basic (usd per share)	$ 2.41	$ 1.23	$ (1.07)
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 2.41	$ 1.23	$ (1.07)
Stock options
Earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders
Total (usd per share)	1,600,000	972,337	2,886,821
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders
Total (usd per share)			90,552
Restricted Stock
Earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders
Total (usd per share)			1,039,292

Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.

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