VAALCO Energy, Inc. Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details)

v3.20.1

Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Effective income tax rate	(68.00%)	77.00%
Uncertain tax positions	$ 0
Change In Crude Oils Prices [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Change in valuation allowance	23,100,000
Difference Between Cost Account and Book Basis of Oil and Gas Property [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Change in valuation allowance	(12,300,000)
Basis Differences In Fixed Assets And Net Operating Loss Carryforwards [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Change in valuation allowance	$ (11,500,000)
Authorities Other Than United States And Gabon [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Effective income tax rate	0.00%

- Definition

Income Taxes [Line Items]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	egy_IncomeTaxesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	egy_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32687-109319

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32698-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in unrecognized tax benefits attributable to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in the valuation allowance for a specified deferred tax asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 20
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116821951&loc=d3e32123-109318

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis=egy_ChangeInCrudeOilsPricesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis=egy_DifferenceBetweenCostAccountAndBookBasisOfOilAndGasPropertyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis=egy_BasisDifferencesInFixedAssetsAndNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=egy_AuthoritiesOtherThanUnitedStatesAndGabonMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: