| Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets (Details) (USD $)In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010 | 
| Current assets: |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ 458,956 | $ 167,088 | $ 93,897 | $ 2,468 | 
| Accounts receivable—oil and gas | 58,824 | 25,615 |  |  | 
| Accounts receivable-related parties | 2,617 | 34,848 |  |  | 
| Accounts receivable - intercompany |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 2,581 | 1,506 |  |  | 
| Deferred tax asset | 6,927 | 0 |  |  | 
| Short-term derivative instruments | 324 | 664 |  |  | 
| Note receivable - related party | 875 | 0 |  |  | 
| Total current assets | 531,104 | 229,721 |  |  | 
| Property and equipment: |  |  |  |  | 
| Oil and natural gas properties, full-cost accounting | 2,477,178 | 1,611,090 |  |  | 
| Other property and equipment | 11,131 | 8,662 |  |  | 
| Accumulated depletion, depreciation, amortization and impairment | (784,717) | (665,884) |  |  | 
| Property and equipment, net | 1,703,592 | 953,868 |  |  | 
| Other assets: |  |  |  |  | 
| Equity investments | 440,068 | 381,484 |  |  | 
| Derivative instruments | 521 | 0 |  |  | 
| Other assets | 17,851 | 13,295 |  |  | 
| Total other assets | 458,440 | 394,779 |  |  | 
| Total assets | 2,693,136 | 1,578,368 |  |  | 
| Current liabilities: |  |  |  |  | 
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | 190,707 | 110,244 |  |  | 
| Accounts payable - intercompany | 0 | 0 |  |  | 
| Asset retirement obligation—current | 795 | 60 |  |  | 
| Short-term derivative instruments | 12,280 | 10,442 |  |  | 
| Current maturities of long-term debt | 159 | 150 |  |  | 
| Total current liabilities | 203,941 | 120,896 |  |  | 
| Long-term derivative instrument | 11,366 | 0 |  |  | 
| Asset retirement obligation—long-term | 14,288 | 13,215 |  |  | 
| Deferred tax liability | 114,275 | 18,607 |  |  | 
| Long-term debt, net of current maturities | 299,028 | 298,888 |  |  | 
| Other non-current liabilities | 0 | 354 |  |  | 
| Total liabilities | 642,898 | 451,960 |  |  | 
| Stockholders’ equity: |  |  |  |  | 
| Common stock | 851 | 674 |  |  | 
| Paid-in capital | 1,813,058 | 1,036,245 |  |  | 
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | (9,781) | (3,429) |  |  | 
| Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) | 246,110 | 92,918 |  |  | 
| Total stockholders’ equity | 2,050,238 | 1,126,408 | 632,350 | 211,056 | 
| Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | 2,693,136 | 1,578,368 |  |  | 
| Parent [Member] |  |  |  |  | 
| Current assets: |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash and cash equivalents | 451,431 | 165,293 | 93,124 | 2,459 | 
| Accounts receivable—oil and gas | 58,662 | 25,070 |  |  | 
| Accounts receivable-related parties | 2,617 | 33,806 |  |  | 
| Accounts receivable - intercompany | 21,379 | 15,368 |  |  | 
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 2,581 | 1,506 |  |  | 
| Deferred tax asset | 6,927 |  |  |  | 
| Short-term derivative instruments | 324 | 664 |  |  | 
| Note receivable - related party | 875 |  |  |  | 
| Total current assets | 544,796 | 241,707 |  |  | 
| Property and equipment: |  |  |  |  | 
| Oil and natural gas properties, full-cost accounting | 2,470,411 | 1,606,172 |  |  | 
| Other property and equipment | 11,102 | 8,642 |  |  | 
| Accumulated depletion, depreciation, amortization and impairment | (784,695) | (665,864) |  |  | 
| Property and equipment, net | 1,696,818 | 948,950 |  |  | 
| Other assets: |  |  |  |  | 
| Equity investments | 432,727 | 374,209 |  |  | 
| Derivative instruments | 521 |  |  |  | 
| Other assets | 17,851 | 13,295 |  |  | 
| Total other assets | 451,099 | 387,504 |  |  | 
| Total assets | 2,692,713 | 1,578,161 |  |  | 
| Current liabilities: |  |  |  |  | 
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | 190,284 | 110,037 |  |  | 
| Accounts payable - intercompany | 0 | 0 |  |  | 
| Asset retirement obligation—current | 795 | 60 |  |  | 
| Short-term derivative instruments | 12,280 | 10,442 |  |  | 
| Current maturities of long-term debt | 159 | 150 |  |  | 
| Total current liabilities | 203,518 | 120,689 |  |  | 
| Long-term derivative instrument | 11,366 |  |  |  | 
| Asset retirement obligation—long-term | 14,288 | 13,215 |  |  | 
| Deferred tax liability | 114,275 | 18,607 |  |  | 
| Long-term debt, net of current maturities | 299,028 | 298,888 |  |  | 
| Other non-current liabilities |  | 354 |  |  | 
| Total liabilities | 642,475 | 451,753 |  |  | 
| Stockholders’ equity: |  |  |  |  | 
| Common stock | 851 | 674 |  |  | 
| Paid-in capital | 1,813,058 | 1,036,245 |  |  | 
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | (9,781) | (3,429) |  |  | 
| Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) | 246,110 | 92,918 |  |  | 
| Total stockholders’ equity | 2,050,238 | 1,126,408 |  |  | 
| Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | 2,692,713 | 1,578,161 |  |  | 
| Guarantor [Member] |  |  |  |  | 
| Current assets: |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash and cash equivalents | 7,525 | 1,795 | 772 | 9 | 
| Accounts receivable—oil and gas | 162 | 545 |  |  | 
| Accounts receivable-related parties | 0 | 1,042 |  |  | 
| Accounts receivable - intercompany | 27 |  |  |  | 
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Deferred tax asset | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Short-term derivative instruments |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Note receivable - related party | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Total current assets | 7,714 | 3,382 |  |  | 
| Property and equipment: |  |  |  |  | 
| Oil and natural gas properties, full-cost accounting | 7,340 | 4,918 |  |  | 
| Other property and equipment | 29 | 20 |  |  | 
| Accumulated depletion, depreciation, amortization and impairment | (22) | (20) |  |  | 
| Property and equipment, net | 7,347 | 4,918 |  |  | 
| Other assets: |  |  |  |  | 
| Equity investments |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Derivative instruments | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Other assets |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Total other assets |  |  |  |  | 
| Total assets | 15,061 | 8,300 |  |  | 
| Current liabilities: |  |  |  |  | 
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | 423 | 207 |  |  | 
| Accounts payable - intercompany | 21,296 | 15,259 |  |  | 
