Subsidiary Guarantors Consolidated Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
	Aug. 21, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues		$ 899,599	$ 544,276	$ 264,422
Total expenses		536,328	383,435	441,589
Operating income (loss)		363,271	160,841	(177,167)
Net loss on asset sales and inventory impairment		(196)	23	107,277
Interest expense		(41,327)	(34,565)	(28,199)
Prepayment penalty on extinguishment of debt	$ 31,200	(31,226)	0	0
Other income		1,551	3,551	(4)
Earnings in subsidiaries		0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes		292,073	129,850	(98,093)
Total income tax benefit		(7,691)	(8,157)	(1,036)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries		(25,557)	(12,140)	(364)
Net income (loss)		274,207	125,867	(97,421)
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues		(64,791)	(35,115)	(10,708)
Total expenses		(64,791)	(35,115)	(10,708)
Operating income (loss)		0	0	0
Net loss on asset sales and inventory impairment		0	0	0
Interest expense		0	0	0
Prepayment penalty on extinguishment of debt		0
Other income				0
Earnings in subsidiaries		(369,707)	(171,840)	54,539
Income (loss) before income taxes		(369,707)	(171,840)	54,539
Total income tax benefit		0	0	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries		0	0	0
Net income (loss)		(369,707)	(171,840)	54,539
Matador | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues		0		0
Total expenses		4,935	5,610	5,319
Operating income (loss)		(4,935)	(5,610)	(5,319)
Net loss on asset sales and inventory impairment		0	0	0
Interest expense		(40,994)	(34,565)	(28,199)
Prepayment penalty on extinguishment of debt		(31,226)
Other income		565	27	0
Earnings in subsidiaries		343,106	157,589	(64,349)
Income (loss) before income taxes		266,516	117,441	(97,867)
Total income tax benefit		(7,691)	(8,426)	(446)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries		0	0	0
Net income (loss)		274,207	125,867	(97,421)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues		98,665	47,883	17,302
Total expenses		46,236	21,260	7,031
Operating income (loss)		52,429	26,623	10,271
Net loss on asset sales and inventory impairment		0	0	0
Interest expense		(333)		0
Prepayment penalty on extinguishment of debt		0
Other income		62	37	0
Earnings in subsidiaries		0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes		52,158	26,660	10,271
Total income tax benefit		0	269	97
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries		(25,557)	(12,140)	(364)
Net income (loss)		26,601	14,251	9,810
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues		865,725	531,508	257,828
Total expenses		549,948	391,680	439,947
Operating income (loss)		315,777	139,828	(182,119)
Net loss on asset sales and inventory impairment		(196)	23	107,277
Interest expense			0	0
Prepayment penalty on extinguishment of debt		0
Other income		924	3,487	(4)
Earnings in subsidiaries		26,601	14,251	9,810
Income (loss) before income taxes		343,106	157,589	(65,036)
Total income tax benefit		0	0	(687)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries		0	0	0
Net income (loss)		$ 343,106	$ 157,589	$ (64,349)