OIL AND GAS PROPERTIES (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011 bbl	Mar. 31, 2012 acre	Dec. 02, 2010	Nov. 05, 2009
OIL AND GAS PROPERTIES [Abstract]
Cost incurred in development of oil and gas properties			$ 24,030,938
Accrued oil and gas development cost	3,590,000	0	3,590,000	0	0
Number of wells	3		3
Drilling and drilling preparation costs	23,688,911		23,688,911
Seismic cost in Colombia	139,400		139,400
Evaluation cost			107,430
Leasehold costs on U.S. properties			95,197
Estimated drilling budget principally related to third well			10,000,000
Capitalized Costs of Unproved Properties Excluded from Amortization [Line Items]
Impairment of oil and gas properties	1,174,169	0	37,803,088	0
Sale of Oil and Gas Properties [Abstract]
Oil and gas area in Llanos Basin in Colombia (in acres)						90,000
Sale price of oil gas property			75,000,000
Percentage of sale proceeds held in escrow account (in hundredths)	13.30%		13.30%
Percentage ownership interest in HC, LLC (in hundredths)	1.60%		1.60%				37.50%	25.00%
Percentage of contingency holdback (in hundredths)			1.30%
Estimated proved reserves associated with the La Cuerva and LLA 62 blocks					94,619
Percentage of estimated proved oil and gas reserve (in hundredths)					82.00%
Computation of gain on sale of oil and gas properties [Abstract]
Sales price			1,224,393
Add: Transfer of asset retirement and other obligations			34,471
Less: Transaction costs			(30,330)
Less: Prepaid deposits			(54,857)
Less: Carrying value of oil and gas properties, net			(858,558)
Net gain on sale			315,119
Pro-Forma Information [Abstract]
Oil and gas revenue	30,752	319,261	387,609	797,068
Loss from operations	(5,910,504)	(1,051,697)	(45,197,994)	(3,898,685)
Net loss	(5,935,713)	(1,088,574)	(48,625,888)	(4,023,295)
Basic and diluted loss per common share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.16)	$ (0.03)	$ (1.41)	$ (0.13)
Number of geographical areas			2
Revenues [Abstract]
United States	30,752	31,574	124,424	116,100
Colombia	0	287,687	263,185	680,968
Total Revenues	30,752	319,261	387,609	797,068
Long Lived Assets, Net [Abstract]
United States	1,033,893		1,033,893		603,135
Colombia	8,069,771		8,069,771		23,192,745
TOTAL PROPERTY, PLANT, AND EQUIPMENT, NET	9,103,664		9,103,664		23,795,880
Pro Forma [Member]
Pro-Forma Information [Abstract]
Oil and gas revenue	30,752	31,574	124,424	116,101
Loss from operations	(5,910,054)	(1,055,613)	(45,612,086)	(3,946,748)
Net loss	(5,935,713)	(1,082,282)	(49,030,769)	(4,047,525)
Basic and diluted loss per common share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.16)	$ (0.03)	$ (1.42)	$ (0.13)
Revenues [Abstract]
Total Revenues	30,752	31,574	124,424	116,101
Tamandua One [Member]
Capitalized Costs of Unproved Properties Excluded from Amortization [Line Items]
Impairment of oil and gas properties	1,174,169		26,527,300
Cachirre #1 [Member]
Capitalized Costs of Unproved Properties Excluded from Amortization [Line Items]
Impairment of oil and gas properties	$ 11,275,788