Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets of SandRidge Energy, Inc. and Wholly Owned Subsidiary Guarantors and Non-Guarantors' (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 309,766	$ 207,681	$ 5,863	$ 7,861
Accounts receivable, net	445,506	206,336
Derivative contracts	71,022	4,066
Prepaid expenses	31,319	14,099
Restricted deposit	255,000	0
Other current assets	30,272	9,658
Total current assets	1,142,885	441,840
Property, plant and equipment, net	8,479,977	5,389,424
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Derivative contracts	23,617	26,415
Goodwill	0	235,396
Other assets	144,252	126,534
Total assets	9,790,731	6,219,609
Current liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	766,544	506,784
Derivative contracts	14,860	115,435
Asset retirement obligations	118,504	32,906	25,360
Deposit on pending sale	255,000	0
Other current liabilities	15,546	44,371
Total current liabilities	1,170,454	699,496
Long-term debt	4,301,083	2,813,125
Derivative contracts	59,787	49,695
Asset retirement obligations	379,906	95,210	94,517
Other long-term obligations	17,046	13,133
Total liabilities	5,928,276	3,670,659
Equity
SandRidge Energy, Inc. stockholders' equity	2,368,853	1,626,011
Noncontrolling interest	1,493,602	922,939
Total equity	3,862,455	2,548,950	1,547,483	(195,905)
Total liabilities and equity	9,790,731	6,219,609
Parent
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	300,228	204,015	1,441	339
Accounts receivable, net	2,162,471	1,217,096
Derivative contracts	0	0
Prepaid expenses	0	0
Restricted deposit	0
Other current assets	1,375	0
Total current assets	2,464,074	1,421,111
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	5,425,907	3,609,244
Derivative contracts	0	0
Goodwill		0
Other assets	83,642	51,724
Total assets	7,973,623	5,082,079
Current liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	1,236,793	643,376
Derivative contracts	2,394	8,475
Asset retirement obligations	0	0
Deposit on pending sale	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	1,239,187	651,851
Long-term debt	4,306,985	2,798,147
Derivative contracts	0	1,973
Asset retirement obligations	0	0
Other long-term obligations	1,329	1,758
Total liabilities	5,547,501	3,453,729
Equity
SandRidge Energy, Inc. stockholders' equity	2,426,122	1,628,350
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	2,426,122	1,628,350
Total liabilities and equity	7,973,623	5,082,079
Guarantors
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	922	437	564	2,841
Accounts receivable, net	808,435	247,824
Derivative contracts	60,736	2,567
Prepaid expenses	31,135	13,442
Restricted deposit	255,000
Other current assets	24,188	2,621
Total current assets	1,180,416	266,891
Property, plant and equipment, net	7,236,685	4,462,846
Investment in subsidiaries	(86,235)	90,920
Derivative contracts	15,957	20,746
Goodwill		235,396
Other assets	66,512	74,760
Total assets	8,413,335	5,151,559
Current liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	2,087,046	1,166,029
Derivative contracts	30,664	115,829
Asset retirement obligations	118,504	32,906
Deposit on pending sale	255,000
Other current liabilities	15,546	43,320
Total current liabilities	2,506,760	1,358,084
Long-term debt	0	0
Derivative contracts	85,241	77,827
Asset retirement obligations	379,710	95,029
Other long-term obligations	15,717	11,375
Total liabilities	2,987,428	1,542,315
Equity
SandRidge Energy, Inc. stockholders' equity	5,425,907	3,609,244
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	5,425,907	3,609,244
Total liabilities and equity	8,413,335	5,151,559
Non-Guarantors
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	8,616	3,229	3,858	4,681
Accounts receivable, net	717,715	602,541
Derivative contracts	28,484	10,368
Prepaid expenses	184	657
Restricted deposit	0
Other current assets	4,709	7,037
Total current assets	759,708	623,832
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,298,877	926,578
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0
Derivative contracts	33,114	35,774
Goodwill		0
Other assets	0	50
Total assets	2,091,699	1,586,234
Current liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	684,136	556,165
Derivative contracts	0	0
Asset retirement obligations	0	0
Deposit on pending sale	0
Other current liabilities	0	1,051
Total current liabilities	684,136	557,216
Long-term debt	0	14,978
Derivative contracts	0	0
Asset retirement obligations	196	181
Other long-term obligations	0	0
Total liabilities	684,332	572,375
Equity
SandRidge Energy, Inc. stockholders' equity	1,407,367	1,013,859
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	1,407,367	1,013,859
Total liabilities and equity	2,091,699	1,586,234
Eliminations
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	(3,243,115)	(1,861,125)
Derivative contracts	(18,198)	(8,869)
Prepaid expenses	0	0
Restricted deposit	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(3,261,313)	(1,869,994)
Property, plant and equipment, net	(55,585)	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(5,339,672)	(3,700,164)
Derivative contracts	(25,454)	(30,105)
Goodwill		0
Other assets	(5,902)	0
Total assets	(8,687,926)	(5,600,263)
Current liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(3,241,431)	(1,858,786)
Derivative contracts	(18,198)	(8,869)
Asset retirement obligations	0	0
Deposit on pending sale	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	(3,259,629)	(1,867,655)
Long-term debt	(5,902)	0
Derivative contracts	(25,454)	(30,105)
Asset retirement obligations	0	0
Other long-term obligations	0	0
Total liabilities	(3,290,985)	(1,897,760)
Equity
SandRidge Energy, Inc. stockholders' equity	(6,890,543)	(4,625,442)
Noncontrolling interest	1,493,602	922,939
Total equity	(5,396,941)	(3,702,503)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (8,687,926)	$ (5,600,263)

Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets of SandRidge Energy, Inc. and Wholly Owned Subsidiary Guarantors and Non-Guarantors' (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified

Dec. 31, 2012

Dec. 31, 2011

Dec. 31, 2010

Dec. 31, 2009

Current assets

Cash and cash equivalents

$ 309,766

$ 207,681

$ 5,863

$ 7,861

Accounts receivable, net

445,506