ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Movement in Other comprehensive Income	$ 11,928glng_MovementinOthercomprehensiveIncome	$ 11,973glng_MovementinOthercomprehensiveIncome	$ 16,218glng_MovementinOthercomprehensiveIncome
Other financial items	74,094	(38,219)	13,763
Gain on sale of Golar Maria	(43,783)us-gaap_GainOnSaleOfInvestments	(65,619)us-gaap_GainOnSaleOfInvestments	0us-gaap_GainOnSaleOfInvestments
Gain on loss of control	0us-gaap_DeconsolidationGainOrLossAmount	0us-gaap_DeconsolidationGainOrLossAmount	(853,996)us-gaap_DeconsolidationGainOrLossAmount
Income before equity in net earnings (losses) of affiliates, income taxes and non-controlling interests	61,988	(116,488)	(1,017,817)
Gain (losses) on available-for-sale securities
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Movement in Other comprehensive Income	7,955	1,885	5,911
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Movement in Other comprehensive Income	6,718	4,156	12,630
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Income before equity in net earnings (losses) of affiliates, income taxes and non-controlling interests	3,235	(10,787)	8,989
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member] \| Gain (losses) on available-for-sale securities
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Other non-operating income	0	(10,795)	0
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member] \| Gain (losses) on available-for-sale securities \| Golar LNG Partners
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Other non-operating income	0	(10,710)	0
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member] \| Gain (losses) on available-for-sale securities \| GasLog [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Other non-operating income	0	(85)	0
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member] \| Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Income before equity in net earnings (losses) of affiliates, income taxes and non-controlling interests	3,235	8	8,989
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member] \| Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges \| Currency swap
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Other financial items	0	(718)	0
Gain on loss of control	0	0	5,064
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member] \| Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges \| Interest rate swap
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Other financial items	3,235	(1,644)	0
Gain on sale of Golar Maria	0	2,370	0
Gain on loss of control	$ 0	$ 0	$ 3,925

Movement in Other comprehensive Income

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- Definition

Other Nonoperating Miscellaneous Income (Expense)

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of the gain (loss) recognized by the parent and included in its attributable portion of net income for the period due to deconsolidation of a subsidiary or derecognition of a group of assets. The gain (loss) recognized and included in the net income attributable to the parent for the period is generally computed as the difference between: (a) the aggregate of: (1) the fair value of any consideration received; (2) the fair value of any retained noncontrolling investment in the former subsidiary at the date the subsidiary was deconsolidated; and (3) the carrying amount of any noncontrolling interest in the former subsidiary (including any accumulated other comprehensive income attributable to the noncontrolling interest) at the date the subsidiary was deconsolidated and (b) the carrying amount of the former subsidiary's assets and liabilities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1B

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=SL4582445-111684

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- Definition

The difference between the carrying value and the sale price of an investment. A gain would be recognized when the sale price of the investment is greater than the carrying value of the investment. This element refers to the Gain included in earnings and not to the cash proceeds of the sale.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

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- Definition

Reflects the sum of all other revenue and income recognized by the entity in the period not otherwise specified in the income statement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 4

-Article 7

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