Variable Interest Entities (Schedule of Change in Limited Partner Ownership of Partnership) (Details) - Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary - Partnership Interest - Limited Partner - shares				9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Rice Midstream Partners LP
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
% Ownership in the Partnership	26.00%	26.00%	41.00%
GP Holdings \| Partnership units owned by GP Holdings (Common and Subordinated)
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Common and subordinated units outstanding (in units)				28,757,246	28,757,246
Vested phantom units, net (in units)				0	0
Common and subordinated units outstanding (in units)	28,757,246	28,757,246	28,757,246	28,757,246	28,757,246
GP Holdings \| Partnership units owned by GP Holdings (Common and Subordinated) \| Equity offering in June 2016
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Common units issued (in units)					0
GP Holdings \| Partnership units owned by GP Holdings (Common and Subordinated) \| Equity offering in October 2016
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Common units issued (in units)					0
GP Holdings \| Partnership units owned by GP Holdings (Common and Subordinated) \| Common units issued under ATM program
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Common units issued (in units)					0
GP Holdings \| Rice Midstream Partners LP
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
% Ownership in the Partnership	28.00%	28.00%	41.00%
Rice Midstream Partners LP
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Common and subordinated units outstanding (in units)				102,272,756	70,917,372
Vested phantom units, net (in units)				30,352	280,451
Common and subordinated units outstanding (in units)	102,303,108	102,272,756	70,917,372	102,303,108	102,272,756
Rice Midstream Partners LP \| Equity offering in June 2016
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Common units issued (in units)					9,200,000
Rice Midstream Partners LP \| Equity offering in October 2016
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Common units issued (in units)					20,930,233
Rice Midstream Partners LP \| Common units issued under ATM program
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Common units issued (in units)					944,700

Rice Energy Inc. 10-Q