Subsidiary Guarantors Consolidated Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 371,585	$ 173,889
Total expenses	178,053	166,348
Operating (loss) income	193,532	7,541
Interest expense	(19,812)	(17,929)
Other (expense) income	1,320	(110)
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	175,040	(10,498)
Total income tax provision (benefit)	39,957	(1,013)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(9,354)	(7,462)
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	125,729	(16,947)
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	(21,421)	(18,235)
Total expenses	(21,421)	(18,235)
Operating (loss) income	0	0
Interest expense	0	0
Other (expense) income	0	0
Earnings in subsidiaries	(193,716)	(6,629)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(193,716)	(6,629)
Total income tax provision (benefit)	0	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	(193,716)	(6,629)
Matador | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0
Total expenses	921	1,035
Operating (loss) income	(921)	(1,035)
Interest expense	(17,375)	(15,787)
Other (expense) income	0	0
Earnings in subsidiaries	183,982	(1,138)
Income (loss) before income taxes	165,686	(17,960)
Total income tax provision (benefit)	39,957	(1,013)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	125,729	(16,947)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	45,319	42,876
Total expenses	23,794	25,505
Operating (loss) income	21,525	17,371
Interest expense	(2,437)	(2,142)
Other (expense) income	0	0
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	19,088	15,229
Total income tax provision (benefit)	0	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(9,354)	(7,462)
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	9,734	7,767
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	347,687	149,248
Total expenses	174,759	158,043
Operating (loss) income	172,928	(8,795)
Interest expense	0	0
Other (expense) income	1,320	(110)
Earnings in subsidiaries	9,734	7,767
Income (loss) before income taxes	183,982	(1,138)
Total income tax provision (benefit)	0	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	$ 183,982	$ (1,138)