Related Party Transactions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]
Related Party Transactions	3. Related Party Transactions On September 17, 2007, the Company entered into a drilling program with Hoactzin Partners, L.P. ("Hoactzin") for ten wells consisting of approximately three wildcat wells and seven developmental wells to be drilled on the Company's Kansas Properties (the "Ten Well Program"). Peter E. Salas, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, is the controlling person of Hoactzin. He was also at the time the sole shareholder and controlling person of Dolphin Management, Inc., the general partner of Dolphin Offshore Partners, L.P., which was the Company's largest shareholder at that time. Under the terms of the Ten Well Program, Hoactzin paid the Company $0.4 million for each well drilled in the Ten Well Program completed as a producing well and $0.25 million for each well that was non-productive. The terms of the Ten Well Program also provide that Hoactzin would receive all the working interest in the ten wells in the Program, but would pay an initial fee to the Company of 25% of its working interest revenues net of operating expenses. This is referred to as a management fee but, as defined, is in the nature of a net profits interest. The fee paid to the Company by Hoactzin would increase to 85% when and if net revenues received by Hoactzin reach an agreed payout point of approximately 1.35 times Hoactzin's purchase price (the "Payout Point") for its interest in the Ten Well Program. In March 2008, the Company drilled and completed the tenth and final well in the Ten Well Program. Of the ten wells drilled, nine were completed as oil producers and are currently producing approximately 32 barrels per day in total. Hoactzin paid a total of $3.85 million (the "Purchase Price") for its interest in the Ten Well Program resulting in the Payout Point being determined as $5.2 million. Under the terms of the Company's agreement with Hoactzin, reaching the Payout Point may be accelerated by operation of a second agreement by which Hoactzin would apply 75% of the net profits it may receive from a methane extraction project discussed below developed by the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Manufactured Methane Corporation ("MMC"), to reaching the Payout Point. On September 17, 2007, Hoactzin, simultaneously with subscribing to participate in the Ten Well Program, pursuant to the second agreement referred to above was conveyed a 75% net profits interest in the methane extraction project developed by MMC at the Carter Valley landfill owned by Republic Services in Church Hill, Tennessee (the "Methane Project"). Net profits, if any, from the Methane Project received by Hoactzin would be applied towards the determination of the Payout Point (as defined above) for the Ten Well Program. Through December 31, 2013, no payments have been made to Hoactzin for its 75% net profits interest in the Methane Project, because no net profits were generated. The method of calculation of the net profits interest takes into account specific costs and expenses as well as gross gas revenues for the Methane Project. As a result of the startup costs and ongoing operating expenses, no net profits, as defined in the agreement, have been generated from startup in April, 2009 through December 31, 2013 for payment to Hoactzin under the net profits interest conveyed. When the Payout Point was reached from either the revenues from the wells drilled in the Ten Well Program or Hoactzin's share of the net profits from the Methane Project or a combination thereof, Hoactzin's net profits interest in the Methane Project was to decrease to a 7.5% net profits interest. As of December 31, 2013, net revenues received by Hoactzin from the Ten Well Program totaled $5.15 million which left a balance of $51,000 until the Payout Point. On December 18, 2007, the Company entered into a Management Agreement with Hoactzin to manage on behalf of Hoactzin all of its working interest in certain oil and gas properties owned by Hoactzin and located in the onshore Texas Gulf Coast, and offshore Texas and offshore Louisiana. As part of the consideration for the Company's agreement to enter into the Management Agreement, Hoactzin granted to the Company an option to participate in up to a 15% working interest on a dollar for dollar cost basis in any new drilling or workover activities undertaken on Hoactzin's managed properties during the term of the Management Agreement. The term of the Management Agreement was stated to terminate on the earlier of the date Hoactzin sold its interest in its managed properties, or five years from the effective date. The Management Agreement terminated by its own terms on December 18, 2012. As of the date of this Report, the Company is assisting Hoactzin with becoming operator of record of these wells and transferring all corresponding bonding liability to Hoactzin. The Company has