Supplemental Information (Details 1) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Supplemental Cash Flow Information
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	$ 137,289,000	$ 114,012,000
Cash paid for interest, capitalized	42,004,000	56,079,000
Cash paid for income taxes	36,688,000	13,691,000
Cash received for income tax refunds	21,990,000	13,525,000
Increase (decrease) in liabilities for capital expenditures	86,769,000	13,880,000
Issuance of Denbury common stock in connection with the Encore Merger	$ 0	$ 2,085,681,000