Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Well
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]      
Company's bank guarantees for customs clearance $ 1,600,000egy_BankGuaranteesForCustomsClearance    
Company's charter payment escrow 800,000us-gaap_EscrowDeposit 800,000us-gaap_EscrowDeposit  
Funds restricted to secure the Company's drilling obligation 10,000,000egy_FundSecureForDrillingObligations 10,000,000egy_FundSecureForDrillingObligations  
Funds secure for well obligations 10,000,000egy_FundsSecureForWellObligations    
Number of additional well obligations 2egy_NumberOfAdditionalWellObligations    
Date of maturity of certificates of deposit and commercial paper not exceeding 90 days    
Gains or Loss on foreign currency transactions (700,000)us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax (100,000)us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax 400,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax
Bad debt expenses 2,400,000us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts 1,562,000us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts 1,621,000us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts
Vaalco International      
Property Plant And Equipment [Line Items]      
Company acquired the noncontrolling interest amount     $ 26,200,000egy_PaymentToAcquireNoncontrollingInterest
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= egy_VaalcoInternationalMember
Noncontrolling interest owned issued and outstanding common stock     9.99%egy_NoncontrollingInterestOwnershipPercentageBeforeAcquisition
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= egy_VaalcoInternationalMember