NATURE OF COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
NATURE OF COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Abstract]
NATURE OF COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	NOTE 1—NATURE OF COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES General Houston American Energy Corp. (a Delaware Corporation) ("the Company" or "HUSA") was incorporated on April 2, 2001. The Company is engaged, as a non-operating joint owner, in the exploration, development, and production of natural gas, crude oil, and condensate from properties located principally in the Gulf Coast area of the United States and international locations with proven production, which to date has focused on Colombia, South America. Consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include all accounts of HUSA and its subsidiaries (HAEC Louisiana E&P, Inc. and HAEC Caddo Lake E&P, Inc.). All significant inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. General Principles and Use of Estimates The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. In preparing financial statements, management makes informed judgments and estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. On an ongoing basis, management reviews its estimates, including those related to such potential matters as litigation, environmental liabilities, income taxes, and determination of proved reserves of oil and gas and asset retirement obligations. Changes in facts and circumstances may result in revised estimates and actual results may differ from these estimates. Reclassification Certain amounts for prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents consist of demand deposits and cash investments with initial maturity dates of less than three months. Concentration of Credit Risk Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk include cash and cash equivalents. The Company had cash deposits of approximately $8.3 million in excess of the FDIC's current insured limit of $250,000 at December 31, 2012 for interest bearing accounts. The Company has not experienced any losses on its deposits of cash and cash equivalents. Marketable Securities – Available for Sale Management determines the appropriate classification of its investments in marketable securities at the time of purchase and reevaluates such determination at each balance sheet date. Equity securities not classified as trading securities are classified as available-for-sale. Available-for-sale securities are reported at fair value and unrealized gains and losses are included in stockholders' equity. Management determines fair value of its investments based on quoted market prices at each balance sheet date. Accounts Receivable Accounts receivable – other and escrow receivables have been evaluated for collectability and are recorded at their net realizable values. Allowance for Accounts Receivable The Company regularly reviews outstanding receivables and provides for estimated losses through an allowance for doubtful accounts when necessary. In evaluating the need for an allowance, the Company makes judgments regarding its customers' ability to make required payments, economic events and other factors. As the financial condition of these parties change, circumstances develop or additional information becomes available, an allowance for doubtful accounts may be required. When the Company determines that a customer may not be able to make required payments, the Company increases the allowance through a charge to income in the period in which that determination is made. As of December 31, 2012, the Company evaluated their receivables and determined an allowance was not required. Oil and Gas Revenues The Company recognizes sales revenues, net of royalties and net profits interests, based on the amount of gas, oil, and condensate sold to purchasers when delivery to the purchaser has occurred and title has transferred. This occurs when production has been delivered to a pipeline. The Company follows the sales method to account for natural gas imbalances. Sales may result in more or less of the Company's share of pro-rata production from certain wells. When natural gas sales volumes exceeds the Company's entitled share and the accumulated overproduced balance exceeds the Company's share of the remaining estimated proved natural gas reserves for a given property, the Company will record a liability. Historically, sales volumes have not materially differed from the Company's entitled share of natural gas production and the Company did not have a material imbalance position in terms of volumes or values at December 31, 2012 or 2011. Oil and Gas Properties The Company uses the full cost method of accounting for exploration and development activities as defined by the SEC. Under this method of accounting, the costs for unsuccessful, as well as successful, exploration and development activities are capitalized as oil and gas properties. Capitalized costs include lease acquisition, geological and geophysical work, delay rentals, costs of drilling, completing and equipping the wells and any internal costs that are directly related to acquisition, exploration and development activities but does not include any costs related to production, general corporate overhead or similar activities. Proceeds from the sale or other disposition of oil and gas properties are generally treated as a reduction in the capitalized costs of oil and gas properties, unless the impact of such a reduction would significantly alter the relationship between capitalized costs and proved reserves of oil and natural gas attributable to a country. The Company categorizes its full cost pools as costs subject to amortization and costs not being amortized. The sum of net capitalized costs subject to amortization, including estimated future development and abandonment costs, are amortized using the unit-of-production method. Depletion and amortization for oil and gas properties was $49,391 and $168,351 for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively and accumulated amortization, depreciation and impairment was $47,043,262 and $1,630,323 at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. Costs Excluded Oil and gas properties include costs that are excluded from capitalized costs being amortized. These amounts represent costs of investments in unproved properties. The Company excludes these costs on a country-by-country basis until proved reserves are found or until it is determined that the costs are impaired. All costs excluded are reviewed quarterly to determine if impairment has occurred. The amount of any impairment is transferred to the costs subject to amortization. Ceiling Test Under the full cost method of accounting, a ceiling test is performed each quarter. The full cost ceiling test is an impairment test prescribed by SEC Regulation S-X. The ceiling test determines a limit, on a country-by-country basis, on the book value of oil and gas properties. The capitalized costs of proved oil and gas properties, net of accumulated depreciation, depletion, amortization and impairment ("DD&A") and the related deferred income taxes, may not exceed the estimated future net cash flows from proved oil and gas reserves, calculated for 2012 using the average oil and natural gas sales price received by the Company as of the first trading day of each month over the preceding twelve months (such prices are held constant throughout the life of the properties) with consideration of price change only to the extent provided by contractual arrangement, discounted at 10%, net of related tax effects. If capitalized costs exceed this limit, the