Liquidity And Realization Of Assets	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Liquidity And Realization Of Assets [Abstract]
Liquidity And Realization Of Assets	2. Liquidity and Realization of Assets All of our reserves are located in Shanxi Province, China. At December 31, 2011, our estimated net proved and net probable reserves were 54.6 billion cubic feet and 379.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas, respectively. At December 31, 2011, the standardized measure of our future net cash flows, discounted at 10 percent per annum, relating to our proved natural gas reserves was $65.4 million. See Supplemental Information to Consolidated Financial Statements. Gas sales under the gas sales agreement with SPG commenced in the first quarter of 2011. We have funded our exploration and development activities primarily through the sale and issuance of common stock and proceeds received from the closing of the Facility Agreement. In September 2009, the Company filed with the SEC a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 for the offer and sale from time to time of up to $75 million of the Company's debt and equity securities. On March 16, 2011, we completed a transaction for the sale of 34.9 million shares of our common stock at $0.5025 per share for net proceeds of $16.7 million under our shelf registration statement. The amount remaining available under the registration statement at March 2, 2012 was approximately $9.0 million. On November 28, 2011, FEEB entered into a Facility Agreement, as borrower, with Standard Chartered Bank ("SCB"), as lender, and the Company, as guarantor (the "Facility Agreement"). The Facility Agreement provides for a $25 million credit facility, the proceeds of which would be used for project costs with respect to the Shouyang Area in Shanxi Province, China, as well as for finance costs and for general corporate purposes approved by SCB. The Agreement has an initial 9-month term ending August 28, 2012, which may be extended by three months upon satisfaction of certain other conditions. See Note 3 – Facility Agreement. On June 12, 2010, China United Coalbed Methane Corporation, Ltd. ("CUCBM"), our Chinese partner for the Shouyang production sharing contract ("PSC"), and SPG executed a gas sales agreement (the "Gas Sales Agreement"), to which we are an express beneficiary, to sell CBM produced in the CBM field (the "Shouyang Field") governed by the Shouyang PSC. Pursuant to the Gas Sales Agreement, SPG is initially required to purchase up to 300,000 cubic meters (10,584,000 cubic feet) per day of CBM (the "Daily Volume Limit") produced at the Shouyang Field on a take-or-pay basis, with the purchase of any quantities above such amount to be negotiated pursuant to a separate agreement. At the request of FEEB and CUCBM to provide competitive pricing options for offtake of CBM production in excess of the Daily Volume Limit with assured offtake capacity, the Gas Sales Agreement obligates SPG to commit to having demand capacity to accept at least 1 million cubic meters (approximately 35 million cubic feet) per day from the Shouyang Field by 2015 but does not obligate FEEB or CUCBM to sell gas in excess of the Daily Volume Limit. The term of the Gas Sales Agreement is 20 years. The infield gathering system and compression equipment were connected to the pipeline in early January 2011 and fully commissioned for sales by mid-March 2011. The gross gas production for 2011 was approximately 268 million cubic feet. Gross sales volumes were 158 million cubic feet for 2011. We believe that the sales rate will continue to increase as gas from additional wells is sold through the gathering system in the coming months. Our current work programs satisfied the minimum exploration expenditures for our Shouyang and Yunnan PSCs for 2011. With respect to the Qinnan PSC, we have halted activities on the Qinnan Block pending regulatory approval or denial. Management may seek to secure capital by exploring potential strategic relationships or transactions involving one or more of our PSCs, such as a joint venture, farmout, merger, acquisition or sale of some or all of our assets, by obtaining debt, project or equity-related financing. However, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in entering into any strategic relationship or transaction, securing capital or raising funds through debt, project or equity-related financing. In addition, the terms and conditions of any potential strategic relationship or transaction or of any project financing are uncertain, and we cannot predict the timing, structure or other terms and conditions or the consideration that may be paid with respect to any transaction or offering of securities and whether the consideration will meet or exceed our offering price. Under certain circumstances, the structure of a strategic transaction may require the approval of the Chinese authorities, which could delay closing or make the consummation of a transaction more difficult. There can be no assurance that the Chinese authorities will provide the approvals necessary for a transaction or transfer. There can be no guarantee of future capital acquisition, fundraising or exploration success or that we will realize the value of our unproved oil and gas property costs. Based on our planned work programs, which include an accelerated pace of drilling in 2012 (subsequent to September 30, 2011, we slowed the pace of drilling down while negotiating the 2011 Shouyang PSC Modification Agreement), if we do not secure additional capital through additional debt, project or equity-related financing, or enter into an agreement with a strategic partner, we believe that the funds currently available to us should provide sufficient cash to fund our planned expenditures under the Shouyang PSC and other minimum operating costs through the end of July 2012 or if necessary such funds could provide sufficient cash to last through the end of 2012 if the pace of drilling is revised and other steps are taken to preserve cash. The global financial crisis, despite having abated to a certain extent, has created liquidity problems for many companies and financial institutions, and international capital markets have stagnated, especially in the United States and Europe. A continuing downturn in these markets could impair our ability to obtain, or may increase our costs associated with obtaining, additional funds through financing, the sale of our securities or otherwise. There can be no guarantee of future capital acquisition, fundraising or exploration success or that we will realize the value of our unproved exploratory well costs. However, in addition to revenue generated, management believes that we will continue to be successful in securing any funds necessary to continue as a going concern.

