SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Segment information
Total (excluding interest income)	$ 9,206,000	$ 12,937,000
Revenues:
Interest income	162,000	93,000
Total revenues	9,368,000	13,030,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	1,111,000	1,203,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	202,000	155,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	3,865,000	5,847,000
Equity in income (loss) of affiliates:
Equity in income of affiliates	223,000	2,276,000
General and administrative expenses	(6,262,000)	(6,976,000)
Interest expense	(7,000)	(6,000)
Interest income	162,000	93,000
(Loss) earnings before income taxes	(2,019,000)	1,234,000
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	13,542,000	1,275,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	31,378,000	33,020,000
Land investment
Equity in income (loss) of affiliates:
Equity in income of affiliates	223,000	2,276,000
Intersegment eliminations
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0
Operating segments | Oil and natural gas
Segment information
Total (excluding interest income)	3,706,000	4,383,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	826,000	848,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	247,000	507,000
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	13,428,000	1,037,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	18,785,000	5,910,000
Operating segments | Land investment
Segment information
Total (excluding interest income)	1,645,000	4,503,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	37,000	155,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	1,608,000	4,348,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	1,608,000	3,247,000
Operating segments | Contract drilling
Segment information
Total (excluding interest income)	3,769,000	3,938,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	223,000	270,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	(104,000)	437,000
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	60,000	229,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	1,804,000	1,543,000
Operating segments | Other Segments [Member]
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	165,000	0
Corporate and Other
Segment information
Total (excluding interest income)	86,000	113,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	62,000	85,000
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	54,000	9,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	2,475,000	1,626,000
Corporate and Other | Cash and other
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	5,965,000	16,281,000
Corporate and Other | Certificates of deposit
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	741,000	4,413,000
Other operating (loss) profit | Corporate and Other
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	(141,000)	28,000
Gain on sale of assets | Corporate and Other
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	$ 2,255,000	$ 527,000