Long-Term Debt (Details Textuals) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended					0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended							1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended							1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended						12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Bank Credit Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Bank Credit Agreement [Member]	Mar. 31, 2010 Bank Credit Agreement [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 7.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 [Member] Extinguishment One [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 7.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 [Member] Extinguishment Two [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 7.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2015 [Member] Extinguishment One [Member]	Mar. 21, 2011 7.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2015 [Member] Extinguishment Two [Member]	Feb. 19, 2013 9.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 9.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member]	Mar. 08, 2010 9.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 9.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period One [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 9.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Two [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 9.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Three [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 9.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member] Initial Redemption Period with Make-Whole Premium [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 9.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member] Extinguishment Two [Member]	Feb. 19, 2013 9.75% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member]	Feb. 27, 2013 9.75% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member]	Feb. 28, 2009 9.75% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 9.75% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2009 9.75% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 9.75% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2016 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period One [Member]	Feb. 28, 2010 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2020 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2020 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2020 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period One [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2020 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Two [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2020 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Three [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2020 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Four [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2020 [Member] Initial Redemption Period with Proceeds from Equity Offering [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2020 [Member] Initial Redemption Period with Make-Whole Premium [Member]	Feb. 28, 2011 6 3/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2021 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 6 3/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2021 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 6 3/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2021 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period One [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 6 3/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2021 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Two [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 6 3/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2021 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Three [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 6 3/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2021 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Four [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 6 3/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2021 [Member] Initial Redemption Period with Proceeds from Equity Offering [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 6 3/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2021 [Member] Initial Redemption Period with Make-Whole Premium [Member]	Feb. 27, 2013 4 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2023 [Member]	Feb. 05, 2013 4 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2023 [Member]	Feb. 05, 2013 4 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2023 [Member]	Feb. 27, 2013 4 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2023 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period One [Member]	Feb. 27, 2013 4 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2023 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Two [Member]	Feb. 27, 2013 4 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2023 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Three [Member]	Feb. 27, 2013 4 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2023 [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Four [Member]	Feb. 27, 2013 4 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2023 [Member] Initial Redemption Period with Proceeds from Equity Offering [Member]	Feb. 27, 2013 4 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2023 [Member] Initial Redemption Period with Make-Whole Premium [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] Bank Credit Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member] Bank Credit Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Equipment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Post-tax [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Post-tax [Member] Equipment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Pre-tax [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Pre-tax [Member] Equipment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Other, Gross	$ 417,207,000	$ 157,674,000																																																		$ 155,600,000
$1.6 Billion Revolving Credit Agreement [Abstract]
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage																																																		0.375%	0.50%
Line of Credit Facility, Initiation Date					Mar. 31, 2010
Borrowing base of Bank Credit Agreement				1,600,000,000	1,600,000,000	1,600,000,000
Maturity date of Bank Credit Agreement					May 31, 2016
Line of Credit Facility, Collateral					The Bank Credit Agreement is secured by substantially all of the proved oil and natural gas properties of our restricted subsidiaries and by the equity interests of our restricted subsidiaries.  In addition, our obligations under the Bank Credit Agreement are guaranteed jointly and severally by all of our subsidiaries, other than minor subsidiaries.
Line of Credit Facility, Covenant Compliance				During 2012, we received a limited waiver of any oil hedging noncompliance that may occur as a result of the Bakken Exchange Transaction during the period commencing on the closing date continuing through and including December 31, 2013	The Bank Credit Agreement was amended during 2012 concurrent with our change in classification of equipment leases from operating to capital (see Capital Leases below), and we received a waiver of any applicable violations of the provisions of the Bank Credit Agreement resulting from such correction and the recording of our equipment leases as debt.
Permissable Amount Of Capital Lease Obligations				300,000,000	300,000,000
Permissable Amount Of Other Unsecured Debt				40,000,000	40,000,000
Repayment terms of Bank Credit Agreement					If the borrowing base were to be less than outstanding borrowings under the Bank Credit Agreement, we would be required to repay the deficit over a period not to exceed four months.
Amount outstanding under revolving credit agreements	700,000,000	385,000,000
Restrictive covenants on Bank Credit Agreement	•a limitation on the ability to repurchase Denbury common stock and to pay dividends on Denbury common stock, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $1.2 billion during the term of the Bank Credit Agreement, subject to certain restrictions;•a requirement to maintain a current ratio, as determined under the Bank Credit Agreement, of not less than 1.0 to 1.0;•a maximum permitted ratio of debt to adjusted EBITDA (as defined in the Bank Credit Agreement) of us and our restricted subsidiaries of not more than 4.25 to 1.0; and•a prohibition against incurring debt, subject to permitted exceptions.
