Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation Nature of Business. SandRidge Energy, Inc. is an oil and natural gas company with a principal focus on exploration and production activities in the Mid-Continent region of the United States. The Company owns and operates additional interests in west Texas. The Company also operates businesses and infrastructure systems that are complementary to its primary exploration and production activities, including gas gathering and processing facilities, marketing operations, a saltwater gathering and disposal system, an electrical transmission system and a drilling and related oil field services business. Principles of Consolidation. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned or majority owned subsidiaries and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. Noncontrolling interest represents third-party ownership interests in the Company’s subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs and is included as a component of equity in the consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of changes in equity. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Variable Interest Entities. An entity is referred to as a VIE if it possesses one of the following criteria: (i) it is thinly capitalized, (ii) the residual equity holders do not control the entity, (iii) the equity holders are shielded from the economic losses, (iv) the equity holders do not participate fully in the entity’s residual economics, or (v) the entity was established with non-substantive voting interests. The Company consolidates a VIE when it has determined it is the primary beneficiary, which requires significant judgment. The primary beneficiary of a VIE is that variable interest holder possessing a controlling financial interest through (i) its power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and (ii) its obligation to absorb losses or its right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. In order to determine whether the Company owns a variable interest in a VIE and the significance of the variable interest, the Company performs a qualitative analysis of the entity’s design, organizational structure, primary decision makers and related financial agreements. In addition to the VIEs that the Company consolidates, the Company also holds a variable interest in another VIE that is not consolidated as it was determined that the Company is not the primary beneficiary. The Company monitors both consolidated and unconsolidated VIEs to determine if any events have occurred that could cause the primary beneficiary to change. See Note 3 for discussion of the Company’s significant associated VIEs. Interim Financial Statements. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2014 have been derived from the audited financial statements contained in the Company’s 2014 Form 10-K. The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company in accordance with the accounting policies stated in the audited consolidated financial statements contained in the 2014 Form 10-K. Certain information and disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted, although the Company believes that the disclosures contained herein are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, which consist of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to state fairly the information in the Company’s accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in the 2014 Form 10-K. Significant Accounting Policies. For a description of the Company’s significant accounting policies, see Note 1 of the consolidated financial statements included in the 2014 Form 10-K. Use of Estimates. The preparation of the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The more significant areas requiring the use of assumptions, judgments and estimates include: oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (“NGL”) reserves; cash flow estimates used in the valuation of guarantees; impairment tests of long-lived assets; depreciation, depletion and amortization; asset retirement obligations; assignments of fair value and allocations of purchase price in connection with business combinations; determinations of significant alterations to the full cost pool and related estimates of fair value used to allocate the full cost pool net book value to divested properties, as necessary; income taxes; valuation of derivative instruments; contingencies; and accrued revenue and related receivables. Although management believes these estimates are reasonable, actual results could differ significantly. Recent Accounting Pronouncements. In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-08, “Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity”, which amends the definition of a discontinued operations to elevate the threshold for a disposal transaction to qualify as a discontinued operation and requires entities to provide additional disclosures for disposal transactions that do not meet the discontinued operations criteria. The guidance is effective prospectively for all disposals (except disposals classified as held for sale before the adoption date) or components initially classified as held for sale in periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014, with early adoption permitted. The guidance was adopted January 1, 2015 and had no impact for the three-month period ended March 31, 2015. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”, which outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle requires that an entity recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Certain of the provisions also amend or supersede existing guidance applicable to the recognition of a gain or loss on transfers of nonfinancial assets that are not an output of an entity’s ordinary activities, including sales of property, plant and equipment and real estate. The requirements of the guidance are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period with an option of using either a full retrospective or a modified approach for adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the effect, if any, that the updated standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, “Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” which provides guidance on determining when and how to disclose going-concern uncertainties in the financial statements. The new standard requires management to perform interim and annual assessments of an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year of the date the financial statements are issued. An entity must provide certain disclosures if “conditions or events raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern.” The guidance is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and interim periods thereafter, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect the guidance will have on its related disclosures. In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, "Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis," which makes changes to both the variable interest model and the voting model, affecting all reporting entities involved with limited partnerships or similar entities, particularly industries such as the oil and gas, transportation and real estate sectors. In addition to reducing the number of consolidation models from four to two, the guidance simplifies and improves current guidance by placing more emphasis on risk of loss when determining a controlling financial interest and reducing the frequency of the application of related-party guidance when determining a controlling financial interest in a VIE. The requirements of the guidance are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim periods within that reporting period, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect, if any, that the updated standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, "Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs", which requires debt issuance costs to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the associated debt liability, consistent with the presentation of a debt discount. The guidance is effective on a retrospective basis for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim periods within that reporting period, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of the guidance will result in a decrease to the Company's assets and liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets, with no impact to the consolidated statements of operations.

