Acquisitions (Schedule of Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed) (Details) (Gulf of Mexico Acquisition, USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jul. 03, 2013
Gulf of Mexico Acquisition
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]
Oil and gas properties	$ 192,067
Unevaluated oil and gas properties	12,033
Asset retirement obligations	(15,319)
Oil and gas properties	$ 188,781

Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Asset Retirement Obligation

No definition available.

Name:	pq_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredandLiabilitiesAssumedAssetRetirementObligation
Namespace Prefix:	pq_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Oil and Gas Properties

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pq_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredandLiabilitiesAssumedOilandGasProperties
Namespace Prefix:	pq_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Unproved Oil and Gas Properties

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pq_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredandLiabilitiesAssumedUnprovedOilandGasProperties
Namespace Prefix:	pq_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount recognized as of the acquisition date for the identifiable assets acquired in excess of (less than) the aggregate liabilities assumed.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4845-128472

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 55

-Paragraph 37

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25498275&loc=d3e2207-128464

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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