excess is charged to expense and reflected as additional accumulated DD&A. Furniture and Equipment Office equipment is stated at original cost and is depreciated on the straight-line basis over the useful life of the assets, which ranges from three to five years. Depreciation expense for office equipment was $17,580 and $17,580 for 2012 and 2011, respectively, and accumulated depreciation was $62,489 and $44,909 at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. Asset Retirement Obligations For the Company, asset retirement obligations ("ARO") represent the systematic, monthly accretion and depreciation of future abandonment costs of tangible assets such as platforms, wells, service assets, pipelines, and other facilities. The fair value of a liability for an asset's retirement obligation is recorded in the period in which it is incurred if a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made, and that the corresponding cost is capitalized as part of the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset. The liability is accreted to its then present value each period, and the capitalized cost is depreciated over the useful life of the related asset. If the liability is settled for an amount other than the recorded amount, an adjustment is made to the full cost pool, with no gain or loss recognized, unless the adjustment would significantly alter the relationship between capitalized costs and proved reserves. Although the Company's domestic policy with respect to ARO is to assign depleted wells to a salvager for the assumption of abandonment obligations before the wells have reached their economic limits, the Company has estimated its future ARO obligation with respect to its domestic operations. The ARO assets, which are carried on the balance sheet as part of the full cost pool, have been included in our amortization base for the purposes of calculating depreciation, depletion and amortization expense. For the purposes of calculating the ceiling test, the future cash outflows associated with settling the ARO liability have been included in the computation of the discounted present value of estimated future net revenues. Joint Venture Expense Joint venture expense reflects the indirect field operating and regional administrative expenses billed by the operator of the Colombian concessions. Income Taxes Deferred income taxes are provided on a liability method whereby deferred tax assets and liabilities are established for the difference between the financial reporting and income tax basis of assets and liabilities as well as operating loss and tax credit carry forwards. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment. Stock-Based Compensation The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for stock and stock options based on the grant date fair value of the awards. The Company determines the fair value of stock option grants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Company determines the fair value of shares of non-vested stock based on the last quoted price of our stock on the date of the share grant. The fair value determined represents the cost for the award and is recognized over the vesting period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award. As share-based compensation expense is recognized based on awards ultimately expected to vest, the Company reduces the expense for estimated forfeitures based on historical forfeiture rates. Previously recognized compensation costs may be adjusted to reflect the actual forfeiture rate for the entire award at the end of the vesting period. Excess tax benefits, if any, are recognized as an addition to paid-in capital. Preferred Stock The Company has authorized 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.001. The Board of Directors shall determine the designations, rights, preferences, privileges and voting rights of the preferred stock as well as any restrictions and qualifications thereon. No shares of preferred stock have been issued. Net Income (Loss) Per Share Basic net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing the net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing the net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common and common equivalent shares outstanding during the period. Common share equivalents included in the diluted computation represent shares issuable upon assumed exercise of stock options and warrants using the treasury stock and "if converted" method. For periods in which net losses are incurred, weighted average shares outstanding is the same for basic and diluted loss per share calculations, as the inclusion of common share equivalents would have an anti-dilutive effect. For the year ended December 31, 2012, 2,443,057 outstanding options to purchase common stock were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share because they were anti-dilutive. For the year ended December 31, 2011, 1,833,682 outstanding options to purchase common stock were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share because they were anti-dilutive. Concentration of Risk The Company is dependent upon the industry skills and contacts of John F. Terwilliger, Ken Jeffers, and James J. Jacobs, the chief executive officer, senior vice president of exploration and chief financial officer, respectively, to identify potential acquisition targets in the onshore coastal Gulf of Mexico region of Texas and Louisiana and in the South American country of Colombia. Further, as a non-operator oil and gas exploration and production company, and through its interest in a limited liability company ("Hupecol") and concessions operated by Hupecol in the South American country of Colombia, the Company is dependent on the personnel, management and resources of Hupecol to operate efficiently and effectively. As a non-operating joint interest owner, the Company has a right of investment refusal on specific projects and the right to examine and contest its division of costs and revenues determined by the operator. The Company currently has interests in concessions in Colombia and expects to be active in Colombia for the foreseeable future. The political climate in Colombia is unstable and could be subject to radical change over a very short period of time. In the event of a significant negative change in political and economic stability in the vicinity of the Company's Colombian operations, the Company may be forced to abandon or suspend its efforts. Either of such events could be harmful to the Company's expected business prospects. At December 31, 2012, 96.5% of the Company's net oil and gas property investment, and 64% of its revenue for the year ended December 31, 2012, was with or derived from interests operated in Colombia. For 2012, 100% of our oil production from the Company's mineral interests was sold to an international integrated oil company. The gas production is sold to U.S. natural gas marketing companies based on the highest bid. There were no other product sales of more than 10% to a single buyer. The Company reviews accounts receivable balances when circumstances indicate a balance may not be collectible. Based upon the Company's review, no allowance for uncollectible accounts was deemed necessary at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. Subsequent Events The Company evaluated subsequent events from December 31, 2012 through the date the consolidated financial statements were issued. Recent Accounting Developments No accounting standards or interpretations issued recently are expected to a have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, operations or cash flows.

