Significant Commitments by Category (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013
Minimum Rental Commitments
2013	$ 1,884
2014	1,808
2015	1,702
2016	652
2017	666
Thereafter	681
Total	7,393
Drilling Commitments
Commitments
2013	88,398
2014	4,615
2015	0
2016	0
2017	0
Thereafter	0
Total	93,013
Firm Transportation Commitments
Commitments
2013	2,002
2014	2,002
2015	1,095
2016	1,095
2017	1,095
Thereafter	10,767
Total	18,056
Other Commitments
Commitments
2013	4,021
2014	4,429
2015	5,138
2016	0
2017	0
Thereafter	0
Total	$ 13,588

Contractual Commitments Future Minimum Payments Due

No definition available.

Name:	pva_ContractualCommitmentsFutureMinimumPaymentsDue
Namespace Prefix:	pva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual Commitments Future Minimum Payments Due Current

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pva_ContractualCommitmentsFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	pva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual Commitments Future Minimum Payments Due In Five Years

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pva_ContractualCommitmentsFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears
Namespace Prefix:	pva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual Commitments Future Minimum Payments Due In Four Years

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pva_ContractualCommitmentsFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears
Namespace Prefix:	pva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual Commitments Future Minimum Payments Due In Three Years

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pva_ContractualCommitmentsFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears
Namespace Prefix:	pva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual Commitments Future Minimum Payments Due In Two Years

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pva_ContractualCommitmentsFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears
Namespace Prefix:	pva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual Commitments Future Minimum Payments Due Thereafter

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pva_ContractualCommitmentsFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter
Namespace Prefix:	pva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	pva_OtherCommitmentsFutureMinimumPaymentsDueAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	pva_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments for leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 840

-SubTopic 10

-Section 55

-Paragraph 40

-Subparagraph (Note 3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 840

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments maturing in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments maturing in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments maturing in the forth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments maturing in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments maturing in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of required minimum rental payments maturing after the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant