Condensed Consolidated Statement of Changes in Shareholders' Equity - Unaudited - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional paid-in capital	Accumulated deficit	Treasury Stock	Total shareholders’ equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	San Mateo	San Mateo Additional paid-in capital	San Mateo Total shareholders’ equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	San Mateo II	San Mateo II Additional paid-in capital	San Mateo II Total shareholders’ equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	San Mateo II Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries
Beginning Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2017		108,514,000			3,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 1,257,546	$ 1,085	$ 1,666,024	$ (510,484)	$ (69)	$ 1,156,556	$ 100,990
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)		697,000
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock compensation plan	0	$ 7	(7)			0
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)		6,000
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors’ and advisors’ compensation plan	0	$ 1	(1)			0
Stock-based compensation expense related to equity-based awards including amounts capitalized	5,390		5,390			5,390
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements (in shares)		130,000
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements	(1,917)	$ 1	(1,918)			(1,917)
Restricted stock forfeited (in shares)					82,000
Restricted stock forfeited	(2,377)				$ (2,377)	(2,377)
Contribution related to formation of property								$ 14,700	$ 14,700	$ 14,700
Contributions from non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	29,400		0			0	29,400
Distributions to non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	(4,900)						(4,900)
Current period net (loss) income	64,924			59,894		59,894	5,030
Ending Balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2018		109,347,000			85,000
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2018	$ 1,362,766	$ 1,094	1,684,188	(450,590)	$ (2,446)	1,232,246	130,520
Beginning Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2018	116,353,590	116,375,000			21,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 1,779,657	$ 1,164	1,924,408	(236,277)	$ (415)	1,688,880	90,777
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)		6,000
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock compensation plan	0	$ 0	0			0
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)		3,000
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors’ and advisors’ compensation plan	0	$ 0	0			0
Stock-based compensation expense related to equity-based awards including amounts capitalized	5,802		5,802			5,802
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements (in shares)		210,000
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements	3,111	$ 2	3,109			3,111
Restricted stock forfeited (in shares)					184,000
Restricted stock forfeited	(3,170)				$ (3,170)	(3,170)
Contribution related to formation of property								$ 11,613	$ 11,613	$ 11,613	$ 0	$ (506)	$ (506)	$ 506
Contributions from non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	12,331		2,040			2,040	10,291
Distributions to non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	(8,330)						(8,330)
Current period net (loss) income	$ (9,485)			(16,947)		(16,947)	7,462
Ending Balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2019	116,388,175	116,594,000			205,000
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2019	$ 1,791,529	$ 1,166	$ 1,946,466	$ (253,224)	$ (3,585)	$ 1,690,823	$ 100,706