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 I	San Mateo I Additional paid-in capital	San Mateo I 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, 2018		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, net of tax of $4.3 million (see Note 6)	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 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, 2019	116,642,899	116,644,000			1,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 1,969,452	$ 1,166	1,981,014	(148,500)	$ (26)	1,833,654	135,798
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)		3,000
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	5,066		5,066			5,066
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements (in shares)		0
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements	(24)	$ 0	(24)			(24)
Liability-based stock option awards settled in equity	298	$ 1	297			298
Liability-based stock option awards settled in equity (in shares)		22,000
Restricted stock forfeited (in shares)					106,000
Restricted stock forfeited	(1,267)				$ (1,267)	(1,267)
Contribution related to formation of property								$ 11,613	$ 11,613	$ 11,613
Contributions from non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries, net of tax of $4.3 million (see Note 6)	45,674		16,280			16,280	29,394
Distributions to non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	(11,515)						(11,515)
Current period net income	$ 135,083			125,729		125,729	9,354
Ending Balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2020	116,564,598	116,671,000			107,000
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2020	$ 2,154,380	$ 1,167	$ 2,014,246	$ (22,771)	$ (1,293)	$ 1,991,349	$ 163,031