| Asset retirement obligation—current |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Short-term derivative instruments |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Current maturities of long-term debt |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Total current liabilities | 21,719 | 15,466 |  |  | 
| Long-term derivative instrument | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Asset retirement obligation—long-term | 0 | 0 |  |  | 
| Deferred tax liability |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Long-term debt, net of current maturities | 0 | 0 |  |  | 
| Other non-current liabilities |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Total liabilities | 21,719 | 15,466 |  |  | 
| Stockholders’ equity: |  |  |  |  | 
| Common stock |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Paid-in capital | 322 | 322 |  |  | 
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) | (6,980) | (7,488) |  |  | 
| Total stockholders’ equity | (6,658) | (7,166) |  |  | 
| Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | 15,061 | 8,300 |  |  | 
| Non-Guarantor [Member] |  |  |  |  | 
| Current assets: |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 
| Accounts receivable—oil and gas | 0 | 0 |  |  | 
| Accounts receivable-related parties | 0 | 0 |  |  | 
| Accounts receivable - intercompany | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 0 | 0 |  |  | 
| Deferred tax asset | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Short-term derivative instruments | 0 | 0 |  |  | 
| Note receivable - related party | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Total current assets |  |  |  |  | 
| Property and equipment: |  |  |  |  | 
| Oil and natural gas properties, full-cost accounting |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Other property and equipment |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Accumulated depletion, depreciation, amortization and impairment |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Property and equipment, net |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Other assets: |  |  |  |  | 
| Equity investments | 191,473 | 172,766 |  |  | 
| Derivative instruments | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Other assets |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Total other assets | 191,473 | 172,766 |  |  | 
| Total assets | 191,473 | 172,766 |  |  | 
| Current liabilities: |  |  |  |  | 
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Accounts payable - intercompany | 110 | 109 |  |  | 
| Asset retirement obligation—current |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Short-term derivative instruments |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Current maturities of long-term debt |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Total current liabilities | 110 | 109 |  |  | 
| Long-term derivative instrument | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Asset retirement obligation—long-term | 0 | 0 |  |  | 
| Deferred tax liability |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Long-term debt, net of current maturities | 0 | 0 |  |  | 
| Other non-current liabilities |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Total liabilities | 110 | 109 |  |  | 
| Stockholders’ equity: |  |  |  |  | 
| Common stock |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Paid-in capital | 208,277 | 174,348 |  |  | 
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | (9,781) | 2,442 |  |  | 
| Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) | (7,133) | (4,133) |  |  | 
| Total stockholders’ equity | 191,363 | 172,657 |  |  | 
| Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | 191,473 | 172,766 |  |  | 
| Eliminations [Member] |  |  |  |  | 
| Current assets: |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
| Accounts receivable—oil and gas |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Accounts receivable-related parties | 0 | 0 |  |  | 
| Accounts receivable - intercompany | (21,406) | (15,368) |  |  | 
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Deferred tax asset | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Short-term derivative instruments |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Note receivable - related party | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Total current assets | (21,406) | (15,368) |  |  | 
| Property and equipment: |  |  |  |  | 
| Oil and natural gas properties, full-cost accounting | (573) | 0 |  |  | 
| Other property and equipment |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Accumulated depletion, depreciation, amortization and impairment |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Property and equipment, net | (573) | 0 |  |  | 
| Other assets: |  |  |  |  | 
| Equity investments | (184,132) | (165,491) |  |  | 
| Derivative instruments | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Other assets |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Total other assets | (184,132) | (165,491) |  |  | 
| Total assets | (206,111) | (180,859) |  |  | 
| Current liabilities: |  |  |  |  | 
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Accounts payable - intercompany | (21,406) | (15,368) |  |  | 
| Asset retirement obligation—current |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Short-term derivative instruments |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Current maturities of long-term debt |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Total current liabilities | (21,406) | (15,368) |  |  | 
| Long-term derivative instrument | 0 |  |  |  | 
| Asset retirement obligation—long-term | 0 | 0 |  |  | 
| Deferred tax liability |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Long-term debt, net of current maturities | 0 | 0 |  |  | 
| Other non-current liabilities |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Total liabilities | (21,406) | (15,368) |  |  | 
| Stockholders’ equity: |  |  |  |  | 
| Common stock |  | 0 |  |  | 
| Paid-in capital | (208,599) | (174,670) |  |  | 
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | 9,781 | (2,442) |  |  | 
| Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) | 14,113 | 11,621 |  |  | 
| Total stockholders’ equity | (184,705) | (165,491) |  |  | 
| Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | $ (206,111) | $ (180,859) |  |  |