VAALCO Energy, Inc. Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Capitalization of Exploratory Well Costs - Additional Information (Detail)

Capitalization of Exploratory Well Costs - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Capitalized Costs Relating To Oil And Gas Producing Activities By Geographic Area [Line Items]
Accounting Standard Code for Extractive Industries followed for capitalization purposes - ASC Topic 932	ASC Topic 932 - Extractive Industries provides that an exploratory well shall be capitalized as part of the entity’s uncompleted wells pending the determination of whether the well has found proved reserves. Further, an exploration well that discovers oil and gas reserves, but those reserves cannot be classified as proved when drilling is completed, shall be capitalized if the well has found a sufficient quantity of reserves to justify its completion as a producing well and the entity is making sufficient progress assessing the reserves and the economic and operating viability of the project. If either condition is not met, the exploration well would be assumed to be impaired and its costs would be charged to expense.
Dry hole costs and impairment loss on unproved leasehold	$ 13,273,000	$ 22,490,000	$ 37,289,000
Etame Marin
Capitalized Costs Relating To Oil And Gas Producing Activities By Geographic Area [Line Items]
Number of side tracks	2
Area of sand of oil	5
Southeast Etame Field
Capitalized Costs Relating To Oil And Gas Producing Activities By Geographic Area [Line Items]
Dry hole costs and impairment loss on unproved leasehold	7,800,000
Mutamba Iroru
Capitalized Costs Relating To Oil And Gas Producing Activities By Geographic Area [Line Items]
Number of side tracks	3
Capitalization on development plan	$ 8,900,000

The adjustment to expense previously capitalized costs of drilling exploratory wells when proved reserves are not found or when the entity obtains information that raises substantial doubt about the economic or operational viability of the project.

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