Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

SCHEDULE I - PARENT COMPANY FINANCIAL STATEMENT- STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS (Details)

v2.4.1.9
SCHEDULE I - PARENT COMPANY FINANCIAL STATEMENT- STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2013
Mar. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Revenues:                      
Oil and gas sales $ 23,037us-gaap_OilAndGasSalesRevenue [1] $ 24,486us-gaap_OilAndGasSalesRevenue [1] $ 52,098us-gaap_OilAndGasSalesRevenue [1] $ 28,071us-gaap_OilAndGasSalesRevenue [1] $ 58,282us-gaap_OilAndGasSalesRevenue [1] $ 37,740us-gaap_OilAndGasSalesRevenue [1] $ 29,118us-gaap_OilAndGasSalesRevenue [1] $ 44,137us-gaap_OilAndGasSalesRevenue [1] $ 127,691us-gaap_OilAndGasSalesRevenue $ 169,277us-gaap_OilAndGasSalesRevenue $ 195,287us-gaap_OilAndGasSalesRevenue
Operating costs and expenses:                      
Depreciation, depletion and amortization                 20,086us-gaap_DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization 16,929us-gaap_DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization 19,913us-gaap_DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization
General and administrative expense                 14,194us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense 11,254us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense 11,779us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
Total operating costs and expenses 117,308us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses 17,799us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses 18,270us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses 28,721us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses 22,331us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses 29,636us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses 17,452us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses 22,634us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses 182,097us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses 92,052us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses 108,694us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses
Operating income (loss) (94,270)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 6,687us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 33,828us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss (650)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 35,951us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 8,104us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 11,666us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 21,503us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss (54,406)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 77,225us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss 86,593us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Other income (expense):                      
Interest income                 75us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest 73us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest 145us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest
Other, net                 (733)us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense (111)us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense 414us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense
Total other income (expense)                 (658)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense (38)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense 559us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense
Income (loss) before income taxes                 (55,064)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 77,187us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 87,152us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Income tax expense                 22,486us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 34,115us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 81,813us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net income (loss) (98,332)us-gaap_ProfitLoss 3,109us-gaap_ProfitLoss 24,712us-gaap_ProfitLoss (7,038)us-gaap_ProfitLoss 26,377us-gaap_ProfitLoss 2,386us-gaap_ProfitLoss 7,121us-gaap_ProfitLoss 7,188us-gaap_ProfitLoss (77,550)us-gaap_ProfitLoss 43,072us-gaap_ProfitLoss 5,339us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest                     (4,708)us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest
Net income (loss) attributable to VAALCO Energy, Inc.                 (77,550)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 43,072us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 631us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
VAALCO ENERGY, INC.                      
Operating costs and expenses:                      
Depreciation, depletion and amortization                 94us-gaap_DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		63us-gaap_DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		59us-gaap_DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
General and administrative expense                 6,740us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		5,750us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		8,065us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Total operating costs and expenses                 6,834us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		5,813us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		8,124us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Operating income (loss)                 (6,834)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		(5,813)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		(8,124)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Other income (expense):                      
Interest income                 33us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		33us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		86us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterest
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Other, net                 450us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		   
Equity in subsidiary earnings                 (71,199)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		48,852us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		13,377us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Total other income (expense)                 (70,716)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		48,885us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		13,463us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Income (loss) before income taxes                 (77,550)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		43,072us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		5,339us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Net income (loss)                 (77,550)us-gaap_ProfitLoss
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		43,072us-gaap_ProfitLoss
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		5,339us-gaap_ProfitLoss
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest                     (4,708)us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Net income (loss) attributable to VAALCO Energy, Inc.                 $ (77,550)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		$ 43,072us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember 		$ 631us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
[1] Gabon crude oil sales are a function of the number and size of crude oil liftings in each quarter from the floating production, storage and offloading (“FPSO”) facility.