SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Revenues:
Revenue before interest income	$ 18,329,000	$ 12,013,000
Interest income	18,000	62,000
Total revenues	18,347,000	12,075,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	2,147,000	3,022,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	4,376,000	5,710,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	779,000	(6,905,000)
Equity in income (loss) of affiliates:
Equity in income (loss) of affiliates	352,000	(276,000)
General and administrative expenses	(5,820,000)	(5,524,000)
Interest expense	(3,000)	(5,000)
Interest income	18,000	62,000
Loss before income taxes	(4,674,000)	(12,648,000)
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	3,514,000	1,309,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	15,182,000	18,302,000
Oil and natural gas
Revenues:
Revenue before interest income	6,693,000	6,406,000
Total revenues	6,693,000	6,406,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	1,747,000	2,680,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	4,326,000	5,710,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	(4,230,000)	(7,197,000)
Land investment
Revenues:
Revenue before interest income	325,000	165,000
Total revenues	325,000	165,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	50,000	0
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	275,000	165,000
Contract drilling
Revenues:
Revenue before interest income	10,994,000	5,349,000
Total revenues	10,994,000	5,349,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	356,000	287,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	3,125,000	89,000
Other
Revenues:
Revenue before interest income	317,000	93,000
Total revenues	335,000	155,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	44,000	55,000
Intersegment eliminations
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0
Operating segments | Oil and natural gas
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	3,099,000	46,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	3,613,000	7,415,000
Operating segments | Land investment
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	901,000	980,000
Operating segments | Contract drilling
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	408,000	1,262,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	3,838,000	3,793,000
Corporate and other
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	7,000	1,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	2,246,000	1,501,000
Corporate and other | Cash and other
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	4,584,000	4,613,000
Other operating (loss) profit
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	273,000	38,000
Gain on sale of assets
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	$ 1,336,000	$ 0