SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Revenues:
Revenue before interest income	$ 12,013,000	$ 9,206,000
Interest income	62,000	162,000
Total revenues	12,075,000	9,368,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	3,022,000	1,111,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	5,710,000	202,000
Operating (loss) profit (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	(6,905,000)	3,865,000
Equity in income (loss) of affiliates:
Equity in (loss) income of affiliates	(276,000)	223,000
General and administrative expenses	(5,524,000)	(6,262,000)
Interest expense	(5,000)	(7,000)
Interest income	62,000	162,000
Loss before income taxes	(12,648,000)	(2,019,000)
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	1,309,000	13,542,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	18,302,000	31,378,000
Oil and natural gas
Revenues:
Revenue before interest income	6,406,000	3,706,000
Total revenues	6,406,000	3,706,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	2,680,000	826,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	5,710,000	0
Operating (loss) profit (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	(7,197,000)	247,000
Land investment
Revenues:
Revenue before interest income	165,000	1,645,000
Total revenues	165,000	1,645,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	0	37,000
Operating (loss) profit (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	165,000	1,608,000
Contract drilling
Revenues:
Revenue before interest income	5,349,000	3,769,000
Total revenues	5,349,000	3,769,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	287,000	223,000
Operating (loss) profit (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	89,000	(104,000)
Other
Revenues:
Revenue before interest income	93,000	86,000
Total revenues	155,000	248,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization:
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	55,000	62,000
Impairment:
Impairment of assets	0	165,000
Intersegment eliminations
Revenues:
Total revenues	0
Operating segments | Oil and natural gas
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	46,000	13,428,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	7,415,000	18,785,000
Operating segments | Land investment
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	980,000	1,608,000
Operating segments | Contract drilling
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	1,262,000	60,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	3,793,000	1,804,000
Corporate and other
Capital Expenditures:
Capital Expenditure	1,000	54,000
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	1,501,000	2,475,000
Corporate and other | Cash and other
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	4,613,000	5,965,000
Corporate and other | Certificates of deposit
Assets By Segment:
Total assets	0	741,000
Other operating (loss) profit
Operating (loss) profit (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	38,000	(141,000)
Gain on sale of assets
Operating (loss) profit (before general and administrative expenses):
Total operating profit (loss)	$ 0	$ 2,255,000