Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Capitalized costs, oil and gas producing activities, net $ 16,688cpe_CapitalizedCostsInternalCosts $ 14,753cpe_CapitalizedCostsInternalCosts $ 13,331cpe_CapitalizedCostsInternalCosts    
Property, Plant and Equipment, Other, Net 7,118us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOtherNet 7,255us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOtherNet   7,255us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOtherNet  
Capitalized Costs, Unproved Properties, Capitalized Interest 4,295cpe_CapitalizedCostsUnprovedPropertiesCapitalizedInterest 4,410cpe_CapitalizedCostsUnprovedPropertiesCapitalizedInterest 2,109cpe_CapitalizedCostsUnprovedPropertiesCapitalizedInterest    
Deferred financing costs 18,200us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsNoncurrentNet 1,098us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsNoncurrentNet   1,098us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsNoncurrentNet  
Amortization of financing costs 1,272us-gaap_AmortizationOfFinancingCosts 471us-gaap_AmortizationOfFinancingCosts 402us-gaap_AmortizationOfFinancingCosts    
Interest paid 7,283us-gaap_InterestPaid 13,189us-gaap_InterestPaid 13,920us-gaap_InterestPaid    
Other Property and Equipment [Member]          
Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Property, Plant and Equipment, Other, Net 7,118us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOtherNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
7,255us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOtherNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
  7,255us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentOtherNet
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
 
Depreciation 836us-gaap_Depreciation
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
750us-gaap_Depreciation
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
760us-gaap_Depreciation
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
   
Accumulated depreciation $ 14,005us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
$ 13,240us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
  13,240us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
 
Other Property and Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Useful life 3 years        
Other Property and Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Useful life 20 years        
Medusa Spar, LLC [Member]          
Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Divestiture of Business, Percentage Of Business Sold       10.00%cpe_DivestitureofBusinessPercentageOfBusinessSold
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= cpe_MedusaSparLLCMember
 
Ownership Percentage of Production Facilities         75.00%cpe_OwnershipPercentageOfProductionFacilities
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= cpe_MedusaSparLLCMember
Medusa Field [Member]          
Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Divestiture of Business, Percentage Of Business Sold       15.00%cpe_DivestitureofBusinessPercentageOfBusinessSold
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= cpe_MedusaFieldMember
 
Options [Member]          
Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Vesting period 3 years        
RSUs [Member]          
Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Vesting period 3 years        
Cash-settleable RSU awards [Member]          
Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Vesting period 3 years