Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure and Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]	Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies Organization BPZ Resources, Inc., (together with its subsidiaries, collectively referred to as the “Company” or “BPZ” unless the context requires otherwise) a Texas corporation, is based in Houston, Texas with offices in Lima, Peru and Quito, Ecuador. The Company is focused on the exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas in Peru, and to a lesser extent, Ecuador. The Company also intends to utilize part of its planned future natural gas production as a supply source for the complementary development of a gas-fired power generation facility which is expected to be wholly- or partially-owned by the Company. The Company maintains a subsidiary, BPZ Exploración & Producción S.R.L. (“BPZ E&P”), registered in Peru through its wholly-owned subsidiary, BPZ Energy, LLC, a Texas limited liability company, and its subsidiary, BPZ Energy International Holdings, L.P., a British Virgin Islands limited partnership. Currently, the Company, through BPZ E&P, has license contracts for oil and gas exploration and production covering a total of approximately 2.2 million gross (1.9 million net) acres, in four blocks in northwest Peru. The Company’s license contracts cover ownership of the following properties: 51% working interest in Block Z-1 (0.6 million gross acres), 100% working interest in Block XIX (0.5 million gross acres), 100% working interest in Block XXII (0.9 million gross acres) and 100% working interest in Block XXIII (0.2 million gross acres). The Block Z-1 contract was signed in November 2001, the Block XIX contract was signed in December 2003 and the Blocks XXII and XXIII contracts were signed in November 2007. Generally, according to the Organic Hydrocarbon Law No. 26221 and the regulations thereunder (the “Organic Hydrocarbon Law” or “Hydrocarbon Law”), the seven-year term for the exploration phase can be extended in each contract by up to an additional three years to a maximum of ten years. However, this exploration extension is subject to government approval and specific provisions of each license contract can vary the exploration phase of the contract as established by the Hydrocarbon Law. The license contracts require the Company to conduct specified activities in the respective blocks during each exploration period in the exploration phase. If the exploration activities are successful, the Company may decide to enter the exploitation phase and the total contract term can extend up to 30 years for oil production and up to 40 years for gas production. In the event a block contains both oil and gas, as is the case in the Company’s Block Z-1, the 40-year term may apply to oil production as well. Additionally, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, SMC Ecuador Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its registered branch in Ecuador, the Company owns a 10% non-operating net profits interest in an oil and gas producing property, Block 2, located in the southwest region of Ecuador (the “Santa Elena Property”). The license agreement and operating agreement covering the property was extended in May 2013 from May 2016 through December 2029. The Company is in the process of developing its Peruvian oil and natural gas resources. The Company entered commercial production for the Block Z-1 in November 2010 and produces and sells oil from the Corvina and Albacora fields under the Company’s current sales contracts. The Company completed the installation of the new CX-15 platform in the Corvina field to continue the development of the field. In July 2013 the Company spudded the first development well from the new CX-15 platform. The Company is also appraising the potential oil and natural gas reserves from the A platform in the Albacora field of Block Z-1. Additionally, the Company’s activities in Peru include (i) analysis and evaluation of technical data on its properties, (ii) preparation of the development plans for the properties, (iii) meeting requirements under the license contracts, (iv) procuring equipment for an extended drilling campaign, (v) obtaining all necessary environmental, technical and operating permits, (vi) optimizing current production, (vii) conducting seismic surveys and (viii) obtaining preliminary engineering and design of the power plant and gas processing and delivery facilities. On December 14, 2012, Perupetro S.A (“Perupetro”), a corporation owned by the Peruvian government empowered to become a party in the contracts for the exploration and/or exploitation of hydrocarbons in order to promote these activities in Peru, approved the terms of the amendment to the Block Z-1 license contract to recognize the sale of a 49% participating interest (“closing”) in offshore Block Z-1 to Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. (“Pacific Rubiales”). Under the terms of the agreements signed on April 27, 2012, the Company (together with its subsidiaries) formed an unincorporated joint venture relationship with a Pacific Rubiales subsidiary, Pacific Stratus Energy S.A., to explore and develop the offshore Block Z-1 located in Peru. Pursuant to the agreements, Pacific Rubiales agreed to pay $150.0 million for a 49% participating interest in Block Z-1 and agreed to fund $185.0 million of the Company’s share of capital and exploratory expenditures in Block Z-1 (“the carry amount”) from the effective date of the Stock Purchase Agreement (“SPA”), January 1, 2012. On December 30, 2012, the Peruvian Government signed the Supreme Decree for the execution of the amendment to the Block Z-1 license contract. 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 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 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. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies The Company has provided a summary discussion of significant accounting policies, estimates and judgments in Note-1 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated audited financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. 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.

Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2013

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure and Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

Organization

BPZ Resources, Inc., (together with its subsidiaries, collectively referred to as the “Company” or “BPZ” unless the context requires otherwise) a Texas corporation, is based in Houston, Texas with offices in Lima, Peru and Quito, Ecuador. The Company is focused on the exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas in Peru, and to a lesser extent, Ecuador. The Company also intends to utilize part of its planned future natural gas production as a supply source for the complementary development of a gas-fired power generation facility which is expected to be wholly- or partially-owned by the Company.

