Credit Facilities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Interest expense	$ 1.6
Gran Tierra [Member] | Standard Bank Line of Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility maximum borrowing capacity	200
Line of credit borrowing base capacity	7
Line of credit facility interest rate description	Eurodollar rate plus 4
Line of credit facility unused commitment fee (in hundredths)	1.00%
Gran Tierra [Member] | Petrolifera acquisition [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility interest rate description	LIBOR plus 8.25
Line of credit outstanding balance	31.3
Interest expense	1.6
Number of days balance outstanding (in days)	140D
Solana [Member] | BNP Paribas Line of Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility maximum borrowing capacity	100
Line of credit borrowing base capacity	$ 20
Line of credit facility interest rate description	LIBOR rate plus 3.5
Line of credit facility unused commitment fee (in hundredths)	1.50%
Term of credit facility (in years)	3 Y