Acquisitions and Divestitures (Thompson Field PPA) (Details) (USD $)	Jun. 01, 2012
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred [Abstract]
Cash payment	$ 366,178,000
Thompson Field Purchase Price Allocation
Oil and natural gas properties	236,618,000
Pipelines and plants	2,000,000
Other assets	3,637,000
Asset retirement obligations	(3,306,000)
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Assets Acquired Less (Liabilities Assumed)	238,949,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Goodwill Amount	127,229,000
Proved Properties [Member]
Thompson Field Purchase Price Allocation
Oil and natural gas properties	232,467,000
Unevaluated Properties [Member]
Thompson Field Purchase Price Allocation
Oil and natural gas properties	$ 4,151,000

The total fair value of assets acquired less liabilities assumed in the acquisition of an entity.

No definition available.

Name:	dnr_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationAssetsAcquiredLessLiabilitiesAssumed
Namespace Prefix:	dnr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Business acquisition purchase price allocation non current liabilities asset retirement obligations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dnr_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationNonCurrentLiabilitiesAssetRetirementObligations
Namespace Prefix:	dnr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of acquisition cost of a business combination allocated to pipelines and related equipment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dnr_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationPipelines
Namespace Prefix:	dnr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of cash paid to acquire the entity.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141R

-Paragraph 68

-Subparagraph f(1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141

-Paragraph 51

-Subparagraph d

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Definition

Amount of goodwill arising from a business combination, which is the excess of the cost of the acquired entity over the amounts assigned to assets acquired and liabilities assumed.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141

-Paragraph 52

-Subparagraph c

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141

-Paragraph 53

-Subparagraph d

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount of acquisition cost of a business combination allocated to natural resources other than mineral rights in the mining industry.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of acquisition cost of a business combination allocated to other noncurrent assets not separately disclosed.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141

-Paragraph 51

-Subparagraph e

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)

-Number 98-1

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141

-Paragraph 37

-Subparagraph f

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

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

- Details

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