Incentive Unit Compensation (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
 6 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Dec. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Centennial Resource Production, LLC (Centennial OpCo) and Celero Energy Company, L.P.          
Incentive Units          
Capital contribution for funding of Incentive Unit Purchase       $ 12,400  
NGP Centennial Follow-On LLC (Follow-On) | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Incentive compensation expenses     $ 0 0  
NGP Centennial Follow-On LLC (Follow-On) | Tier I | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Forfeited (in units)     (5,000)    
Granted (in units)     919,000    
Balance at the end of year (in units)     914,000    
Vested at the end of year (in units)     121,197    
Vesting period     5 years    
NGP Centennial Follow-On LLC (Follow-On) | Tier II | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Forfeited (in units)     (5,000)    
Granted (in units)     919,000    
Balance at the end of year (in units)     914,000    
Vested at the end of year (in units)     121,197    
Vesting period     5 years    
NGP Centennial Follow-On LLC (Follow-On) | Tier III | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Forfeited (in units)     (5,000)    
Granted (in units)     919,000    
Balance at the end of year (in units)     914,000    
NGP Centennial Follow-On LLC (Follow-On) | Tier IV | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Forfeited (in units)     (5,000)    
Granted (in units)     919,000    
Balance at the end of year (in units)     914,000    
NGP Centennial Follow-On LLC (Follow-On) | Tier V | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Forfeited (in units)     (5,000)    
Granted (in units)     919,000    
Balance at the end of year (in units)     914,000    
Centennial Resource Development, LLC (Centennial HoldCo) | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Incentive compensation expenses     $ 0 $ 0  
Centennial Resource Development, LLC (Centennial HoldCo) | Tier I | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Balance at the beginning of year (in units)     909,000 655,000  
Forfeited (in units)     (6,000)    
Granted (in units)     11,000 254,000  
Balance at the end of year (in units)     914,000 909,000 655,000
Vested at the end of year (in units)     370,517    
Vesting period     5 years    
Centennial Resource Development, LLC (Centennial HoldCo) | Tier II | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Balance at the beginning of year (in units)     909,000 655,000  
Forfeited (in units)     (6,000)    
Granted (in units)     11,000 254,000  
Balance at the end of year (in units)     914,000 909,000 655,000
Vested at the end of year (in units)     370,517    
Vesting period     5 years    
Centennial Resource Development, LLC (Centennial HoldCo) | Tier III | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Balance at the beginning of year (in units)     909,000 655,000  
Forfeited (in units)     (6,000)    
Granted (in units)     11,000 254,000  
Balance at the end of year (in units)     914,000 909,000 655,000
Centennial Resource Development, LLC (Centennial HoldCo) | Tier IV | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Balance at the beginning of year (in units)     909,000 655,000  
Forfeited (in units)     (6,000)    
Granted (in units)     11,000 254,000  
Balance at the end of year (in units)     914,000 909,000 655,000
Centennial Resource Development, LLC (Centennial HoldCo) | Tier V | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Balance at the beginning of year (in units)     909,000 655,000  
Forfeited (in units)     (6,000)    
Granted (in units)     11,000 254,000  
Balance at the end of year (in units)     914,000 909,000 655,000
Centennial Resource Production, LLC (Centennial OpCo) | Incentive units | Centennial Resource Development, LLC (Centennial HoldCo) | Incentive Unit Purchase          
Incentive Units          
Amount of transaction $ 12,400        
Centennial Resource Production, LLC (Centennial OpCo) | Incentive units | Centennial Resource Development, LLC (Centennial HoldCo) | Incentive Unit Purchase | General and administrative expense          
Incentive Units          
Expense from transaction   $ 12,400      
Centennial Resource Production, LLC (Centennial OpCo) | Tier I | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Balance at the beginning of year (in units)       850,250 941,252
Forfeited (in units)         (4,557)
Settled (in units)       (866,159) (132,322)
Granted (in units)       15,909 45,877
Balance at the end of year (in units)         850,250
Centennial Resource Production, LLC (Centennial OpCo) | Tier II | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Balance at the beginning of year (in units)       850,250  
Forfeited (in units)         (1,519)
Settled (in units)       (866,159) (132,322)
Granted (in units)       15,909 984,091
Balance at the end of year (in units)         850,250
Centennial Resource Production, LLC (Centennial OpCo) | Tier III | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Balance at the beginning of year (in units)       843,990 935,004
Forfeited (in units)         (4,557)
Settled (in units)       (843,990) (132,322)
Granted (in units)         45,865
Balance at the end of year (in units)         843,990
Centennial Resource Production, LLC (Centennial OpCo) | Tier IV | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Balance at the beginning of year (in units)       848,349 939,137
Settled (in units)       (848,349) (136,681)
Granted (in units)         45,893
Balance at the end of year (in units)         848,349
Centennial Resource Production, LLC (Centennial OpCo) | Tier V | Incentive units          
Incentive Units          
Balance at the beginning of year (in units)       848,349 939,137
Settled (in units)       (848,349) (136,681)
Granted (in units)         45,893
Balance at the end of year (in units)         848,349