Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 MBbls	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Lease of facilities, maturity year	2018
Payments related to lease obligations	$ 597	$ 894	$ 446
Contingent liability to surety insurance company	81,878
Commitments to use drilling rigs and acquisition of seismic data, value	216,726
Commitments to use drilling rigs and acquisition of seismic data, period	4 years
Deposit to guarantee commitments	22,350
Minimum barrels of oil spill to impose financial responsibility under Oil Pollution Act	1,000
Minimum financial responsibility in amounts if oil spill exceeds minimum quantity of barrels of oil in specified state	10,000
Minimum financial responsibility in amounts if oil spill exceeds minimum quantity of barrels of oil Outer Continental	35,000
Maximum financial responsibility in amounts if oil spill exceeds minimum quantity of barrels of oil	150,000
Approximate asserted claims plus accrued interest assessed by Louisiana Department of Revenue	$ 13,000