Basis of Presentation

Nature of Business. SandRidge Energy, Inc. is an oil and natural gas company with a principal focus on exploration and production activities in the Mid-Continent region of the United States. The Company owns and operates additional interests in west Texas. The Company also operates businesses and infrastructure systems that are complementary to its primary exploration and production activities, including gas gathering and processing facilities, marketing operations, a saltwater gathering and disposal system, an electrical transmission system and a drilling and related oil field services business.

Principles of Consolidation. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned or majority owned subsidiaries and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. Noncontrolling interest represents third-party ownership interests in the Company’s subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs and is included as a component of equity in the consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of changes in equity. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Variable Interest Entities. An entity is referred to as a VIE if it possesses one of the following criteria: (i) it is thinly capitalized, (ii) the residual equity holders do not control the entity, (iii) the equity holders are shielded from the economic losses, (iv) the equity holders do not participate fully in the entity’s residual economics, or (v) the entity was established with non-substantive voting interests. The Company consolidates a VIE when it has determined it is the primary beneficiary, which requires significant judgment. The primary beneficiary of a VIE is that variable interest holder possessing a controlling financial interest through (i) its power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and (ii) its obligation to absorb losses or its right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. In order to determine whether the Company owns a variable interest in a VIE and the significance of the variable interest, the Company performs a qualitative analysis of the entity’s design, organizational structure, primary decision makers and related financial agreements. In addition to the VIEs that the Company consolidates, the Company also holds a variable interest in another VIE that is not consolidated as it was determined that the Company is not the primary beneficiary. The Company monitors both consolidated and unconsolidated VIEs to determine if any events have occurred that could cause the primary beneficiary to change. See Note 3 for discussion of the Company’s significant associated VIEs.

Interim Financial Statements. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2014 have been derived from the audited financial statements contained in the Company’s 2014 Form 10-K. The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company in accordance with the accounting policies stated in the audited consolidated financial statements contained in the 2014 Form 10-K. Certain information and disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted, although the Company believes that the disclosures contained herein are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, which consist of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to state fairly the information in the Company’s accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in the 2014 Form 10-K.

Significant Accounting Policies. For a description of the Company’s significant accounting policies, see Note 1 of the consolidated financial statements included in the 2014 Form 10-K.

Use of Estimates. The preparation of the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.

The more significant areas requiring the use of assumptions, judgments and estimates include: oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (“NGL”) reserves; cash flow estimates used in the valuation of guarantees; impairment tests of long-lived assets; depreciation, depletion and amortization; asset retirement obligations; assignments of fair value and allocations of purchase price in connection with business combinations; determinations of significant alterations to the full cost pool and related estimates of fair value used to allocate the full cost pool net book value to divested properties, as necessary; income taxes; valuation of derivative instruments; contingencies; and accrued revenue and related receivables. Although management believes these estimates are reasonable, actual results could differ significantly.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements. In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-08, “Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity”, which amends the definition of a discontinued operations to elevate the threshold for a disposal transaction to qualify as a discontinued operation and requires entities to provide additional disclosures for disposal transactions that do not meet the discontinued operations criteria. The guidance is effective prospectively for all disposals (except disposals classified as held for sale before the adoption date) or components initially classified as held for sale in periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014, with early adoption permitted. The guidance was adopted January 1, 2015 and had no impact for the three-month period ended March 31, 2015.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”, which outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle requires that an entity recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Certain of the provisions also amend or supersede existing guidance applicable to the recognition of a gain or loss on transfers of nonfinancial assets that are not an output of an entity’s ordinary activities, including sales of property, plant and equipment and real estate. The requirements of the guidance are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period with an option of using either a full retrospective or a modified approach for adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the effect, if any, that the updated standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, “Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a

Going Concern,” which provides guidance on determining when and how to disclose going-concern uncertainties in the financial

statements. The new standard requires management to perform interim and annual assessments of an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year of the date the financial statements are issued. An entity must provide certain disclosures if “conditions or events raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern.” The guidance is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and interim periods thereafter, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect the guidance will have on its related disclosures.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, "Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis," which makes changes to both the variable interest model and the voting model, affecting all reporting entities involved with limited partnerships or similar entities, particularly industries such as the oil and gas, transportation and real estate sectors. In addition to reducing the number of consolidation models from four to two, the guidance simplifies and improves current guidance by placing more emphasis on risk of loss when determining a controlling financial interest and reducing the frequency of the application of related-party guidance when determining a controlling financial interest in a VIE. The requirements of the guidance are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim periods within that reporting period, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect, if any, that the updated standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, "Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs", which requires debt issuance costs to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the associated debt liability, consistent with the presentation of a debt discount. The guidance is effective on a retrospective basis for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim periods within that reporting period, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of the guidance will result in a decrease to the Company's assets and liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets, with no impact to the consolidated statements of operations.