2. Liquidity and Realization of Assets

All of our reserves are located in Shanxi Province, China. At December 31, 2011, our estimated net proved and net probable reserves were 54.6 billion cubic feet and 379.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas, respectively. At December 31, 2011, the standardized measure of our future net cash flows, discounted at 10 percent per annum, relating to our proved natural gas reserves was $65.4 million. See Supplemental Information to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Gas sales under the gas sales agreement with SPG commenced in the first quarter of 2011. We have funded our exploration and development activities primarily through the sale and issuance of common stock and proceeds received from the closing of the Facility Agreement. In September 2009, the Company filed with the SEC a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 for the offer and sale from time to time of up to $75 million of the Company's debt and equity securities. On March 16, 2011, we completed a transaction for the sale of 34.9 million shares of our common stock at $0.5025 per share for net proceeds of $16.7 million under our shelf registration statement. The amount remaining available under the registration statement at March 2, 2012 was approximately $9.0 million.

On November 28, 2011, FEEB entered into a Facility Agreement, as borrower, with Standard Chartered Bank ("SCB"), as lender, and the Company, as guarantor (the "Facility Agreement"). The Facility Agreement provides for a $25 million credit facility, the proceeds of which would be used for project costs with respect to the Shouyang Area in Shanxi Province, China, as well as for finance costs and for general corporate purposes approved by SCB. The Agreement has an initial 9-month term ending August 28, 2012, which may be extended by three months upon satisfaction of certain other conditions. See Note 3 – Facility Agreement.

On June 12, 2010, China United Coalbed Methane Corporation, Ltd. ("CUCBM"), our Chinese partner for the Shouyang production sharing contract ("PSC"), and SPG executed a gas sales agreement (the "Gas Sales Agreement"), to which we are an express beneficiary, to sell CBM produced in the CBM field (the "Shouyang Field") governed by the Shouyang PSC. Pursuant to the Gas Sales Agreement, SPG is initially required to purchase up to 300,000 cubic meters (10,584,000 cubic feet) per day of CBM (the "Daily Volume Limit") produced at the Shouyang Field on a take-or-pay basis, with the purchase of any quantities above such amount to be negotiated pursuant to a separate agreement. At the request of FEEB and CUCBM to provide competitive pricing options for offtake of CBM production in excess of the Daily Volume Limit with assured offtake capacity, the Gas Sales Agreement obligates SPG to commit to having demand capacity to accept at least 1 million cubic meters (approximately 35 million cubic feet) per day from the Shouyang Field by 2015 but does not obligate FEEB or CUCBM to sell gas in excess of the Daily Volume Limit. The term of the Gas Sales Agreement is 20 years. The infield gathering system and compression equipment were connected to the pipeline in early January 2011 and fully commissioned for sales by mid-March 2011. The gross gas production for 2011 was approximately 268 million cubic feet. Gross sales volumes were 158 million cubic feet for 2011. We believe that the sales rate will continue to increase as gas from additional wells is sold through the gathering system in the coming months.

Our current work programs satisfied the minimum exploration expenditures for our Shouyang and Yunnan PSCs for 2011. With respect to the Qinnan PSC, we have halted activities on the Qinnan Block pending regulatory approval or denial.

Management may seek to secure capital by exploring potential strategic relationships or transactions involving one or more of our PSCs, such as a joint venture, farmout, merger, acquisition or sale of some or all of our assets, by obtaining debt, project or equity-related financing. However, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in entering into any strategic relationship or transaction, securing capital or raising funds through debt, project or equity-related financing. In addition, the terms and conditions of any potential strategic relationship or transaction or of any project financing are uncertain, and we cannot predict the timing, structure or other terms and conditions or the consideration that may be paid with respect to any transaction or offering of securities and whether the consideration will meet or exceed our offering price. Under certain circumstances, the structure of a strategic transaction may require the approval of the Chinese authorities, which could delay closing or make the consummation of a transaction more difficult. There can be no assurance that the Chinese authorities will provide the approvals necessary for a transaction or transfer. There can be no guarantee of future capital acquisition, fundraising or exploration success or that we will realize the value of our unproved oil and gas property costs. Based on our planned work programs, which include an accelerated pace of drilling in 2012 (subsequent to September 30, 2011, we slowed the pace of drilling down while negotiating the 2011 Shouyang PSC Modification Agreement), if we do not secure additional capital through additional debt, project or equity-related financing, or enter into an agreement with a strategic partner, we believe that the funds currently available to us should provide sufficient cash to fund our planned expenditures under the Shouyang PSC and other minimum operating costs through the end of July 2012 or if necessary such funds could provide sufficient cash to last through the end of 2012 if the pace of drilling is revised and other steps are taken to preserve cash.

The global financial crisis, despite having abated to a certain extent, has created liquidity problems for many companies and financial institutions, and international capital markets have stagnated, especially in the United States and Europe. A continuing downturn in these markets could impair our ability to obtain, or may increase our costs associated with obtaining, additional funds through financing, the sale of our securities or otherwise.

There can be no guarantee of future capital acquisition, fundraising or exploration success or that we will realize the value of our unproved exploratory well costs. However, in addition to revenue generated, management believes that we will continue to be successful in securing any funds necessary to continue as a going concern.