Subsidiary Guarantors Consolidated Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 62,920	$ 241,704	$ 434,505	$ 415,593
Total expenses	498,230	164,915	676,283	331,264
Operating (loss) income	(435,310)	76,789	(241,778)	84,329
Net loss on asset sales and impairment	(2,632)	(368)	(2,632)	(368)
Interest expense	(18,297)	(18,068)	(38,109)	(35,997)
Other (expense) income	473	(423)	1,793	(532)
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
(Loss) income before income taxes	(455,766)	57,930	(280,726)	47,432
Total income tax (benefit) provision	(109,823)	12,858	(69,866)	11,845
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(7,473)	(8,320)	(16,827)	(15,782)
Net (loss) income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	(353,416)	36,752	(227,687)	19,805
Eliminating Entries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	(20,713)	(16,901)	(42,134)	(35,136)
Total expenses	(20,713)	(16,901)	(42,134)	(35,136)
Operating (loss) income	0	0	0	0
Net loss on asset sales and impairment	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other (expense) income	0	0	0	0
Earnings in subsidiaries	437,793	(75,058)	244,077	(81,687)
(Loss) income before income taxes	437,793	(75,058)	244,077	(81,687)
Total income tax (benefit) provision	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	437,793	(75,058)	244,077	(81,687)
Matador | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Total expenses	1,224	901	2,145	1,936
Operating (loss) income	(1,224)	(901)	(2,145)	(1,936)
Net loss on asset sales and impairment	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(16,443)	(15,888)	(33,818)	(31,675)
Other (expense) income	0	0	0	0
Earnings in subsidiaries	(445,572)	66,399	(261,590)	65,261
(Loss) income before income taxes	(463,239)	49,610	(297,553)	31,650
Total income tax (benefit) provision	(109,823)	12,858	(69,866)	11,845
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	(353,416)	36,752	(227,687)	19,805
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	41,544	41,720	86,863	84,596
Total expenses	23,190	22,564	46,984	48,069
Operating (loss) income	18,354	19,156	39,879	36,527
Net loss on asset sales and impairment	(1,261)	0	(1,261)	0
Interest expense	(1,854)	(2,180)	(4,291)	(4,322)
Other (expense) income	13	3	13	3
Earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
(Loss) income before income taxes	15,252	16,979	34,340	32,208
Total income tax (benefit) provision	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	(7,473)	(8,320)	(16,827)	(15,782)
Net (loss) income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	7,779	8,659	17,513	16,426
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	42,089	216,885	389,776	366,133
Total expenses	494,529	158,351	669,288	316,395
Operating (loss) income	(452,440)	58,534	(279,512)	49,738
Net loss on asset sales and impairment	(1,371)	(368)	(1,371)	(368)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other (expense) income	460	(426)	1,780	(535)
Earnings in subsidiaries	7,779	8,659	17,513	16,426
(Loss) income before income taxes	(445,572)	66,399	(261,590)	65,261
Total income tax (benefit) provision	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Matador Resources Company shareholders	$ (445,572)	$ 66,399	$ (261,590)	$ 65,261