Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Summary of Condensed Consolidating Results Of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Revenues:
Total revenue		$ 282,868	$ 99,962	$ 632,624	$ 297,212
Operating expenses:
Direct lease operating expense		42,090	25,516	101,065	82,251
Insurance		4,125	2,657	11,059	8,066
Production taxes		578	393	1,533	1,038
Total lease operating expense		46,793	28,566	113,657	91,355
Workover and maintenance expense		25,084	6,359	49,703	23,406
Depreciation, depletion and amortization		87,808	37,746	204,574	113,834
Accretion expense		10,162	4,299	24,414	14,808
General and administrative expense		21,660	9,663	61,120	26,879
Total operating expenses		191,507	86,633	453,468	270,282
Operating income		91,361	13,329	179,156	26,930
Interest expense		(24,837)	(21,464)	(66,257)	(61,041)
Price risk management activities income (expense)	[1]	(53,330)	(28,086)	(196,482)	56,802
Other income (expense)		(85)	44	(1,163)	201
Net income (loss)		13,109	(36,177)	(84,746)	22,892
Talos
Operating expenses:
Equity earnings (loss) from subsidiaries		13,109	(36,177)	(84,746)	22,892
Net income (loss)		13,109	(36,177)	(84,746)	22,892
Talos Issuers
Operating expenses:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization		455	345	1,180	1,067
General and administrative expense		12,942	6,284	31,340	16,450
Total operating expenses		13,397	6,629	32,520	17,517
Operating income		(13,397)	(6,629)	(32,520)	(17,517)
Interest expense		(15,580)	(12,631)	(42,207)	(36,132)
Price risk management activities income (expense)		(47,656)	(26,165)	(186,873)	55,376
Other income (expense)		(356)	150	(1,564)	450
Equity earnings (loss) from subsidiaries		90,098	9,098	178,418	20,715
Net income (loss)		13,109	(36,177)	(84,746)	22,892
Guarantors
Revenues:
Total revenue		282,868	99,962	632,624	297,212
Operating expenses:
Direct lease operating expense		42,090	25,516	101,065	82,251
Insurance		4,125	2,657	11,059	8,066
Production taxes		578	393	1,533	1,038
Total lease operating expense		46,793	28,566	113,657	91,355
Workover and maintenance expense		25,084	6,359	49,703	23,406
Depreciation, depletion and amortization		87,352	37,400	203,391	112,764
Accretion expense		10,162	4,299	24,414	14,808
General and administrative expense		8,274	3,477	28,841	10,098
Total operating expenses		177,665	80,101	420,006	252,431
Operating income		105,203	19,861	212,618	44,781
Interest expense		(8,797)	(8,217)	(22,754)	(22,940)
Price risk management activities income (expense)		(5,674)	(1,921)	(9,609)	1,426
Other income (expense)		310	(95)	395	(257)
Net income (loss)		91,042	9,628	180,650	23,010
Non-Guarantors
Operating expenses:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization		1	1	3	3
General and administrative expense		444	(98)	939	331
Total operating expenses		445	(97)	942	334
Operating income		(445)	97	(942)	(334)
Interest expense		(460)	(616)	(1,296)	(1,969)
Other income (expense)		(39)	(11)	6	8
Net income (loss)		(944)	(530)	(2,232)	(2,295)
Elimination
Operating expenses:
Equity earnings (loss) from subsidiaries		(103,207)	27,079	(93,672)	(43,607)
Net income (loss)		(103,207)	27,079	(93,672)	(43,607)
Oil Revenue
Revenues:
Revenue		248,100	84,032	555,954	246,519
Oil Revenue | Guarantors
Revenues:
Revenue		248,100	84,032	555,954	246,519
Natural Gas Revenue
Revenues:
Revenue		20,193	11,177	49,364	37,239
Natural Gas Revenue | Guarantors
Revenues:
Revenue		20,193	11,177	49,364	37,239
NGL Revenue
Revenues:
Revenue		14,575	4,290	27,306	11,359
NGL Revenue | Guarantors
Revenues:
Revenue		$ 14,575	4,290	$ 27,306	11,359
Other
Revenues:
Revenue			463		2,095
Other | Guarantors
Revenues:
Revenue			$ 463		$ 2,095

[1] The Company paid $40.7 million and received $8.6 million in net cash settlements for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and paid $94.8 million and received $22.3 million in net cash settlements for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively.