Stock-Based Compensation - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended									1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Jan. 31, 2013 Archer Daniels Midland Company Subsequent Event	Jun. 30, 2010 Executive Placement Group	Dec. 31, 2012 Solazyme Bunge Jv	Dec. 31, 2011 Solazyme Bunge Jv	May 31, 2011 Solazyme Bunge Jv	Dec. 31, 2012 Restricted Stock	Dec. 31, 2012 Restricted Stock Units	Dec. 31, 2011 Restricted Stock Units	Dec. 31, 2012 Restricted Stock Units Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Restricted Stock Units Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units	Dec. 31, 2011 Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units	Dec. 31, 2011 Modified Stock Option Awards	Dec. 31, 2012 2004 Equity Incentive Plan	Mar. 31, 2011 2004 Equity Incentive Plan Options to purchase common stock	Dec. 31, 2012 2011 Employee Stock Purchase Plan	Dec. 31, 2011 2011 Employee Stock Purchase Plan	Dec. 31, 2010 2011 Employee Stock Purchase Plan	May 26, 2011 2011 Employee Stock Purchase Plan	Dec. 31, 2012 2011 Equity Incentive Plan	May 26, 2011 2011 Equity Incentive Plan	Dec. 31, 2012 2011 Equity Incentive Plan Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Employee Stock Option	Dec. 31, 2011 Employee Stock Option	Dec. 31, 2010 Employee Stock Option	Dec. 31, 2012 Non Employee Stock Awards	Dec. 31, 2011 Non Employee Stock Awards	Dec. 31, 2010 Non Employee Stock Awards
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Additional shares reserved for provision																		2,000,000	600,072				3,000,362
Second Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan termination date																	Jan. 04, 2014
Second Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan actual termination date upon IPO																	May 25, 2011
Shares available for issuance																			1,234,092			750,000	5,826,327	7,000,000
Stock options issued, expiry period																									10 years
Exercise price of stock options as percentage of estimated fair value of shares on date of grant																							100.00%
Vesting period												48 months	6 months										4 years
Lower of the fair market value of a share of common stock																			85.00%
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 15,402,000	$ 10,923,000	$ 1,952,000							$ 1,500,000	$ 600,000			$ 800,000	$ 400,000	$ 300,000			$ 300,000	$ 400,000	$ 0					$ 13,200,000	$ 6,500,000	$ 700,000	$ 2,200,000	$ 4,400,000	$ 1,200,000
Common stock subject to repurchase	34,832	99,110
Company liability related to common stock subject to repurchase	39,000	99,000
Weighted-average grant date fair value of options granted	$ 6.46	$ 6.15	$ 2.35
Total intrinsic value of options exercised	7,400,000	6,500,000	2,000,000
Total fair value of options vested	11,100,000	3,300,000	400,000
Unrecognized stock-based compensation cost related to nonvested stock options																										22,000,000			1,100,000
Stock-based compensation cost not yet recognized period									8 months 12 days																	1 year 10 months 24 days			2 years 1 month 6 days
Unrecognized stock-based compensation costs									$ 100,000
Restricted stock awards granted										82,000	140,000			100,000	60,000
Weighted-average grant date fair value of awards granted										$ 10.66	$ 23.56			$ 9.46	$ 23.56
Vested restricted stock units						750,000				84,833				45,000
Unvested restricted stock units										137,167				115,000
Warrants issued in exchange for services rendered					5,000
Common stock at an exercise price				7.17	2.35			13.50
Company granted bunge a warrant				500,000				1,000,000
Warrant shares vested						750,000	0
Warrant expires date				2019-01