Guarantor Subsidiaries (Income Statement) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 90,567	$ 86,445	$ 44,857	$ 94,163	$ 116,926	$ 36,901	$ 126,165	$ 57,672	$ 316,032	$ 337,664	$ 219,058
Operating expenses		542,897	338,512	44,338	76,987	87,922	44,899	94,908	49,453	86,990	105,444	58,536
DD&A expense										175,744	143,048	66,564
Impairment of oil and gas properties							6,000		3,500	476,721	9,566	53,072
Goodwill impairment loss										259,238
Insurance proceeds										(10,786)
General and administrative										14,827	19,124	21,085
Income (Loss) From Operations		(452,330)	(252,067)	519	17,176	29,004	(7,998)	31,257	8,219	(686,702)	60,482	19,801
Realized losses										(175)
Unrealized gains (losses)										10,818	(1,843)	5,141
Interest expense	(18,600)									(108,934)	(104,516)	(84,122)
Letter of credit fees										(8,492)	(33,425)	(21,903)
Financing and transaction costs										(10,954)	(6,974)	(6,016)
Loss on early extinguishment of financing agreements			30,700		3,500					(34,297)		(21,661)
Litigation settlement expense										(19,034)
Reorganization items		(43,200)								(43,222)
Unrealized foreign currency gains (losses)										5,710	(3,116)	8,080
Other income (expense)										338	355	(11,318)
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes										(894,944)	(89,037)	(111,998)
Income tax expense										(54,689)	6,442	14,228
Net income (loss)										(840,255)	(95,479)	(126,226)
Preferred Stock Dividends										1,329	1,823	1,823
Net income (loss) to common shareholders		(464,477)	(294,652)	(37,129)	(45,326)	(28,118)	(40,341)	(14,341)	(14,502)	(841,584)	(97,302)	(128,049)
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Interest expense										126,480	60,001	104,359
Other income (expense)										(126,480)	(60,001)	(104,359)
Income tax expense												(6,997)
Net income (loss)												6,997
Net income (loss) to common shareholders												6,997
Endeavour International Corporation [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
General and administrative										166	2,502	2,629
Income (Loss) From Operations										(166)	(2,502)	(2,629)
Unrealized gains (losses)										5,115	(503)	(705)
Interest expense										(65,251)	(81,400)	(54,163)
Financing and transaction costs										(516)	(27)
Reorganization items										(29,619)
Other income (expense)										66,480		53,082
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes										(23,957)	(84,432)	(4,415)
Net income (loss)										(23,957)	(84,432)	(4,415)
Preferred Stock Dividends										1,329	1,823	1,823
Net income (loss) to common shareholders										(25,286)	(86,255)	(6,238)
Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue										6,729	8,368	11,877
Operating expenses										4,486	7,399	6,968
DD&A expense										2,523	4,249	8,603
Impairment of oil and gas properties										71,562	9,566	53,072
General and administrative										248	7,764	9,887
Income (Loss) From Operations										(72,090)	(20,610)	(66,653)
Interest expense										(64,240)	2,988	(66,645)
Financing and transaction costs										(9,204)	(2,542)	(1,410)
Litigation settlement expense										(19,034)
Reorganization items										(9,318)
Unrealized foreign currency gains (losses)										(2)
Other income (expense)										60,405	60,005	47,740
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes										(113,483)	39,841	(86,968)
Net income (loss)										(113,483)	39,841	(86,968)
Net income (loss) to common shareholders										(113,483)	39,841	(86,968)
Combined Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue										309,303	329,296	207,181
Operating expenses										82,504	98,045	51,568
DD&A expense										173,221	138,799	57,961
Impairment of oil and gas properties										405,159
Goodwill impairment loss										259,238
Insurance proceeds										(10,786)
General and administrative										14,413	8,858	8,569
Income (Loss) From Operations										(614,446)	83,594	89,083
Realized losses										(175)
Unrealized gains (losses)										5,703	(1,340)	5,846
Interest expense										(105,923)	(86,105)	(67,673)
Letter of credit fees										(8,492)	(33,425)	(21,903)
Financing and transaction costs										(1,234)	(4,405)	(4,606)
Loss on early extinguishment of financing agreements										(34,297)		(21,661)
Reorganization items										(4,285)
Unrealized foreign currency gains (losses)										5,712	(3,116)	8,080
Other income (expense)										(67)	351	(7,781)
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes										(757,504)	(44,446)	(20,615)
Income tax expense										(54,689)	6,442	21,225
Net income (loss)										(702,815)	(50,888)	(41,840)
Net income (loss) to common shareholders										$ (702,815)	$ (50,888)	$ (41,840)