NOTE 1—NATURE OF COMPANY AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

General

Houston American Energy Corp. (a Delaware Corporation) ("the Company" or "HUSA") was incorporated on April 2, 2001. The Company is engaged, as a non-operating joint owner, in the exploration, development, and production of natural gas, crude oil, and condensate from properties located principally in the Gulf Coast area of the United States and international locations with proven production, which to date has focused on Colombia, South America.

Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include all accounts of HUSA and its subsidiaries (HAEC Louisiana E&P, Inc. and HAEC Caddo Lake E&P, Inc.). All significant inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

General Principles and Use of Estimates

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. In preparing financial statements, management makes informed judgments and estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. On an ongoing basis, management reviews its estimates, including those related to such potential matters as litigation, environmental liabilities, income taxes, and determination of proved reserves of oil and gas and asset retirement obligations. Changes in facts and circumstances may result in revised estimates and actual results may differ from these estimates.

Reclassification

Certain amounts for prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of demand deposits and cash investments with initial maturity dates of less than three months.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk include cash and cash equivalents. The Company had cash deposits of approximately $8.3 million in excess of the FDIC's current insured limit of $250,000 at December 31, 2012 for interest bearing accounts. The Company has not experienced any losses on its deposits of cash and cash equivalents.

Marketable Securities – Available for Sale

Management determines the appropriate classification of its investments in marketable securities at the time of purchase and reevaluates such determination at each balance sheet date. Equity securities not classified as trading securities are classified as available-for-sale. Available-for-sale securities are reported at fair value and unrealized gains and losses are included in stockholders' equity. Management determines fair value of its investments based on quoted market prices at each balance sheet date.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable – other and escrow receivables have been evaluated for collectability and are recorded at their net realizable values.

Allowance for Accounts Receivable

The Company regularly reviews outstanding receivables and provides for estimated losses through an allowance for doubtful accounts when necessary. In evaluating the need for an allowance, the Company makes judgments regarding its customers' ability to make required payments, economic events and other factors. As the financial condition of these parties change, circumstances develop or additional information becomes available, an allowance for doubtful accounts may be required. When the Company determines that a customer may not be able to make required payments, the Company increases the allowance through a charge to income in the period in which that determination is made. As of December 31, 2012, the Company evaluated their receivables and determined an allowance was not required.

Oil and Gas Revenues

The Company recognizes sales revenues, net of royalties and net profits interests, based on the amount of gas, oil, and condensate sold to purchasers when delivery to the purchaser has occurred and title has transferred. This occurs when production has been delivered to a pipeline. The Company follows the sales method to account for natural gas imbalances. Sales may result in more or less of the Company's share of pro-rata production from certain wells. When natural gas sales volumes exceeds the Company's entitled share and the accumulated overproduced balance exceeds the Company's share of the remaining estimated proved natural gas reserves for a given property, the Company will record a liability. Historically, sales volumes have not materially differed from the Company's entitled share of natural gas production and the Company did not have a material imbalance position in terms of volumes or values at December 31, 2012 or 2011.

Oil and Gas Properties

The Company uses the full cost method of accounting for exploration and development activities as defined by the SEC. Under this method of accounting, the costs for unsuccessful, as well as successful, exploration and development activities are capitalized as oil and gas properties. Capitalized costs include lease acquisition, geological and geophysical work, delay rentals, costs of drilling, completing and equipping the wells and any internal costs that are directly related to acquisition, exploration and development activities but does not include any costs related to production, general corporate overhead or similar activities. Proceeds from the sale or other disposition of oil and gas properties are generally treated as a reduction in the capitalized costs of oil and gas properties, unless the impact of such a reduction would significantly alter the relationship between capitalized costs and proved reserves of oil and natural gas attributable to a country.

The Company categorizes its full cost pools as costs subject to amortization and costs not being amortized. The sum of net capitalized costs subject to amortization, including estimated future development and abandonment costs, are amortized using the unit-of-production method. Depletion and amortization for oil and gas properties was $49,391 and $168,351 for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively and accumulated amortization, depreciation and impairment was $47,043,262 and $1,630,323 at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Costs Excluded

Oil and gas properties include costs that are excluded from capitalized costs being amortized. These amounts represent costs of investments in unproved properties. The Company excludes these costs on a country-by-country basis until proved reserves are found or until it is determined that the costs are impaired. All costs excluded are reviewed quarterly to determine if impairment has occurred. The amount of any impairment is transferred to the costs subject to amortization.

Ceiling Test

Under the full cost method of accounting, a ceiling test is performed each quarter. The full cost ceiling test is an impairment test prescribed by SEC Regulation S-X. The ceiling test determines a limit, on a country-by-country basis, on the book value of oil and gas properties. The capitalized costs of proved oil and gas properties, net of accumulated depreciation, depletion, amortization and impairment ("DD&A") and the related deferred income taxes, may not exceed the estimated future net cash flows from proved oil and gas reserves, calculated for 2012 using the average oil and natural gas sales price received by the Company as of the first trading day of each month over the preceding twelve months (such prices are held constant throughout the life of the properties) with consideration of price change only to the extent provided by contractual arrangement, discounted at 10%, net of related tax effects. If capitalized costs exceed this limit, the excess is charged to expense and reflected as additional accumulated DD&A.

Furniture and Equipment

Office equipment is stated at original cost and is depreciated on the straight-line basis over the useful life of the assets, which ranges from three to five years.

Depreciation expense for office equipment was $17,580 and $17,580 for 2012 and 2011, respectively, and accumulated depreciation was $62,489 and $44,909 at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Asset Retirement Obligations

For the Company, asset retirement obligations ("ARO") represent the systematic, monthly accretion and depreciation of future abandonment costs of tangible assets such as platforms, wells, service assets, pipelines, and other facilities. The fair value of a liability for an asset's retirement obligation is recorded in the period in which it is incurred if a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made, and that the corresponding cost is capitalized as part of the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset. The liability is accreted to its then present value each period, and the capitalized cost is depreciated over the useful life of the related asset. If the liability is settled for an amount other than the recorded amount, an adjustment is made to the full cost pool, with no gain or loss recognized, unless the adjustment would significantly alter the relationship between capitalized costs and proved reserves. Although the Company's domestic policy with respect to ARO is to assign depleted wells to a salvager for the assumption of abandonment obligations before the wells have reached their economic limits, the Company has estimated its future ARO obligation with respect to its domestic operations. The ARO assets, which are carried on the balance sheet as part of the full cost pool, have been included in our amortization base for the purposes of calculating depreciation, depletion and amortization expense. For the purposes of calculating the ceiling test, the future cash outflows associated with settling the ARO liability have been included in the computation of the discounted present value of estimated future net revenues.

