Contingent success fee.

No definition available.

Name:	omex_ContingentSuccessFee
Namespace Prefix:	omex_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Investment Agreement Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	omex_InvestmentAgreementPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	omex_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum Amount Of Financing Available From Future Issuance Of Convertible Preferred Stock

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	omex_MaximumAmountOfFinancingAvailableFromFutureIssuanceOfConvertiblePreferredStock
Namespace Prefix:	omex_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Working capital deficit.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	omex_WorkingCapitalDeficit
Namespace Prefix:	omex_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Excludes cash and cash equivalents within disposal group and discontinued operation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82887183&loc=d3e6676-107765

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3044-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate number of common shares reserved for future issuance.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockCapitalSharesReservedForFutureIssuance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of minimum net capital required to be maintained to engage in securities transactions.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Rule 15c3-1
-Number 240
-Section 15c3-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinimumNetCapitalRequired1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=omex_NoteSixMinosaTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_LoansPayableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=omex_PenelopeMiningLlcMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAxis=omex_MinosaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAxis=omex_SmomMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=omex_OceanicaResourcesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)	Mar. 11, 2015	Sep. 30, 2017	Aug. 10, 2017	May 31, 2017	Mar. 24, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	May 10, 2012
Gain Contingencies [Line Items]
Required minimum market capitalization value					$ 35,000,000
Aggregate amount issuable										$ 8,000,000
Loan amount borrowed		$ 0
Cash and cash equivalents		1,342,206				$ 1,662,643	$ 529,487		$ 2,241,317
Working capital deficit		$ 29,500,000
Note 6 - MINOSA 2 [Member]
Gain Contingencies [Line Items]
Aggregate amount issuable			$ 750,000
Note 6 - MINOSA 2 [Member] \| Loans Payable [Member]
Gain Contingencies [Line Items]
Aggregate amount issuable			$ 3,000,000
Penelope Mining LLC [Member]
Gain Contingencies [Line Items]
Investment in convertible preferred stock	$ 101,000,000
Investment agreement period	3 years
MINOSA [Member]
Gain Contingencies [Line Items]
Amount of debt financed	$ 14,750,000
SMOM [Member]
Gain Contingencies [Line Items]
Aggregate amount issuable				$ 3,000,000
Loan amount borrowed				$ 3,000,000
Oceanica Resources S. de. R.L [Member]
Gain Contingencies [Line Items]
Grant and issuance of new equity shares								3,000,000
Contingent success fee								$ 200,000