Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

SCHEDULE I - PARENT COMPANY FINANCIAL STATEMENT- CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) (Details)

v2.4.1.9
SCHEDULE I - PARENT COMPANY FINANCIAL STATEMENT- CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) (Details) (USD $)
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Common stock, par value $ 0.10us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare $ 0.10us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
Common stock, shares authorized 100,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized 100,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
Common stock, shares issued 65,194,828us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued 64,012,914us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
Treasury stock, shares 7,393,714us-gaap_TreasuryStockShares 7,162,573us-gaap_TreasuryStockShares
VAALCO ENERGY, INC.    
Common stock, par value $ 0.10us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
$ 0.10us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Common stock, shares authorized 100,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
100,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Common stock, shares issued 65,194,828us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
64,012,914us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Treasury stock, shares 7,393,714us-gaap_TreasuryStockShares
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
7,162,573us-gaap_TreasuryStockShares
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember