COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	1 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Feb. 28, 2009 Parties	Sep. 30, 2003 Parties	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2012 Litigation Funding Agreement [Member]	Sep. 23, 2012 MTBE [Member] Parties	Sep. 30, 2012 MTBE [Member] Defendant	Dec. 31, 2010 MTBE [Member] Cases
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Administrative claims				$ 10,500,000
The amount received from the initial distribution in the Marketing liquidation	667,000
Maximum amount of loans to be made to the Marketing Estate per agreement						6,425,000
Maximum amount we agreed to loan the Marketing Estate to fund the legal fees and expenses related to the Lukoil complaint						5,200,000
Maximum amount we agreed to loan the Marketing Estate to fund the fees and expenses for expert witnesses related to the Lukoil complaint						725,000
Maximum amount we agreed to loan the Marketing Estate to fund the Marketing Estate's operations and wind down expenses						800,000
Interest rate per annum on funds advanced to the Marketing Estate						15.00%
Percentage of Gross Proceeds from the Lukoil Complaint						24.00%
Interest rate per annum on funds advanced to the Marketing Estate for expert witnesses and wind down expenses						15.00%
Interest rate per annum on funds advanced for legal fees and expenses						15.00%
Amount advanced to the Marketing Estate for Wind Down Expenses						220,000
Accrued legal matters				3,736,000	4,242,000
Number of potentially responsible parties for Lower Passaic River damages			66
Number of additional parties		300
Parties to perform a remedial investigation and feasibility study								70
Petroleum refiners, manufacturers, distributors and retailers							50
Agreements to settle									$ 1,725,000
Classes covering									2
Pending cases									52
Percentage of taxable income distributed among stockholders				90.00%
Percentage of common stock to total required distribution				90.00%