Subsidiary Guarantors Consolidated Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 241,704	$ 211,367	$ 415,593	$ 402,547
Total expenses	164,915	137,374	331,264	255,192
Operating (loss) income	76,789	73,993	84,329	147,355
Interest expense	(18,068)	(8,004)	(35,997)	(16,495)
Other (expense) income	(423)	(352)		(299)
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	57,930	65,637	47,432	130,561
Total income tax provision	12,858	0	11,845	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(8,320)	(5,831)	(15,782)	(10,861)
Net income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	36,752	59,806	19,805	119,700
Inventory impairment	(368)	0	(368)	0
Gain (Loss) On Extinguishment Of Debt, Premium On Debt Redemption			(532)
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	(16,901)	(16,208)	(35,136)	(28,702)
Total expenses	(16,901)	(16,208)	(35,136)	(28,702)
Operating (loss) income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other (expense) income	0	0		0
Earnings in subsidiaries	(75,058)	(75,058)	(81,687)	(149,907)
Income before income taxes	(75,058)	(75,058)	(81,687)	(149,907)
Total income tax provision	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)	(75,058)	(81,687)	(149,907)
Inventory impairment	0		0
Gain (Loss) On Extinguishment Of Debt, Premium On Debt Redemption			0
Matador | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Total expenses	901	1,178	1,936	2,412
Operating (loss) income	(901)	(1,178)	(1,936)	(2,412)
Interest expense	(15,888)	(8,004)	(31,675)	(16,495)
Other (expense) income	0	0		6
Earnings in subsidiaries	66,399	68,988	65,261	138,601
Income before income taxes	49,610	59,806	31,650	119,700
Total income tax provision	12,858		11,845
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	36,752	59,806	19,805	119,700
Inventory impairment	0		0
Gain (Loss) On Extinguishment Of Debt, Premium On Debt Redemption			0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	41,720	21,356	84,596	38,550
Total expenses	22,564	9,466	48,069	16,394
Operating (loss) income	19,156	11,890	36,527	22,156
Interest expense	(2,180)	0	(4,322)	0
Other (expense) income	3	11		11
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	16,979	11,901	32,208	22,167
Total income tax provision	0		0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(8,320)	(5,831)	(15,782)	(10,861)
Net income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	8,659	6,070	16,426	11,306
Inventory impairment	0		0
Gain (Loss) On Extinguishment Of Debt, Premium On Debt Redemption			3
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	216,885	206,219	366,133	392,699
Total expenses	158,351	142,938	316,395	265,088
Operating (loss) income	58,534	63,281	49,738	127,611
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other (expense) income	(426)	(363)		(316)
Earnings in subsidiaries	8,659	6,070	16,426	11,306
Income before income taxes	66,399	68,988	65,261	138,601
Total income tax provision	0		0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	66,399	$ 68,988	65,261	$ 138,601
Inventory impairment	$ (368)		(368)
Gain (Loss) On Extinguishment Of Debt, Premium On Debt Redemption			$ (535)