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)
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, 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]
Current period net (loss) income	155,676
Ending Balance, shares at Sep. 30, 2018		116,507,000			158,000
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2018	1,722,443	$ 1,165	1,923,030	(372,990)	$ (4,039)	1,547,166	175,277
Beginning Balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2018		109,347,000			85,000
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2018	1,362,766	$ 1,094	1,684,188	(450,590)	$ (2,446)	1,232,246	130,520
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)		20,000
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock compensation plan	0	$ 0	0
Issuance of common stock (in shares)		7,000,000
Issuance of common stock	226,612	$ 70	226,542			226,612
Cost to issue equity	(146)		(146)			(146)
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)		70,000
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	5,937		5,937			5,937
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements (in shares)		24,000
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements	301	$ 1	300			301
Restricted stock forfeited (in shares)					18,000
Restricted stock forfeited	(224)				$ (224)	(224)
Contributions from non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	24,500		0			0	24,500
Distributions to non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	(5,635)						(5,635)
Current period net (loss) income	65,637			59,806		59,806	5,831
Ending Balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2018		116,461,000			103,000
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2018	1,679,748	$ 1,165	1,916,821	(390,784)	$ (2,670)	1,524,532	155,216
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)		19,000
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock compensation plan	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	5,847		5,847			5,847
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements (in shares)		24,000
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements	362	$ 0	362			362
Restricted stock forfeited (in shares)					55,000
Restricted stock forfeited	(1,369)				$ (1,369)	(1,369)
Contributions from non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries						19,600	19,600
Distributions to non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	(6,860)						(6,860)
Current period net (loss) income	25,115			17,794		17,794	7,321
Ending Balance, shares at Sep. 30, 2018		116,507,000			158,000
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2018	$ 1,722,443	$ 1,165	1,923,030	(372,990)	$ (4,039)	1,547,166	175,277
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
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		116,594,000			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
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]
Current period net (loss) income	$ 89,340
Ending Balance, shares at Sep. 30, 2019	116,638,712	116,880,000			242,000
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 1,912,418	$ 1,169	1,970,737	(172,519)	$ (4,080)	1,795,307	117,111
Beginning Balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2019		116,594,000			205,000
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2019	1,791,529	$ 1,166	1,946,466	(253,224)	$ (3,585)	1,690,823	100,706
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)		220,000
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock compensation plan	0	$ 2	(2)
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)		42,000
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	5,762		5,762			5,762
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements (in shares)		10,000
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements	189	$ 0	189			189
Restricted stock forfeited (in shares)					13,000
Restricted stock forfeited	(139)				$ (139)	(139)
Contributions from non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	7,500		3,090			3,090	4,410
Distributions to non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	(9,310)						(9,310)
Current period net (loss) income	45,072			36,752		36,752	8,320
Ending Balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2019		116,866,000			218,000
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2019	1,840,603	$ 1,169	1,955,504	(216,472)	$ (3,724)	1,736,477	104,126
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)		12,000
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock compensation plan	0	$ 0	0
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)		2,000
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	5,963		5,963			5,963
Restricted stock forfeited (in shares)					24,000
Restricted stock forfeited	(356)				$ (356)	(356)
Contributions from non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	22,500		9,270			9,270	13,230
Distributions to non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	(10,045)						(10,045)
Current period net (loss) income	$ 53,753			43,953		43,953	9,800
Ending Balance, shares at Sep. 30, 2019	116,638,712	116,880,000			242,000
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 1,912,418	$ 1,169	$ 1,970,737	$ (172,519)	$ (4,080)	$ 1,795,307	$ 117,111