The Company maintains a subsidiary, BPZ Exploración & Producción S.R.L. (“BPZ E&P”), registered in Peru through its wholly-owned subsidiary, BPZ Energy, LLC, a Texas limited liability company, and its subsidiary, BPZ Energy International Holdings, L.P., a British Virgin Islands limited partnership. Currently, the Company, through BPZ E&P, has license contracts for oil and gas exploration and production covering a total of approximately 2.2 million gross (1.9 million net) acres, in four blocks in northwest Peru. The Company’s license contracts cover ownership of the following properties: 51% working interest in Block Z-1 (0.6 million gross acres), 100% working interest in Block XIX (0.5 million gross acres), 100% working interest in Block XXII (0.9 million gross acres) and 100% working interest in Block XXIII (0.2 million gross acres). The Block Z-1 contract was signed in November 2001, the Block XIX contract was signed in December 2003 and the Blocks XXII and XXIII contracts were signed in November 2007. Generally, according to the Organic Hydrocarbon Law No. 26221 and the regulations thereunder (the “Organic Hydrocarbon Law” or “Hydrocarbon Law”), the seven-year term for the exploration phase can be extended in each contract by up to an additional three years to a maximum of ten years. However, this exploration extension is subject to government approval and specific provisions of each license contract can vary the exploration phase of the contract as established by the Hydrocarbon Law. The license contracts require the Company to conduct specified activities in the respective blocks during each exploration period in the exploration phase. If the exploration activities are successful, the Company may decide to enter the exploitation phase and the total contract term can extend up to 30 years for oil production and up to 40 years for gas production. In the event a block contains both oil and gas, as is the case in the Company’s Block Z-1, the 40-year term may apply to oil production as well.

Additionally, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, SMC Ecuador Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its registered branch in Ecuador, the Company owns a 10% non-operating net profits interest in an oil and gas producing property, Block 2, located in the southwest region of Ecuador (the “Santa Elena Property”). The license agreement and operating agreement covering the property was extended in May 2013 from May 2016 through December 2029.

The Company is in the process of developing its Peruvian oil and natural gas resources. The Company entered commercial production for the Block Z-1 in November 2010 and produces and sells oil from the Corvina and Albacora fields under the Company’s current sales contracts. The Company completed the installation of the new CX-15 platform in the Corvina field to continue the development of the field. In July 2013 the Company spudded the first development well from the new CX-15 platform. The Company is also appraising the potential oil and natural gas reserves from the A platform in the Albacora field of Block Z-1.

Additionally, the Company’s activities in Peru include (i) analysis and evaluation of technical data on its properties, (ii) preparation of the development plans for the properties, (iii) meeting requirements under the license contracts, (iv) procuring equipment for an extended drilling campaign, (v) obtaining all necessary environmental, technical and operating permits, (vi) optimizing current production, (vii) conducting seismic surveys and (viii) obtaining preliminary engineering and design of the power plant and gas processing and delivery facilities.

On December 14, 2012, Perupetro S.A (“Perupetro”), a corporation owned by the Peruvian government empowered to become a party in the contracts for the exploration and/or exploitation of hydrocarbons in order to promote these activities in Peru, approved the terms of the amendment to the Block Z-1 license contract to recognize the sale of a 49% participating interest (“closing”) in offshore Block Z-1 to Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. (“Pacific Rubiales”). Under the terms of the agreements signed on April 27, 2012, the Company (together with its subsidiaries) formed an unincorporated joint venture relationship with a Pacific Rubiales subsidiary, Pacific Stratus Energy S.A., to explore and develop the offshore Block Z-1 located in Peru. Pursuant to the agreements, Pacific Rubiales agreed to pay $150.0 million for a 49% participating interest in Block Z-1 and agreed to fund $185.0 million of the Company’s share of capital and exploratory expenditures in Block Z-1 (“the carry amount”) from the effective date of the Stock Purchase Agreement (“SPA”), January 1, 2012. On December 30, 2012, the Peruvian Government signed the Supreme Decree for the execution of the amendment to the Block Z-1 license contract.

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

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

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.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The Company has provided a summary discussion of significant accounting policies, estimates and judgments in Note-1 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated audited financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

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.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure, and significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. May be provided in more than one note to the financial statements, as long as users are provided with an understanding of (1) the significant judgments and assumptions made by an enterprise in determining whether it must consolidate a VIE and/or disclose information about its involvement with a VIE, (2) the nature of restrictions on a consolidated VIE's assets reported by an enterprise in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets, (3) the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with an enterprise's involvement with the VIE, and (4) how an enterprise's involvement with the VIE affects the enterprise's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. Describes procedure if disclosures are provided in more than one note to the financial statements.

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