CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Oil, gas, and NGL production revenues	$ 7,639	$ 8,408	$ 24,496	$ 22,112
Operating expenses:
Oil and gas	2,514	2,643	7,965	8,677
Oil and gas depreciation, depletion and amortization	3,410	3,862	11,081	9,767
Impairment of oil and gas properties	0	0	523	0
Water treatment plant	609	497	1,554	1,424
Mineral holding costs	400	266	716	346
General and administrative	1,659	1,829	5,313	6,378
Impairment of corporate aircraft	1,756	0	1,756	0
Total operating expenses	10,348	9,097	28,908	26,592
Loss from operations	(2,709)	(689)	(4,412)	(4,480)
Other income and expenses:
Realized gain (loss) on risk management activities	12	(322)	(137)	(1,892)
Unrealized (loss) gain on risk management activities	(478)	1,886	1,233	2,783
(Loss) gain on the sale of assets	(21)	0	(11)	137
Equity loss in unconsolidated investment	(17)	(63)	(168)	(192)
Gain on sale of marketable securities	28	377	82	386
Miscellaneous income and (expenses)	81	(104)	169	(142)
Interest income	2	6	8	36
Interest expense	(53)	(69)	(128)	(207)
Total other income and (expenses)	(446)	1,711	1,048	909
Income (loss) before income taxes and discontinued operations	(3,155)	1,022	(3,364)	(3,571)
Income taxes:
Current (provision for)	0	0	(104)	0
Deferred (provision for) benefit from	1,285	(892)	1,398	1,084
Total income taxes	1,285	(892)	1,294	1,084
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(1,870)	130	(2,070)	(2,487)
Discontinued operations:
Discontinued operations, net of taxes	(75)	138	15	471
Impairment on discontinued operations, net of taxes	0	0	(1,261)	0
Total discontinued operations	(75)	138	(1,246)	471
Net (loss) income	$ (1,945)	$ 268	$ (3,316)	$ (2,016)
Net (loss) income per share basic and diluted
Loss from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.07)	$ 0	$ (0.08)	$ (0.09)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0.01	$ (0.04)	$ 0.02
Net (loss) income per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.07)	$ 0.01	$ (0.12)	$ (0.07)
Weighted average shares outstanding
Basic (in shares)	27,468,355	27,259,174	27,458,249	27,222,153
Diluted (in shares)	27,468,355	27,862,098	27,485,249	27,222,153