Note 3 - Acquisitions (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Table Text Block]

	Three-month Period Ended:				Six-month Period Ended:
	June 30, 2012		July 1, 2011		June 30, 2012		July 1, 2011
	(in thousands)
Net revenues	$	36,901	$	19,687	$	62,799	$	39,498
Net income attributable to Steel Excel Inc.	$	3,406	$	5,425	$	2,701	$	4,378
Basic net income per share	$	0.29	$	1.81	$	0.24	$	0.40
Diluted net income per share	$	0.29	$	0.50	$	0.24	$	0.40

Eagle Well Services, Inc [Member]

Schedule of Purchase Price Allocation [Table Text Block]

	Amount
	(in thousands)
Property and equipment	$	23,842
Intangible assets		14,300
Accrued expenses		(137	)
Total net identifiable assets		38,005
Goodwill		10,126
Net assets acquired	$	48,131

SWH, Inc [Member]

Schedule of Purchase Price Allocation [Table Text Block]

	Amount
	(in thousands)
Cash	$	3,561
Accounts receivable		7,233
Prepaid expense and other current assets		782
Property and equipment		29,787
Identifiable intangible assets		27,300
Other long-term assets		714
Accounts payable		(1,036	)
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities		(6,074	)
Long-term debt		(16,000	)
Capital lease obligations		(1,622	)
Deferred tax liabilities		(5,510	)
Total net identifiable assets		39,135
Goodwill		23,529
Net assets acquired	$	62,664