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
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
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	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, 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]
Current period net income	89,340
Ending Balance, shares at Sep. 30, 2019		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)
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, net of tax	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 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
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
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, net of tax	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 income	53,753			43,953		43,953	9,800
Ending Balance, shares at Sep. 30, 2019		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 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
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
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	(24)		(24)			(24)
Liability-based stock option awards settled in equity (in shares)		22,000
Liability-based stock option awards settled in equity	298	$ 1	297			298
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	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		116,671,000			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
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]
Current period net income	$ (476,967)
Ending Balance, shares at Sep. 30, 2020	116,836,003	116,984,000			148,000
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020	$ 1,577,629	$ 1,170	2,024,526	(652,251)	$ (1,512)	1,371,933	205,696
Beginning Balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2020		116,671,000			107,000
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2020	2,154,380	$ 1,167	2,014,246	(22,771)	$ (1,293)	1,991,349	163,031
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)		230,000
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)		83,000
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors’ and advisors’ compensation plan	0	$ 1	(1)
Stock-based compensation expense related to equity-based awards including amounts capitalized	4,103		4,103			4,103
Restricted stock forfeited (in shares)					33,000
Restricted stock forfeited	(156)				$ (156)	(156)
Contributions from non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries, net of tax	16,652		1,952			1,952	14,700
Distributions to non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	(10,535)						(10,535)
Current period net income	(345,943)			(353,416)		(353,416)	7,473
Ending Balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2020		116,984,000			140,000
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2020	1,818,501	$ 1,170	2,020,298	(376,187)	$ (1,449)	1,643,832	174,669
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock-based compensation expense related to equity-based awards including amounts capitalized	4,228		4,228			4,228
Restricted stock forfeited (in shares)					8,000
Restricted stock forfeited	(63)				$ (63)	(63)
Contributions from non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries, net of tax	31,850						31,850
Distributions to non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	(10,780)						(10,780)
Current period net income	$ (266,107)			(276,064)		(276,064)	9,957
Ending Balance, shares at Sep. 30, 2020	116,836,003	116,984,000			148,000
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020	$ 1,577,629	$ 1,170	$ 2,024,526	$ (652,251)	$ (1,512)	$ 1,371,933	$ 205,696