Restatement (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Revenue:
Product		$ 8,004	$ 12,242	$ 11,721	$ 13,743	$ 14,742			$ 23,963	$ 31,967	$ 42,252	$ 43,355	$ 55,995	$ 50,351
Collaborative and license		697	969	5,508	578	3,674			6,477	7,174	4,694	8,269	5,272	1,722
Total revenue	13,983	10,262	15,697	17,229	14,321	18,416	15,134	13,396	32,926	43,188	46,946	57,171	61,267	52,073
Operating (income) expenses:
Cost of product and contract manufacturing revenue		6,726	9,921	7,315	8,307	8,698			17,236	23,962	26,174	32,096	34,481	31,715
Research and development		3,806	3,833	3,161	3,393	2,725			7,041	10,800	7,645	15,060	11,038	6,198
Selling, general and administrative		4,523	4,304	5,908	5,208	4,617			10,212	14,735	13,783	19,567	18,991	27,662
Restructuring charges		11	9	7	3	20			16	27	2,940	30	2,943	0
Total operating expenses	17,229	15,066	18,067	(14,887)	16,911	16,060	16,428	18,054	3,180	18,246	50,542	35,475	67,453	65,575
Income (loss) from operations		(4,804)	(2,370)	32,116	(2,590)	2,356			29,746	24,942	(3,596)	21,696	(6,186)	(13,502)
Other income and expenses:
Other income, net		5	11	(586)	5	7			(575)	(570)	50	(567)	56	(24)
Interest expense		(523)	(98)	(694)	(666)	(625)			(792)	(1,315)	(2,421)	(2,086)	(3,088)	(7,457)
Gain (loss) on debt extinguishment upon repurchase of convertible notes											15,349	0	15,349	(3,384)
Loss on net change in fair value of derivative assets and liabilities		0	139	(706)	136	290			(567)	(567)	(1,005)	(548)	(869)	(145)
Total other income and (expenses), net		(518)	52	(1,986)	(525)	3,737			(1,934)	(2,452)	11,973	(3,201)	11,448	(10,412)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes		(5,322)	(2,318)	30,130	(3,115)	6,093			27,812	22,490		18,495	5,262	(23,914)
Income tax benefit	(200)	132	76	(814)	368	0			(738)	(606)		(226)	368	9,748
Net income from continuing operations		(5,190)	(2,242)	29,316	(2,747)	6,093			27,074	21,884	8,377	18,269	5,630	(14,166)
Net loss from discontinued operations		(23)	(11)	(15)	(149)	(24)			(26)	(49)	37	(56)	(112)	8,816
Net income attributed to Verenium Corporation	(3,622)	(5,213)	(2,253)	29,301	(2,896)	6,069	(1,468)	3,813	27,048	21,835	8,414	18,213	5,518	19,933
Net income (loss) per share, basic:
Continuing operations		$ (0.41)	$ (0.18)	$ 2.33	$ (0.22)	$ 0.48			$ 2.15	$ 1.73	$ 0.66	$ 1.44	$ 0.45	$ (1.15)
Discontinued operations		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ (0.01)	$ 0.00			$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ (0.01)	$ 0.72
Attributed to Verenium Corporation		$ (0.41)	$ (0.18)	$ 2.32	$ (0.23)	$ 0.48			$ 2.14	$ 1.72	$ 0.67	$ 1.43	$ 0.44	$ 1.62
Net income (loss) per share, diluted:
Continuing operations		$ (0.41)	$ (0.18)	$ 2.26	$ (0.22)	$ 0.48			$ 2.11	$ 1.69	$ 0.66	$ 1.41	$ 0.45	$ (1.15)
Discontinued operations		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ (0.01)	$ 0.00			$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ (0.01)	$ 0.72
Attributed to Verenium Corporation		$ (0.41)	$ (0.18)	$ 2.26	$ (0.23)	$ 0.48			$ 2.11	$ 1.69	$ 0.67	$ 1.41	$ 0.44	$ 1.62
Shares used in calculating net income (loss) per share, basic		12,765	12,618	12,608	12,608	12,607			12,614	12,664	12,607	12,693	12,608	12,321
Shares used in calculating net income (loss) per share, diluted		12,765	12,618	13,178	12,608	12,607			13,073	12,943	12,607	12,933	12,608	12,321
Comprehensive income		(5,213)	(2,253)	29,301	(2,896)	6,069			27,048	21,835	8,414	18,213	5,518	19,933
Previously Reported [Member]
Revenue:
Product		8,004	12,242	11,721	13,743	14,742			23,963	31,967	42,252		55,995
Collaborative and license		697	969	5,508	578	3,674			6,477	7,174	4,694		5,272
Total revenue		10,262	15,697	17,229	14,321	18,416			32,926	43,188	46,946		61,267
Operating (income) expenses:
Cost of product and contract manufacturing revenue		6,726	9,921	7,315	8,307	8,698			17,236	23,962	26,174		34,481
Research and development		4,045	3,880	3,161	3,393	2,673			7,041	11,086	7,593		10,986
Selling, general and administrative		4,783	4,428	5,928	5,259	4,940			10,356	15,139	14,106		19,365
Restructuring charges		11	9	7	3	20			16	27	2,940		2,943
Total operating expenses		15,565	18,441	(15,070)	16,962	16,331			3,371	18,936	50,813		67,775
Income (loss) from operations		(5,303)	(2,744)	32,299	(2,641)	2,085			29,555	24,252	(3,867)		(6,508)
Other income and expenses:
Other income, net		5	11	(341)	5	7			(330)	(325)	50		56
Interest expense		(83)	(54)	(668)	(640)	(625)			(722)	(805)	(2,421)		(3,062)