Joint Venture Expense

Joint venture expense reflects the indirect field operating and regional administrative expenses billed by the operator of the Colombian concessions.

Income Taxes

Deferred income taxes are provided on a liability method whereby deferred tax assets and liabilities are established for the difference between the financial reporting and income tax basis of assets and liabilities as well as operating loss and tax credit carry forwards. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for stock and stock options based on the grant date fair value of the awards. The Company determines the fair value of stock option grants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Company determines the fair value of shares of non-vested stock based on the last quoted price of our stock on the date of the share grant. The fair value determined represents the cost for the award and is recognized over the vesting period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award. As share-based compensation expense is recognized based on awards ultimately expected to vest, the Company reduces the expense for estimated forfeitures based on historical forfeiture rates. Previously recognized compensation costs may be adjusted to reflect the actual forfeiture rate for the entire award at the end of the vesting period. Excess tax benefits, if any, are recognized as an addition to paid-in capital.

Preferred Stock

The Company has authorized 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.001. The Board of Directors shall determine the designations, rights, preferences, privileges and voting rights of the preferred stock as well as any restrictions and qualifications thereon. No shares of preferred stock have been issued.

Net Income (Loss) Per Share

Basic net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing the net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing the net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common and common equivalent shares outstanding during the period. Common share equivalents included in the diluted computation represent shares issuable upon assumed exercise of stock options and warrants using the treasury stock and "if converted" method. For periods in which net losses are incurred, weighted average shares outstanding is the same for basic and diluted loss per share calculations, as the inclusion of common share equivalents would have an anti-dilutive effect.

For the year ended December 31, 2012, 2,443,057 outstanding options to purchase common stock were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share because they were anti-dilutive. For the year ended December 31, 2011, 1,833,682 outstanding options to purchase common stock were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share because they were anti-dilutive.

Concentration of Risk

The Company is dependent upon the industry skills and contacts of John F. Terwilliger, Ken Jeffers, and James J. Jacobs, the chief executive officer, senior vice president of exploration and chief financial officer, respectively, to identify potential acquisition targets in the onshore coastal Gulf of Mexico region of Texas and Louisiana and in the South American country of Colombia. Further, as a non-operator oil and gas exploration and production company, and through its interest in a limited liability company ("Hupecol") and concessions operated by Hupecol in the South American country of Colombia, the Company is dependent on the personnel, management and resources of Hupecol to operate efficiently and effectively.

As a non-operating joint interest owner, the Company has a right of investment refusal on specific projects and the right to examine and contest its division of costs and revenues determined by the operator.

The Company currently has interests in concessions in Colombia and expects to be active in Colombia for the foreseeable future. The political climate in Colombia is unstable and could be subject to radical change over a very short period of time. In the event of a significant negative change in political and economic stability in the vicinity of the Company's Colombian operations, the Company may be forced to abandon or suspend its efforts. Either of such events could be harmful to the Company's expected business prospects.

At December 31, 2012, 96.5% of the Company's net oil and gas property investment, and 64% of its revenue for the year ended December 31, 2012, was with or derived from interests operated in Colombia.

For 2012, 100% of our oil production from the Company's mineral interests was sold to an international integrated oil company. The gas production is sold to U.S. natural gas marketing companies based on the highest bid. There were no other product sales of more than 10% to a single buyer.

The Company reviews accounts receivable balances when circumstances indicate a balance may not be collectible. Based upon the Company's review, no allowance for uncollectible accounts was deemed necessary at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Subsequent Events

The Company evaluated subsequent events from December 31, 2012 through the date the consolidated financial statements were issued.

Recent Accounting Developments

No accounting standards or interpretations issued recently are expected to a have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, operations or cash flows.