Subsidiary Guarantors Consolidated Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 173,889	$ 191,180
Total expenses	166,348	117,818
Operating (loss) income	7,541	73,362
Interest expense	(17,929)	(8,491)
Other (expense) income	(110)	53
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0
(Loss) income before income taxes	(10,498)	64,924
Total income tax benefit	(1,013)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(7,462)	(5,030)
Net (loss) income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	(16,947)	59,894
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	(18,235)	(12,494)
Total expenses	(18,235)	(12,494)
Operating (loss) income	0	0
Interest expense	0	0
Earnings in subsidiaries	(6,629)	(74,849)
(Loss) income before income taxes	(6,629)	(74,849)
Total income tax benefit	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	(6,629)	(74,849)
Matador | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	0
Total expenses	1,035	1,234
Operating (loss) income	(1,035)	(1,234)
Interest expense	(15,787)	(8,491)
Other (expense) income		6
Earnings in subsidiaries	(1,138)	69,613
(Loss) income before income taxes	(17,960)	59,894
Total income tax benefit	(1,013)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	(16,947)	59,894
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	42,876	17,194
Total expenses	25,505	6,928
Operating (loss) income	17,371	10,266
Interest expense	(2,142)
Other (expense) income	0	0
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0
(Loss) income before income taxes	15,229	10,266
Total income tax benefit	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(7,462)	(5,030)
Net (loss) income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	7,767	5,236
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	149,248	186,480
Total expenses	158,043	122,150
Operating (loss) income	(8,795)	64,330
Interest expense		0
Other (expense) income	(110)	47
Earnings in subsidiaries	7,767	5,236
(Loss) income before income taxes	(1,138)	69,613
Total income tax benefit	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	$ (1,138)	$ 69,613