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

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies (Details Textual)

Commitments and Contingencies (Details Textual) (USD $)	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended							1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Commitments and Contingencies (Details Textual) (USD $)	Jul. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Well	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Offshore Gabon [Member] Well sqkm	Dec. 31, 2012 Gabon Obligation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Gabon Obligation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Gabon Obligation [Member]	Jan. 31, 2007 Angola [Member] sqkm	Nov. 30, 2006 Angola [Member] Well acre	Dec. 31, 2008 Angola [Member] sqkm	Dec. 31, 2012 Angola [Member] sqkm	Sep. 30, 2012 South Dakota [Member] acre	Dec. 31, 2012 South Dakota [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Discount							25.00%
Contractual Obligation Company Share							$ 3,700,000	$ 2,800,000	$ 1,300,000
Contractual Obligation accrued amount							3,600,000
Cost for acquire property						5,300,000
Number of exploration wells						2					2
Length of acquired property						150
Cost related to drilling						8,600,000					29,500,000
Cost related to share of drilling						2,600,000
Acquisition related to obligation						223
Number of exploration wells drilling required to pay remaining obligation			1
Annual funding related to production license, term						7 years
Percentage of annual funding over seven years						12.14%
Percentage of annual funding over last three years						5.00%
Abandonment cost related to annual funding						9,700,000
Length of acquired property										1,175		524	1,000
Production license agreement term											4 years
Production license agreement term extended by government											3 years
Area under acquire property exploration rights agreement term											1,400,000
Joint operation agreement related to third party in working interest percentage											40.00%
Additional Joint operation agreement related to third party in working interest percentage											10.00%
Drilling cost to company											14,800,000
Cost related to seismic obligation										7,500,000		6,000,000
Percentage of working interest acquired			31.00%										40.00%	100.00%
Seismic obligation cost to company										3,750,000		3,000,000
Full allowance against accounts receivable from partners			6,000,000	4,400,000
Well penalty, minimum			5,000,000
Percentage of carried interest													10.00%
Gross area of acquired property														10,000
Percentage of working interest for amounts owned													40.00%
Commitments and Contingencies (Textual) [Abstract]
Period of Charter			2 years
Company s share of the charter payment			28.10%
Liabilities, guarantees' fair value			1,200,000	400,000
Charter fee for production up to 20,000 BOPD			0.93
Charter fee for those bbls produced in excess of 20,000 BOPD			2.50
Company's share of charter expense			9,700,000	7,300,000	7,800,000
Rent expense, operating leases			4,400,000	3,600,000	6,000,000
Well penalty, minimum			5,000,000
Well penalty, maximum			10,000,000
Recorded restricted cash			10,000,000
Allowance recorded for accounts receivable with remainder			6,069,000	4,448,000									1,600,000
Additional amount to drill and complete additional well															3,600,000
Dry hole Costs (Drilling Expenses)			$ 37,300,000	$ 100,000	$ 2,600,000										$ 2,900,000
Extended drilling period	2 years	1 year