CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Revenues:
Oil and natural gas	$ 7,789,000	$ 6,598,000
Contract drilling	425,000	1,569,000
Sale of interest in leasehold land, net		564,000
Sale of development rights, net		2,497,000
Gas processing and other	288,000	91,000
Total revenues	8,502,000	11,319,000
Costs and expenses:
Oil and natural gas operating	2,741,000	2,719,000
Contract drilling operating	637,000	1,367,000
General and administrative	1,846,000	2,314,000
Depletion, depreciation, and amortization	2,909,000	2,430,000
Interest expense	219,000	308,000
Total costs and expenses	8,352,000	9,138,000
Earnings before income taxes	150,000	2,181,000
Income tax provision	490,000	486,000
Net (loss) earnings	(340,000)	1,695,000
Less: Net (loss) earnings attributable to non-controlling interests	(58,000)	610,000
Net (loss) earnings attributable to Barnwell Industries, Inc.	$ (282,000)	$ 1,085,000
Basic net (loss) earnings per common share attributable to Barnwell Industries, Inc. stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.03)	$ 0.13
Diluted net (loss) earnings per common share attributable to Barnwell Industries, Inc. stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.03)	$ 0.13
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	8,277,160	8,277,160
Diluted (in shares)	8,277,160	8,277,160