Gain (loss) on debt extinguishment upon repurchase of convertible notes											15,349		15,349
Loss on net change in fair value of derivative assets and liabilities		0	232	(324)	41	290			(92)	(92)	(1,005)		(964)
Total other income and (expenses), net		(78)	189	(1,333)	(594)	3,737			(1,144)	(1,222)	11,973		11,379
Net income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes		(5,381)	(2,555)	30,966	(3,235)	5,822			28,411	23,030			4,871
Income tax benefit		147	87	(829)	368	0			(742)	(595)			368
Net income from continuing operations		(5,234)	(2,468)	30,137	(2,867)	5,822			27,669	22,435	8,106		5,239
Net loss from discontinued operations		(23)	(11)	(15)	(149)	(24)			(26)	(49)	37		(112)
Net income attributed to Verenium Corporation		(5,257)	(2,479)	30,122	(3,016)	5,798			27,643	22,386	8,143		5,127
Net income (loss) per share, basic:
Continuing operations		$ (0.41)	$ (0.20)	$ 2.39	$ (0.23)	$ 0.46			$ 2.19	$ 1.77	$ 0.64		$ 0.42
Discontinued operations		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ (0.01)	$ 0.00			$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00		$ (0.01)
Attributed to Verenium Corporation		$ (0.41)	$ (0.20)	$ 2.39	$ (0.24)	$ 0.46			$ 2.19	$ 1.77	$ 0.65		$ 0.41
Net income (loss) per share, diluted:
Continuing operations		$ (0.41)	$ (0.20)	$ 2.32	$ (0.23)	$ 0.46			$ 2.15	$ 1.75	$ 0.64		$ 0.42
Discontinued operations		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ (0.01)	$ 0.00			$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00		$ (0.01)
Attributed to Verenium Corporation		$ (0.41)	$ (0.20)	$ 2.32	$ (0.24)	$ 0.46			$ 2.14	$ 1.74	$ 0.65		$ 0.41
Shares used in calculating net income (loss) per share, basic		12,765	12,618	12,608	12,608	12,607			12,614	12,664	12,607		12,608
Shares used in calculating net income (loss) per share, diluted		12,765	12,618	13,192	12,608	12,607			13,117	13,124	12,607		12,608
Comprehensive income		(5,257)	(2,479)	30,122	(3,016)	5,798			27,643	22,386	8,143		5,127
Adjustments [Member]
Revenue:
Product		0	0	0	0	0			0	0	0		0
Collaborative and license		0	0	0	0	0			0	0	0		0
Total revenue		0	0	0	0	0			0	0	0		0
Operating (income) expenses:
Cost of product and contract manufacturing revenue		0	0	0	0	0			0	0	0		0
Research and development		(239)	(47)	0	0	52			(47)	(286)	52		52
Selling, general and administrative		(260)	(124)	(20)	(51)	(323)			(144)	(404)	(323)		(374)
Restructuring charges		0	0	0	0	0			0	0	0		0
Total operating expenses		(499)	(374)	183	(51)	(271)			191	(690)	(271)		(322)
Income (loss) from operations		499	374	(183)	51	271			191	690	271		322
Other income and expenses:
Other income, net		0	0	(245)	0	0			(245)	(245)	0		0
Interest expense		(440)	(44)	(26)	(26)	0			(70)	(510)	0		(26)
Gain (loss) on debt extinguishment upon repurchase of convertible notes											0		0
Loss on net change in fair value of derivative assets and liabilities		0	(93)	(382)	95	0			(475)	(475)	0		95
Total other income and (expenses), net		(440)	(137)	(653)	69	0			(790)	(1,230)	0		69
Net income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes		59	237	(836)	120	271			(599)	(540)			391
Income tax benefit		(15)	(11)	15	0	0			4	(11)			0
Net income from continuing operations		44	226	(821)	120	271			(595)	(551)	271		391
Net loss from discontinued operations		0	0	0	0	0			0	0	0		0
Net income attributed to Verenium Corporation		44	226	(821)	120	271			(595)	(551)	271		391
Net income (loss) per share, basic:
Continuing operations		$ 0.00	$ 0.02	$ (0.07)	$ 0.01	$ 0.02			$ (0.05)	$ (0.04)	$ 0.02		$ 0.03
Discontinued operations		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00			$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00		$ 0.00
Attributed to Verenium Corporation		$ 0.00	$ 0.02	$ (0.07)	$ 0.01	$ 0.02			$ (0.05)	$ (0.04)	$ 0.02		$ 0.03
Net income (loss) per share, diluted:
Continuing operations		$ 0.00	$ 0.02	$ (0.06)	$ 0.01	$ 0.02			$ (0.05)	$ (0.04)	$ 0.02		$ 0.03
Discontinued operations		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00			$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00		$ 0.00
Attributed to Verenium Corporation		$ 0.00	$ 0.02	$ (0.06)	$ 0.01	$ 0.02			$ (0.05)	$ (0.04)	$ 0.02		$ 0.03
Shares used in calculating net income (loss) per share, basic		0	0	0	0	0			0	0	0		0
Shares used in calculating net income (loss) per share, diluted		0	0	(14)	0	0			(44)	(181)	0		0
Comprehensive income		$ 44	$ 226	$ (821)	$ 120	$ 271			$ (595)	$ (551)	$ 271		$ 391