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Commitments And Contingencies (Narrative) (Details) | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |
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Apr. 30, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item $ / Boe | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Feb. 28, 2017 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number Monthly Payments | item |  |  |  | 7 |  |  |  |
Contractual Obligation Company Share |  |  | $ 1,000,000 | $ 1,000,000 |  |  |  | $ 5,100,000
Abandonment Funding |  |  | 8,510,000 | $ 8,510,000 | $ 5,137,000 |  |  |
Number of extensions | item |  |  |  | 2 |  |  |  |
Period of charter (in years) |  |  |  | 1 year |  |  |  |
Percentage of share in charter payment |  |  |  | 31.10% |  |  |  |
Liabilities, guarantees' fair value |  |  | $ 700,000 | $ 700,000 | 1,000,000 |  |  |
Charter fee for production up to 20,000 BOPD | $ / Boe |  |  |  | 0.93 |  |  |  |
Charter fee for those bbls produced in excess of 20,000 BOPD | $ / Boe |  |  |  | 2.50 |  |  |  |
Company's share of charter expense |  |  |  | $ 11,200,000 | 10,900,000 | $ 11,800,000 |  |
Rent expense, operating leases |  |  |  | 4,500,000 | 4,300,000 | 3,900,000 |  |
Gabon [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Discount |  | 25.00% | 15.00% |  |  |  |  |
Contractual Obligation Company Share |  |  | $ 1,700,000 | 1,700,000 | 2,300,000 | $ 3,300,000 |  |
Contractual Obligation accrued amount |  |  | 1,100,000 | $ 1,100,000 | 1,800,000 |  |  |
Additional percent of revenue for provisions | 1.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percent of investment cost which are cost recoverable |  |  |  | 75.00% |  |  |  |
Accrued Payroll Taxes |  |  | 1,000,000 | $ 1,000,000 |  |  |  |
Gabon [Member] | Share Of The 2016 Obligation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contractual Obligation accrued amount |  |  | 400,000 | $ 400,000 |  |  |  |
Offshore Gabon [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Production License Agreement Term Extended By Government |  |  |  | 5 years |  |  |  |
Abandonment Funding |  |  | 8,500,000 | $ 8,500,000 |  |  |  |
Remaining commitment of drilling activity |  |  |  |  | 32,200,000 |  |  |
Remaining commitment of drilling activity, net |  |  |  |  | $ 9,800,000 |  |  |
Percentage of annual funding over seven years |  |  |  | 12.14% |  |  |  |
Funding period for initial rate |  |  |  | 7 years |  |  |  |
Second funding period of production license |  |  |  | 3 years |  |  |  |
Percentage of annual funding over last three years |  |  |  | 5.00% |  |  |  |
Abandonment cost related to annual funding |  |  |  | $ 61,100,000 |  |  |  |
Abandonment cost related to annual funding, net |  |  |  | $ 19,000,000 |  |  |  |
Funding period abandonment funding |  |  |  | 10 years |  |  |  |
Abandonment funding, gross |  |  | $ 27,400,000 | $ 27,400,000 |  |  |  |
Number of contract extension periods | item |  |  |  | 2 |  |  |  |
Subsequent Event [Member] | McDonough V. VAALCO Energy, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Plantiff demand to settle case |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 361,000 |

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