Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data	Total	Denbury Stockholders' Equity	Common Stock ($.001 Par Value)	Paid-In Capital in Excess of par	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Treasury Stock (at cost)	Noncontrolling Interest
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2009	$ 1,972,237	$ 1,972,237	$ 262	$ 910,540	$ 1,064,419	$ (557)	$ (2,427)	$ 0
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2009			261,929,292				156,284
Repurchase of common stock, value	(6,729)	(6,729)					(6,729)
Repurchase of common stock, shares							413,869
Issued pursuant to employee stock purchase plan, value	8,197	8,197		325			7,872
Issued pursuant to employee stock purchase plan, shares							(491,629)
Issued pursuant to employee stock option plan, value	4,868	4,868	1	4,867
Issued pursuant to employee stock option plan, shares			999,077
Issued pursuant to directors' compensation plan, value	266	266		266
Issued pursuant to directors' compensation plan, shares			16,118
Issued pursuant to Encore Merger, value	2,085,681	2,085,681	135	2,085,546
Issued pursuant to Encore Merger, shares	135,200,000		135,170,505
Encore restricted stock grants, value			1	(1)
Encore restricted stock grants, shares			1,070,686
Restricted stock grants, value	1	1	1
Restricted stock grants, shares			960,597
Restricted stock grants - forfeited			(301,735)
Performance-based shares issued, shares			446,493
Stock-based compensation	39,791	39,791		39,791
Income tax benefit from equity awards	4,603	4,603		4,603
ENP Revaluation At Encore Merger	515,210							515,210
ENP cash distributions to noncontrolling interest	(36,738)							(36,738)
Sale of ENP	(492,193)							(492,193)
Derivative contracts, net	(14)	69				69		(83)
Consolidated net income	285,527	271,723			271,723			13,804
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	4,380,707	4,380,707	400	3,045,937	1,336,142	(488)	(1,284)	0
Ending balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2010			400,291,033				78,524
Repurchase of common stock, value	(9,683)	(9,683)					(9,683)
Repurchase of common stock, shares							441,406
Issued pursuant to employee stock purchase plan, value	11,235	11,235		(1,623)			12,858
Issued pursuant to employee stock purchase plan, shares			(11,330)				(666,867)
Stock repurchase program, value	(195,227)	(195,227)					(195,227)
Stock repurchase program, shares							14,112,610
Issued pursuant to employee stock option plan, value	4,686	4,686	1	4,685
Issued pursuant to employee stock option plan, shares			1,200,759
Issued pursuant to directors' compensation plan, value	309	309		309
Issued pursuant to directors' compensation plan, shares			19,745
Issued pursuant to Encore Merger, value	0
Restricted stock grants, value	1	1	1
Restricted stock grants, shares			1,134,627
Restricted stock grants - forfeited			(157,811)
Performance-based shares issued, Value	1	1	1
Performance-based shares issued, shares			446,387
Stock-based compensation	40,187	40,187		40,187
Income tax benefit from equity awards	879	879		879
Derivative contracts, net	70	70				70
Consolidated net income	573,333	573,333			573,333
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	4,806,498	4,806,498	403	3,090,374	1,909,475	(418)	(193,336)	0
Ending balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2011			402,946,070				13,965,673
Repurchase of common stock, value	(8,125)	(8,125)					(8,125)
Repurchase of common stock, shares							472,966
Issued pursuant to employee stock purchase plan, value	13,260	13,260		1,607			11,653
Issued pursuant to employee stock purchase plan, shares							(815,385)
Stock repurchase program, value	(266,657)	(266,657)					(266,657)
Stock repurchase program, shares							16,978,008
Issued pursuant to employee stock option plan, value	6,023	6,023	1	6,022
Issued pursuant to employee stock option plan, shares	2,029,570		1,429,309
Issued pursuant to directors' compensation plan, value	321	321		321
Issued pursuant to directors' compensation plan, shares			19,648
Issued pursuant to Encore Merger, value	0
Restricted stock grants, value	1	1	2	(1)
Restricted stock grants, shares			1,909,739
Restricted stock grants - forfeited			(261,762)
Performance-based shares issued, shares			120,190
Stock-based compensation	37,897	37,897		37,897
Income tax benefit from equity awards	241	241		241
Derivative contracts, net	70	70				70
Consolidated net income	525,360	525,360			525,360
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 5,114,889	$ 5,114,889	$ 406	$ 3,136,461	$ 2,434,835	$ (348)	$ (456,465)	$ 0
Ending balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2012			406,163,194				30,601,262