Subsidiary Guarantors Consolidated Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
	Aug. 21, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues		$ 983,670	$ 899,599	$ 544,276
Total expenses		748,190	536,328	383,435
Operating income		235,480	363,271	160,841
Net loss on asset sales and inventory impairment		(967)	(196)	23
Interest expense		(73,873)	(41,327)	(34,565)
Prepayment Premium On Extinguishment Of Debt		0	(31,226)	0
Prepayment penalty on extinguishment of debt	$ 31,200	0	(31,226)	0
Other income (expense)		(2,126)	1,551	3,551
Earnings in subsidiaries		0	0	0
Income before income taxes		158,514	292,073	129,850
Total income tax provision		35,532	(7,691)	(8,157)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries		(35,205)	(25,557)	(12,140)
Net income		87,777	274,207	125,867
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues		(74,719)	(64,791)	(35,115)
Total expenses		(74,719)	(64,791)	(35,115)
Operating income		0	0	0
Net loss on asset sales and inventory impairment		0	0	0
Interest expense		0	0	0
Prepayment Premium On Extinguishment Of Debt			0
Other income (expense)		0	0	0
Earnings in subsidiaries		(223,087)	(369,707)	(171,840)
Income before income taxes		(223,087)	(369,707)	(171,840)
Total income tax provision		0	0	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries		0	0	0
Net income		(223,087)	(369,707)	(171,840)
Matador | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues		0	0	0
Total expenses		(1,458)	4,935	5,610
Operating income		1,458	(4,935)	(5,610)
Net loss on asset sales and inventory impairment		0	0	0
Interest expense		(64,591)	(40,994)	(34,565)
Prepayment Premium On Extinguishment Of Debt			(31,226)
Other income (expense)			565	27
Earnings in subsidiaries		186,442	343,106	157,589
Income before income taxes		123,309	266,516	117,441
Total income tax provision		35,532	(7,691)	(8,426)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries		0	0	0
Net income		87,777	274,207	125,867
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues		209,887	98,665	47,883
Total expenses		128,758	46,236	21,260
Operating income		81,129	52,429	26,623
Net loss on asset sales and inventory impairment		0	0	0
Interest expense		(9,282)	(333)	0
Prepayment Premium On Extinguishment Of Debt			0
Other income (expense)		3	62	37
Earnings in subsidiaries		0	0	0
Income before income taxes		71,850	52,158	26,660
Total income tax provision		0	0	269
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries		(35,205)	(25,557)	(12,140)
Net income		36,645	26,601	14,251
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues		848,502	865,725	531,508
Total expenses		695,609	549,948	391,680
Operating income		152,893	315,777	139,828
Net loss on asset sales and inventory impairment		(967)	(196)	23
Interest expense		0	0	0
Prepayment Premium On Extinguishment Of Debt			0
Other income (expense)		(2,129)	924	3,487
Earnings in subsidiaries		36,645	26,601	14,251
Income before income taxes		186,442	343,106	157,589
Total income tax provision		0	0	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries		0	0	0
Net income		$ 186,442	$ 343,106	$ 157,589