entered into a transition agreement with Hoactzin whereby Hoactzin and its controlling member indemnify the Company for any costs or liabilities incurred by the Company resulting from such assistance, or the fact that the Company is still the operator of record on certain of these wells. During the course of the Management Agreement, the Company became the operator of certain properties owned by Hoactzin. The Company obtained from IndemCo, over time, bonds in the face amount of approximately $10.7 million for the purpose of covering plugging and abandonment obligations for Hoactzin's operated properties located in federal offshore waters in favor of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ("BOEM"), as well as certain private parties. In connection with the issuance of these bonds the Company signed a Payment and Indemnity Agreement with IndemCo whereby the Company guaranteed payment of any bonding liabilities incurred by IndemCo. Dolphin Direct Equity Partners, LP also signed the Payment and Indemnity Agreement, thereby becoming jointly and severally liable with the Company for the obligations to IndemCo. Hoactzin has provided $6.6 million in cash to IndemCo as collateral for these potential obligations. Dolphin Direct Equity Partners is a private equity fund controlled by Peter E. Salas that has a significant economic interest in Hoactzin. During 2012 and 2013, approximately $4.6 million of these bonds were terminated which leaves a balance on the remaining IndemCo bonds of approximately $6.1 million at December 31, 2013, an amount less than the $6.6 million in existing collateral supplied by parties other than the Company. As part of the transition process, Hoactzin has secured new bonds from Argonaut Insurance Company to replace the IndemCo bonds. Also as part of the transition process, right-of-use and easement ("RUE") bonds in the amount of $1.55 million were issued by Argonaut in the Company's name. Hoactzin is in the process of transferring these RUE bonds from the Company to Hoactzin. Hoactzin and Dolphin Direct signed an indemnity agreement with Argonaut as well as provided full collateral for the new Argonaut bonds, including the RUE bonds issued in the Company's name. The Company is not party to the indemnity agreement with Argonaut and has not provided any collateral for the bonds issued. As operator, the Company routinely contracted in its name for goods and services with vendors in connection with its operation of the Hoactzin properties. In practice, Hoactzin directly paid these invoices for goods and services that were contracted in the Company's name. During late 2009 and early 2010, Hoactzin undertook several significant operations, for which the Company contracted in the ordinary course. As a result of the operations performed in late 2009 and early 2010, Hoactzin had significant past due balances to several vendors, a portion of which were included on the Company's balance sheet. Payables related to these past due and ongoing operations remained outstanding at the end of 2013 and 2012 in the amount of $327,000 and $325,000 respectively. The Company has recorded the Hoactzin-related payables and the corresponding receivable from Hoactzin as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 in its Consolidated Balance Sheets under "Accounts payable – other" and "Accounts receivable –related party". Since the second quarter of 2012, Hoactzin had not made payments to reduce these past due balances. Based on these circumstances, the Company has elected to establish an allowance in the amount of $159,000 and $257,000 for the balances outstanding at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. This allowance was recorded in the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets under "Accounts receivable – related party" and in its Consolidated Statements of Operations in "General and administrative". The Company has entered into an agreement with Hoactzin whereby Hoactzin and Dolphin Direct are indemnifying the Company for any costs or liabilities incurred by the Company resulting from such assistance, or the fact that the Company is still the operator of record on certain of these wells. Until such time as Hoactzin becomes operator of record on these wells and the corresponding bonding liability is transferred from the Company to Hoactzin, per the transition agreement, the Company is suspending drilling payments to Hoactzin. As of December 31, 2013, the Company has suspended $412,000 in payments. This balance of these suspended payments is recorded in the Consolidated Balance Sheet under "Accounts payable – related party". The Company has not advanced any funds to pay any obligations of Hoactzin. No borrowing capability of the Company has been used by the Company in connection with its obligations under the Management Agreement, except for those funds used to collateralize the appeal bond with RLI Insurance Company (see Note 9 Commitments and Contingencies).

