Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements of BPZ Resources, Inc. and its subsidiaries have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP” or “U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. The unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position and results of operations for the interim periods presented on a basis consistent with the annual audited consolidated financial statements. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. All significant transactions between BPZ and its consolidated subsidiaries have been eliminated. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation. Results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations that may be expected for the entire year. The balance sheet at December 31, 2012 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. The transfer of a 49% participating interest in Block Z-1 to Pacific Rubiales was effective on December 14, 2012 and the entitlement to crude oil production and sharing of joint operating expenditures from that day forward was allocated to each partner. At closing, the sharing of any production or joint operating expenditures prior to that date for 2012 was treated by the parties as an adjustment to the carry amount under the SPA.
Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Use of Estimates The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses in the consolidated financial statements, and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Estimates of crude oil reserves are the most significant of the Company’s estimates. All of the reserves data in this Form 10-Q are estimates. Reservoir engineering is a subjective process of estimating underground accumulations of crude oil and natural gas. There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of proved crude oil and natural gas reserves. The accuracy of any reserves estimate is a function of the quality of available data and of engineering and geological interpretation and judgment. As a result, reserves estimates may be different from the quantities of crude oil and natural gas that are ultimately recovered. Other items subject to estimates and assumptions include the carrying amounts of property and equipment, asset retirement obligations, derivatives and deferred income tax assets. Management evaluates estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis using historical experience and other factors, including the current economic and commodity price environment. Current credit market conditions combined with volatile commodity prices have resulted in increased uncertainty inherent in such estimates and assumptions. As future events and their effects cannot be determined accurately, actual results could differ significantly from management’s estimates.
Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Reclassification Certain reclassifications have been made to the 2012 consolidated financial statements to conform to the 2013 presentation. These reclassifications were not material to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Recent Accounting Pronouncements On August 22, 2012, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted rules mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act requiring entities who file reports with the SEC and commercially develop oil, natural gas or liquids (“resource extraction issuers”) to disclose certain payments made to the U.S. government and foreign governments. The rules provided guidance on the types of payments and information about payments that must be disclosed. The rules required a resource extraction issuer to disclose the information annually by filing a new form with the SEC (Form SD) no later than 150 days after the end of its fiscal year. A resource extraction issuer would have been required to comply with the new rules for fiscal years ending after September 30, 2013. As a result, beginning in 2014, the rules would have required the Company to annually provide information about the type and total amount of payments made for each project related to the commercial development of oil, natural gas, or minerals, and the type and total amount of payments made to each government. There would have been no impact on the Company's financial position and results of operations, but the new rules would have required additional disclosures in future filings. However, on July 2, 2013, the District Court for the District of Columbia vacated the SEC’s rule requiring resource extraction issuers to disclose payments made to the U.S. government and foreign governments and has ordered the SEC to conduct further proceedings before enacting a new rule. The SEC may appeal the decision to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. It is not yet entirely clear if the SEC will ultimately be required to rewrite the rule, or when a final rule will be effective. While the result of the decision is that the SEC’s rule requiring resource extraction issuers to disclose payments made to the U.S. government and foreign governments is no longer effective, a rule in some form must be promulgated by the SEC to implement, though the information that is ultimately required to be made public may be more limited.

Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2013

Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements of BPZ Resources, Inc. and its subsidiaries have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP” or “U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. The unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position and results of operations for the interim periods presented on a basis consistent with the annual audited consolidated financial statements. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. All significant transactions between BPZ and its consolidated subsidiaries have been eliminated. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation. Results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations that may be expected for the entire year. The balance sheet at December 31, 2012 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

The transfer of a 49% participating interest in Block Z-1 to Pacific Rubiales was effective on December 14, 2012 and the entitlement to crude oil production and sharing of joint operating expenditures from that day forward was allocated to each partner. At closing, the sharing of any production or joint operating expenditures prior to that date for 2012 was treated by the parties as an adjustment to the carry amount under the SPA.

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses in the consolidated financial statements, and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Estimates of crude oil reserves are the most significant of the Company’s estimates. All of the reserves data in this Form 10-Q are estimates. Reservoir engineering is a subjective process of estimating underground accumulations of crude oil and natural gas. There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of proved crude oil and natural gas reserves. The accuracy of any reserves estimate is a function of the quality of available data and of engineering and geological interpretation and judgment. As a result, reserves estimates may be different from the quantities of crude oil and natural gas that are ultimately recovered.

Other items subject to estimates and assumptions include the carrying amounts of property and equipment, asset retirement obligations, derivatives and deferred income tax assets. Management evaluates estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis using historical experience and other factors, including the current economic and commodity price environment. Current credit market conditions combined with volatile commodity prices have resulted in increased uncertainty inherent in such estimates and assumptions. As future events and their effects cannot be determined accurately, actual results could differ significantly from management’s estimates.

Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Reclassification

Certain reclassifications have been made to the 2012 consolidated financial statements to conform to the 2013 presentation. These reclassifications were not material to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

On August 22, 2012, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted rules mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act requiring entities who file reports with the SEC and commercially develop oil, natural gas or liquids (“resource extraction issuers”) to disclose certain payments made to the U.S. government and foreign governments. The rules provided guidance on the types of payments and information about payments that must be disclosed. The rules required a resource extraction issuer to disclose the information annually by filing a new form with the SEC (Form SD) no later than 150 days after the end of its fiscal year. A resource extraction issuer would have been required to comply with the new rules for fiscal years ending after September 30, 2013. As a result, beginning in 2014, the rules would have required the Company to annually provide information about the type and total amount of payments made for each project related to the commercial development of oil, natural gas, or minerals, and the type and total amount of payments made to each government. There would have been no impact on the Company's financial position and results of operations, but the new rules would have required additional disclosures in future filings.

However, on July 2, 2013, the District Court for the District of Columbia vacated the SEC’s rule requiring resource extraction issuers to disclose payments made to the U.S. government and foreign governments and has ordered the SEC to conduct further proceedings before enacting a new rule. The SEC may appeal the decision to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. It is not yet entirely clear if the SEC will ultimately be required to rewrite the rule, or when a final rule will be effective. While the result of the decision is that the SEC’s rule requiring resource extraction issuers to disclose payments made to the U.S. government and foreign governments is no longer effective, a rule in some form must be promulgated by the SEC to implement, though the information that is ultimately required to be made public may be more limited.