SEGMENT INFORMATION (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 1,917,000	$ 3,003,000	$ 3,740,000	$ 7,283,000
Interest income	58,000	26,000	91,000	36,000
Total revenues	1,975,000	3,029,000	3,831,000	7,319,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	227,000	384,000	507,000	708,000
Asset Impairment Charges
Impairment of assets	37,000	0	37,000	0
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Operating profit (loss)	2,445,000	969,000	2,509,000	2,915,000
Equity in income (loss) of affiliates:
Equity in (loss) income of affiliates	(80,000)	(170,000)	(233,000)	2,156,000
General and administrative expenses	(1,563,000)	(1,754,000)	(3,044,000)	(3,781,000)
Interest income	58,000	26,000	91,000	36,000
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	860,000	(929,000)	(677,000)	1,326,000
Oil and natural gas
Revenues:
Revenues	859,000	1,409,000	1,812,000	2,550,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	157,000	292,000	356,000	527,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Operating profit (loss)	127,000	317,000	223,000	377,000
Land investment
Revenues:
Revenues	0	0	0	1,678,000
Asset Impairment Charges
Impairment of assets	37,000	0	37,000	0
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Operating profit (loss)	(37,000)	0	(37,000)	1,678,000
Contract drilling
Revenues:
Revenues	1,016,000	1,580,000	1,858,000	2,986,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	53,000	70,000	114,000	136,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Operating profit (loss)	80,000	660,000	40,000	836,000
Other
Revenues:
Revenues	42,000	14,000	70,000	69,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	17,000	22,000	37,000	45,000
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Operating profit (loss)	25,000	(8,000)	33,000	24,000
Intersegment Eliminations
Revenues:
Revenues			0
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets
Operating profit (loss) (before general and administrative expenses):
Operating profit (loss)	$ 2,250,000	$ 0	$ 2,250,000	$ 0