CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Revenues:
Oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids sales	$ 174,012	$ 174,991	$ 526,915	$ 529,012
Interest and other	109	203	939	471
Equity earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	174,121	175,194	527,854	529,483
Costs, expenses, and other:
Lease operating expenses	23,480	23,602	70,593	69,549
Other direct operating costs	11,123	16,053	42,450	44,647
General and administrative	19,942	16,313	49,122	49,016
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	54,323	48,862	155,227	133,979
Interest expense	37,225	37,237	113,081	112,494
Realized and unrealized (gains) losses on derivative instruments, net	(65,961)	(59,156)	(70,632)	(177,398)
Other, net	(177)	2,399	12,280	4,192
Total costs, expenses, and other	79,955	85,310	372,121	236,479
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	94,166	89,884	155,733	293,004
Income tax	34,556	34,313	76,940	109,238
Net earnings (loss) from continuing operations	59,610	55,571	78,793	183,766
Earnings from discontinued operations, net of tax	28,108	13,340	44,569	27,561
Net earnings	87,718	68,911	123,362	211,327
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest	4,923	0	4,987	0
Net earnings attributable to Forest Oil Corporation	82,795	68,911	118,375	211,327
Parent Company
Revenues:
Oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids sales	128,849	114,416	382,211	373,620
Interest and other	348	1,197	1,696	3,964
Equity earnings in subsidiaries	39,093	42,876	90,828	104,214
Total revenues	168,290	158,489	474,735	481,798
Costs, expenses, and other:
Lease operating expenses	20,218	21,271	60,487	61,388
Other direct operating costs	11,816	12,037	37,160	35,155
General and administrative	18,672	15,233	45,726	45,840
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	40,675	32,692	115,738	96,182
Interest expense	37,225	37,238	113,081	112,494
Realized and unrealized (gains) losses on derivative instruments, net	(73,757)	(47,022)	(77,929)	(145,083)
Other, net	(1,895)	1,750	8,354	720
Total costs, expenses, and other	52,954	73,199	302,617	206,696
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	115,336	85,290	172,118	275,102
Income tax	27,618	16,379	48,756	63,775
Net earnings (loss) from continuing operations	87,718	68,911	123,362	211,327
Earnings from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings	87,718	68,911	123,362	211,327
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Forest Oil Corporation	87,718	68,911	123,362	211,327
Guarantor Subsidiary
Revenues:
Oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids sales	44,529	60,044	142,775	153,539
Interest and other	76	10	138	19
Equity earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	44,605	60,054	142,913	153,558
Costs, expenses, and other:
Lease operating expenses	3,161	2,222	9,789	7,848
Other direct operating costs	(735)	4,405	5,188	10,634
General and administrative	881	604	2,094	1,767
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	13,251	15,760	38,193	36,665
Interest expense	(159)	230	(351)	1,308
Realized and unrealized (gains) losses on derivative instruments, net	7,780	(12,022)	7,282	(31,963)
Other, net	186	(580)	165	(548)
Total costs, expenses, and other	24,365	10,619	62,360	25,711
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	20,240	49,435	80,553	127,847
Income tax	7,825	18,679	30,497	47,597
Net earnings (loss) from continuing operations	12,415	30,756	50,056	80,250
Earnings from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings	12,415	30,756	50,056	80,250
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Forest Oil Corporation	12,415	30,756	50,056	80,250
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenues:
Oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids sales	634	531	1,929	1,853
Interest and other	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	634	531	1,929	1,853
Costs, expenses, and other:
Lease operating expenses	101	109	317	313
Other direct operating costs	42	(389)	102	(1,142)
General and administrative	389	476	1,302	1,409
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	397	410	1,296	1,132
Interest expense	474	773	1,246	2,204
Realized and unrealized (gains) losses on derivative instruments, net	16	(112)	15	(352)
Other, net	1,532	1,229	3,761	4,020
Total costs, expenses, and other	2,951	2,496	8,039	7,584
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(2,317)	(1,965)	(6,110)	(5,731)
Income tax	(887)	(745)	(2,313)	(2,134)
Net earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(1,430)	(1,220)	(3,797)	(3,597)
Earnings from discontinued operations, net of tax	28,108	13,340	44,569	27,561
Net earnings	26,678	12,120	40,772	23,964
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest	4,923	0	4,987	0
Net earnings attributable to Forest Oil Corporation	21,755	12,120	35,785	23,964
Eliminations
Revenues:
Oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids sales	0	0	0	0
Interest and other	(315)	(1,004)	(895)	(3,512)
Equity earnings in subsidiaries	(39,093)	(42,876)	(90,828)	(104,214)
Total revenues	(39,408)	(43,880)	(91,723)	(107,726)
Costs, expenses, and other:
Lease operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Other direct operating costs	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(315)	(1,004)	(895)	(3,512)
Realized and unrealized (gains) losses on derivative instruments, net	0	0	0	0
Other, net	0	0	0	0
Total costs, expenses, and other	(315)	(1,004)	(895)	(3,512)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(39,093)	(42,876)	(90,828)	(104,214)
Income tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(39,093)	(42,876)	(90,828)	(104,214)
Earnings from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net earnings	(39,093)	(42,876)	(90,828)	(104,214)
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Forest Oil Corporation	$ (39,093)	$ (42,876)	$ (90,828)	$ (104,214)