PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT AND ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATION (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Property and equipment
Gross property and equipment	$ 223,023,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross	$ 252,872,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Accumulated depletion, depreciation, and amortization	(200,673,000)	(211,566,000)
Property and equipment, net	22,350,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	41,306,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Change in the asset retirement obligation
Balance at the beginning of the year	7,520,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation	5,629,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation
Obligations incurred on new wells drilled	105,000	61,000
Liabilities associated with properties sold	(718,000)
Revision of estimated obligation	2,437,000	1,783,000
Accretion expense	624,000	499,000
Payments	(111,000)	(222,000)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(694,000)	(230,000)
Balance at the end of the year	9,163,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation	7,520,000us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation
Less current portion	(978,000)
Asset retirement obligation, long-term	8,185,000	7,520,000
Land
Property and equipment
Gross property and equipment	863,000	863,000
Property and equipment, net	863,000	863,000
Oil and natural gas properties
Property and equipment
Gross property and equipment	209,702,000	239,243,000
Accumulated depletion, depreciation, and amortization	(191,478,000)	(202,400,000)
Property and equipment, net	18,224,000	36,843,000
Drilling rigs and equipment
Property and equipment
Gross property and equipment	6,759,000	6,758,000
Accumulated depletion, depreciation, and amortization	(5,754,000)	(5,513,000)
Property and equipment, net	1,005,000	1,245,000
Drilling rigs and equipment \| Minimum
Property and equipment
Estimated useful lives	3 years	3 years
Drilling rigs and equipment \| Maximum
Property and equipment
Estimated useful lives	10 years	10 years
Offices
Property and equipment
Estimated useful lives	40 years	40 years
Gross property and equipment	2,420,000	2,420,000
Accumulated depletion, depreciation, and amortization	(384,000)	(324,000)
Property and equipment, net	2,036,000	2,096,000
Other property and equipment
Property and equipment
Gross property and equipment	3,279,000	3,588,000
Accumulated depletion, depreciation, and amortization	(3,057,000)	(3,329,000)
Property and equipment, net	$ 222,000	$ 259,000
Other property and equipment \| Minimum
Property and equipment
Estimated useful lives	3 years	3 years
Other property and equipment \| Maximum
Property and equipment
Estimated useful lives	17 years	17 years

Amount of asset retirement obligations divested during the period.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 360

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.14)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 14

-Article 5

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- Definition

The carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 410

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

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Amount of accretion expense recognized during the period that is associated with an asset retirement obligation. Accretion expense measures and incorporates changes due to the passage of time into the carrying amount of the liability.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392676&loc=d3e7480-110848

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-Paragraph 1

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- Definition

Current portion of the carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees.

+ References

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Amount of the Increase or Decrease in the amount of asset retirement obligations for the period associated with foreign currency translation (to the extent that the entity accounts for the foreign currency effects as a separate component of the change in the liability).

+ References

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Amount of asset retirement obligations incurred during the period.

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- Definition

Amount of asset retirement obligations settled, or otherwise disposed of, during the period. This may include asset retirement obligations transferred to third parties associated with the sale of a long-lived asset.

+ References

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Amount of the Increase or Decrease in the amount of the asset retirement obligation during the current period for changes in the amount or timing of the estimated cash flows associated with the settlement of the obligation.

+ References

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- Definition

Noncurrent portion of the carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees.

+ References

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Amount before accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 360

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

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Amount after accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures.

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Useful life of long lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Examples include, but not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment.

+ References

No definition available.

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