Interest rates on Bank Credit Agreement					Loans under the Bank Credit Agreement are subject to varying rates of interest based on (1) the total outstanding borrowings in relation to the borrowing base and (2) whether the loan is a Eurodollar loan or a base rate loan.  Eurodollar loans bear interest at the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate (as defined in the Bank Credit Agreement) plus the applicable margin in a range from 1.5% to 2.5% based on the ratio of outstanding borrowings to the borrowing base, and base rate loans bear interest at the Base Rate (as defined in the Bank Credit Agreement) plus the applicable margin in a range from 0.5% to 1.5% based on the ratio of outstanding borrowings to the borrowing base.  The “Eurodollar rate” for any interest period (either one, two, three, six, nine or twelve months, as selected by us) is the rate per year equal to LIBOR, as published by Reuters or another source designated by JPMorgan, for deposits in dollars for a similar interest period.  The “base rate” is calculated as the highest of (1) the annual rate of interest announced by JPMorgan as its “prime rate,” (2) the federal funds effective rate plus 0.5%, and (3) the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate (as defined in the Bank Credit Agreement) for a one-month interest period plus 1.0%.
Commitment fee on Bank Credit Agreement					We incur a commitment fee of either 0.375% or 0.5%, based on the ratio of outstanding borrowings to the borrowing base, on the unused availability under the Bank Credit Agreement.
Debt Instruments [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage of Principal Amount Redeemed																	100.00%														35.00%	100.00%							35.00%	100.00%								35.00%	100.00%
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date																						Feb. 28, 2009				Feb. 28, 2010
Debt Instrument, Redemption Period, Start Date															after May 1, 2014	after May 1, 2015	prior to May 1, 2013							after May 1, 2013			after February 15, 2015	after February 15, 2016	after February 15, 2017	after February 15, 2018	Prior to February 15, 2013	prior to February 15, 2015			August 15, 2016	August 15, 2017	August 15, 2018	August 15, 2019	Prior to August 15, 2014	prior to August 15, 2016				on or after January 15, 2018	on or after January 15, 2019	on or after January 15, 2020	on or after January 15, 2021	Prior to July 15, 2016
Interest in guarantor subsidiaries	100.00%
Face value of senior subordinated notes												224,900,000	225,000,000								420,000,000	426,400,000	6,400,000		1,000,000,000								400,000,000										1,200,000,000
Interest rate on senior subordinated notes												9.50%										9.75%				8.25%								6.375%								4.625%	4.625%
Proceeds From Issuance of Subordinated Long Term Debt, Net of Commissions and Fees																									980,000,000								393,000,000								1,180,000,000
Maturity date												May 01, 2016										Mar. 01, 2016				Feb. 15, 2020								Aug. 15, 2021							Jul. 15, 2023
Selling price of debt instrument as a percentage of par																					92.816%				100.00%																100.00%
Description of covenants on senior subordinated notes												The indenture governing the 9½% Notes includes various covenants and restrictions, including providing a put right by holders upon a change of control.										The indenture governing the 9¾% Notes contains certain restrictions on our ability to incur additional debt, pay dividends on our common stock, make investments, create liens on our assets, engage in transactions with our affiliates, transfer or sell assets, consolidate or merge, or sell substantially all of our assets.				The indenture governing the 2020 Notes contains certain restrictions on our ability to incur additional debt, pay dividends on our common stock, make investments, create liens on our assets, engage in transactions with our affiliates, transfer or sell assets, consolidate or merge, or sell substantially all of our assets.								The indenture governing the 2021 Notes contains certain restrictions on our ability to incur additional debt, pay dividends on our common stock, make investments, create liens on our assets, engage in transactions with our affiliates, transfer or sell assets, consolidate or merge, or sell substantially all of our assets.
Debt Instrument, Sinking Fund Description																						The 9¾% Notes are not subject to any sinking fund requirements.				The 2020 Notes are not subject to any sinking fund requirements.								The 2021 Notes are not subject to any sinking fund requirements.
Debt Instrument, Collateral												All of our subsidiaries, other than minor subsidiaries, guarantee this debt jointly and severally.										All of our subsidiaries, other than minor subsidiaries, guarantee this debt jointly and severally.				All of our subsidiaries, other than minor subsidiaries, guarantee this debt jointly and severally.								All of our subsidiaries, other than minor subsidiaries, guarantee this debt jointly and severally.
Debt Instrument, Repurchased Face Amount							169,600,000		220,900,000	79,100,000	186,700,000							55,400,000	191,700,000						3,700,000
Effective yield to maturity																						11.25%
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage							100.625%	100.00%	104.125%	103.75%	106.87%			104.75%	102.375%	100.00%	100.00%		105.425%	104.875%							104.125%	102.75%	101.375%	100.00%	108.25%	100.00%			103.188%	102.125%	101.062%	100.00%	106.375%	100.00%								104.625%	100.00%
Debt Instrument, Frequency of Periodic Payment												semi-annually, on May 1 and November 1, at a rate of 9½%										March 1 and September 1 of each year				February 15 and August 15 of each year								February 15 and August 15 of each year
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements, Amount																																																					6,000,000	5,200,000	9,600,000	8,400,000
Capital Lease Obligations, Noncurrent																																																				138,900,000
Capital Lease Obligations, Current																																																				25,100,000
Lease period included in long term transportation service agreement	20-year
Unamortized debt issuance costs	56,500,000	69,600,000
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	$ 0	$ 16,131,000	$ 0