3. Related Party Transactions

On September 17, 2007, the Company entered into a drilling program with Hoactzin Partners, L.P. ("Hoactzin") for ten wells consisting of approximately three wildcat wells and seven developmental wells to be drilled on the Company's Kansas Properties (the "Ten Well Program"). Peter E. Salas, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, is the controlling person of Hoactzin. He was also at the time the sole shareholder and controlling person of Dolphin Management, Inc., the general partner of Dolphin Offshore Partners, L.P., which was the Company's largest shareholder at that time.

Under the terms of the Ten Well Program, Hoactzin paid the Company $0.4 million for each well drilled in the Ten Well Program completed as a producing well and $0.25 million for each well that was non-productive. The terms of the Ten Well Program also provide that Hoactzin would receive all the working interest in the ten wells in the Program, but would pay an initial fee to the Company of 25% of its working interest revenues net of operating expenses. This is referred to as a management fee but, as defined, is in the nature of a net profits interest. The fee paid to the Company by Hoactzin would increase to 85% when and if net revenues received by Hoactzin reach an agreed payout point of approximately 1.35 times Hoactzin's purchase price (the "Payout Point") for its interest in the Ten Well Program.

In March 2008, the Company drilled and completed the tenth and final well in the Ten Well Program. Of the ten wells drilled, nine were completed as oil producers and are currently producing approximately 32 barrels per day in total. Hoactzin paid a total of $3.85 million (the "Purchase Price") for its interest in the Ten Well Program resulting in the Payout Point being determined as $5.2 million.

Under the terms of the Company's agreement with Hoactzin, reaching the Payout Point may be accelerated by operation of a second agreement by which Hoactzin would apply 75% of the net profits it may receive from a methane extraction project discussed below developed by the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Manufactured Methane Corporation ("MMC"), to reaching the Payout Point.

On September 17, 2007, Hoactzin, simultaneously with subscribing to participate in the Ten Well Program, pursuant to the second agreement referred to above was conveyed a 75% net profits interest in the methane extraction project developed by MMC at the Carter Valley landfill owned by Republic Services in Church Hill, Tennessee (the "Methane Project"). Net profits, if any, from the Methane Project received by Hoactzin would be applied towards the determination of the Payout Point (as defined above) for the Ten Well Program.

Through December 31, 2013, no payments have been made to Hoactzin for its 75% net profits interest in the Methane Project, because no net profits were generated.

The method of calculation of the net profits interest takes into account specific costs and expenses as well as gross gas revenues for the Methane Project. As a result of the startup costs and ongoing operating expenses, no net profits, as defined in the agreement, have been generated from startup in April, 2009 through December 31, 2013 for payment to Hoactzin under the net profits interest conveyed. When the Payout Point was reached from either the revenues from the wells drilled in the Ten Well Program or Hoactzin's share of the net profits from the Methane Project or a combination thereof, Hoactzin's net profits interest in the Methane Project was to decrease to a 7.5% net profits interest.

As of December 31, 2013, net revenues received by Hoactzin from the Ten Well Program totaled $5.15 million which left a balance of $51,000 until the Payout Point.

On December 18, 2007, the Company entered into a Management Agreement with Hoactzin to manage on behalf of Hoactzin all of its working interest in certain oil and gas properties owned by Hoactzin and located in the onshore Texas Gulf Coast, and offshore Texas and offshore Louisiana.

As part of the consideration for the Company's agreement to enter into the Management Agreement, Hoactzin granted to the Company an option to participate in up to a 15% working interest on a dollar for dollar cost basis in any new drilling or workover activities undertaken on Hoactzin's managed properties during the term of the Management Agreement. The term of the Management Agreement was stated to terminate on the earlier of the date Hoactzin sold its interest in its managed properties, or five years from the effective date. The Management Agreement terminated by its own terms on December 18, 2012. As of the date of this Report, the Company is assisting Hoactzin with becoming operator of record of these wells and transferring all corresponding bonding liability to Hoactzin. The Company has entered into a transition agreement with Hoactzin whereby Hoactzin and its controlling member indemnify the Company for any costs or liabilities incurred by the Company resulting from such assistance, or the fact that the Company is still the operator of record on certain of these wells.

