CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY — UNAUDITED - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Total shareholders’ equity attributable to Matador Resources Company	Common Stock	Additional paid-in capital	Accumulated deficit	Treasury Stock	Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			116,644,000			1,000
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 1,969,452	$ 1,833,654	$ 1,166	$ 1,981,014	$ (148,500)	$ (26)	$ 135,798
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock 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	298	$ 1	297
Restricted stock forfeited (in shares)						106,000
Restricted stock forfeited	(1,267)	(1,267)				$ (1,267)
Contribution related to formation of San Mateo	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 (loss) income	135,083	125,729			125,729		9,354
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020			116,671,000			107,000
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2020	2,154,380	1,991,349	$ 1,167	2,014,246	(22,771)	$ (1,293)	163,031
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			116,644,000			1,000
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019	1,969,452	1,833,654	$ 1,166	1,981,014	(148,500)	$ (26)	135,798
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Current period net (loss) income	(476,967)
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020			116,984,000			148,000
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2020	1,577,629	1,371,933	$ 1,170	2,024,526	(652,251)	$ (1,512)	205,696
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020			116,671,000			107,000
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2020	2,154,380	1,991,349	$ 1,167	2,014,246	(22,771)	$ (1,293)	163,031
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock 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 (loss) income	(345,943)	(353,416)			(353,416)		7,473
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020			116,984,000			140,000
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2020	1,818,501	1,643,832	$ 1,170	2,020,298	(376,187)	$ (1,449)	174,669
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Contribution related to formation of San Mateo, net of tax	3,100
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 (loss) income	(266,107)	(276,064)			(276,064)		9,957
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020			116,984,000			148,000
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2020	$ 1,577,629	1,371,933	$ 1,170	2,024,526	(652,251)	$ (1,512)	205,696
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020	116,844,768		116,847,000			2,000
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 1,513,025	1,286,530	$ 1,169	2,027,069	(741,705)	$ (3)	226,495
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Dividends declared	(2,913)	(2,913)			(2,913)
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock 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)			9,000
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors’ and advisors’ compensation plan	0
Stock-based compensation expense related to equity-based awards including amounts capitalized	1,477	1,477		1,477
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements (in shares)			13,000
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements	0
Restricted stock forfeited (in shares)						90,000
Restricted stock forfeited	(1,720)	(1,720)		(219)		$ (1,501)
Contribution related to formation of San Mateo	15,376	15,376		15,376
Distributions to non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	(14,210)						(14,210)
Current period net (loss) income	69,498	60,645			60,645		8,853
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021			116,872,000			92,000
Balance at end of period at Mar. 31, 2021	$ 1,580,533	1,359,395	$ 1,169	2,043,703	(683,973)	$ (1,504)	221,138
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020	116,844,768		116,847,000			2,000
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 1,513,025	1,286,530	$ 1,169	2,027,069	(741,705)	$ (3)	226,495
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Current period net (loss) income	$ 409,391
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2021	117,103,248		117,249,000			146,000
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2021	$ 1,907,900	1,688,007	$ 1,172	2,069,484	(380,268)	$ (2,381)	219,893
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021			116,872,000			92,000
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2021	1,580,533	1,359,395	$ 1,169	2,043,703	(683,973)	$ (1,504)	221,138
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Dividends declared	(2,913)	(2,913)			(2,913)
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock compensation plan (in shares)			138,000
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock compensation plan	0		$ 1	(1)
Issuance of common stock pursuant to directors' and advisors' compensation plan (in shares)			73,000
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	2,289	2,289		2,289
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements (in shares)			40,000
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements	0
Restricted stock forfeited (in shares)						38,000
Restricted stock forfeited	(1,164)	(1,164)		(425)		$ (739)
Contribution related to formation of San Mateo	16,250	16,250		16,250
Distributions to non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	(14,700)						(14,700)
Current period net (loss) income	121,831	105,905			105,905		15,926
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2021			117,123,000			130,000
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2021	1,702,126	1,479,762	$ 1,171	2,061,815	(580,981)	$ (2,243)	222,364
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Dividends declared	(2,915)	(2,915)			(2,915)
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock compensation plan (in shares)			3,000
Stock-based compensation expense related to equity-based awards including amounts capitalized	3,856	3,856		3,856
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements (in shares)			123,000
Stock options exercised, net of options forfeited in net share settlements	212	212	$ 1	211
Restricted stock forfeited (in shares)						16,000
Restricted stock forfeited	(1,276)	(1,276)		(1,138)		$ (138)
Contribution related to formation of San Mateo	4,740	4,740		4,740
Distributions to non-controlling interest owners of less-than-wholly-owned subsidiaries	(16,905)						(16,905)
Current period net (loss) income	$ 218,062	203,628			203,628		14,434
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2021	117,103,248		117,249,000			146,000
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2021	$ 1,907,900	$ 1,688,007	$ 1,172	$ 2,069,484	$ (380,268)	$ (2,381)	$ 219,893
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Contribution related to formation of San Mateo, net of tax	$ 1,300