Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Commitments And Contingencies (Narrative) (Details)

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Commitments And Contingencies (Narrative) (Details)
 1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2016
Mar. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
item
$ / Boe
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Feb. 28, 2017
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2016
USD ($)
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]                
Number Monthly Payments | item       7        
Contractual Obligation Company Share     $ 1,000,000 $ 1,000,000       $ 5,100,000
Abandonment Funding     8,510,000 $ 8,510,000 $ 5,137,000      
Number of extensions | item       2        
Period of charter (in years)       1 year        
Percentage of share in charter payment       31.10%        
Liabilities, guarantees' fair value     $ 700,000 $ 700,000 1,000,000      
Charter fee for production up to 20,000 BOPD | $ / Boe       0.93        
Charter fee for those bbls produced in excess of 20,000 BOPD | $ / Boe       2.50        
Company's share of charter expense       $ 11,200,000 10,900,000 $ 11,800,000    
Rent expense, operating leases       4,500,000 4,300,000 3,900,000    
Gabon [Member]                
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]                
Discount   25.00% 15.00%          
Contractual Obligation Company Share     $ 1,700,000 1,700,000 2,300,000 $ 3,300,000    
Contractual Obligation accrued amount     1,100,000 $ 1,100,000 1,800,000      
Additional percent of revenue for provisions 1.00%              
Percent of investment cost which are cost recoverable       75.00%        
Accrued Payroll Taxes     1,000,000 $ 1,000,000        
Gabon [Member] | Share Of The 2016 Obligation [Member]                
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]                
Contractual Obligation accrued amount     400,000 $ 400,000        
Offshore Gabon [Member]                
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]                
Production License Agreement Term Extended By Government       5 years        
Abandonment Funding     8,500,000 $ 8,500,000        
Remaining commitment of drilling activity         32,200,000      
Remaining commitment of drilling activity, net         $ 9,800,000      
Percentage of annual funding over seven years       12.14%        
Funding period for initial rate       7 years        
Second funding period of production license       3 years        
Percentage of annual funding over last three years       5.00%        
Abandonment cost related to annual funding       $ 61,100,000        
Abandonment cost related to annual funding, net       $ 19,000,000        
Funding period abandonment funding       10 years        
Abandonment funding, gross     $ 27,400,000 $ 27,400,000        
Number of contract extension periods | item       2        
Subsequent Event [Member] | McDonough V. VAALCO Energy, Inc. [Member]                
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]                
Plantiff demand to settle case             $ 361,000