During the course of the Management Agreement, the Company became the operator of certain properties owned by Hoactzin. The Company obtained from IndemCo, over time, bonds in the face amount of approximately $10.7 million for the purpose of covering plugging and abandonment obligations for Hoactzin's operated properties located in federal offshore waters in favor of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ("BOEM"), as well as certain private parties. In connection with the issuance of these bonds the Company signed a Payment and Indemnity Agreement with IndemCo whereby the Company guaranteed payment of any bonding liabilities incurred by IndemCo. Dolphin Direct Equity Partners, LP also signed the Payment and Indemnity Agreement, thereby becoming jointly and severally liable with the Company for the obligations to IndemCo. Hoactzin has provided $6.6 million in cash to IndemCo as collateral for these potential obligations. Dolphin Direct Equity Partners is a private equity fund controlled by Peter E. Salas that has a significant economic interest in Hoactzin. During 2012 and 2013, approximately $4.6 million of these bonds were terminated which leaves a balance on the remaining IndemCo bonds of approximately $6.1 million at December 31, 2013, an amount less than the $6.6 million in existing collateral supplied by parties other than the Company.

As part of the transition process, Hoactzin has secured new bonds from Argonaut Insurance Company to replace the IndemCo bonds. Also as part of the transition process, right-of-use and easement ("RUE") bonds in the amount of $1.55 million were issued by Argonaut in the Company's name. Hoactzin is in the process of transferring these RUE bonds from the Company to Hoactzin. Hoactzin and Dolphin Direct signed an indemnity agreement with Argonaut as well as provided full collateral for the new Argonaut bonds, including the RUE bonds issued in the Company's name. The Company is not party to the indemnity agreement with Argonaut and has not provided any collateral for the bonds issued.

As operator, the Company routinely contracted in its name for goods and services with vendors in connection with its operation of the Hoactzin properties. In practice, Hoactzin directly paid these invoices for goods and services that were contracted in the Company's name. During late 2009 and early 2010, Hoactzin undertook several significant operations, for which the Company contracted in the ordinary course. As a result of the operations performed in late 2009 and early 2010, Hoactzin had significant past due balances to several vendors, a portion of which were included on the Company's balance sheet. Payables related to these past due and ongoing operations remained outstanding at the end of 2013 and 2012 in the amount of $327,000 and $325,000 respectively. The Company has recorded the Hoactzin-related payables and the corresponding receivable from Hoactzin as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 in its Consolidated Balance Sheets under "Accounts payable – other" and "Accounts receivable –related party". Since the second quarter of 2012, Hoactzin had not made payments to reduce these past due balances. Based on these circumstances, the Company has elected to establish an allowance in the amount of $159,000 and $257,000 for the balances outstanding at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. This allowance was recorded in the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets under "Accounts receivable – related party" and in its Consolidated Statements of Operations in "General and administrative".

The Company has entered into an agreement with Hoactzin whereby Hoactzin and Dolphin Direct are indemnifying the Company for any costs or liabilities incurred by the Company resulting from such assistance, or the fact that the Company is still the operator of record on certain of these wells. Until such time as Hoactzin becomes operator of record on these wells and the corresponding bonding liability is transferred from the Company to Hoactzin, per the transition agreement, the Company is suspending drilling payments to Hoactzin. As of December 31, 2013, the Company has suspended $412,000 in payments. This balance of these suspended payments is recorded in the Consolidated Balance Sheet under "Accounts payable – related party".

The Company has not advanced any funds to pay any obligations of Hoactzin. No borrowing capability of the Company has been used by the Company in connection with its obligations under the Management Agreement, except for those funds used to collateralize the appeal bond with RLI Insurance Company (see Note 9 Commitments and Contingencies).