Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Revenues:
Research and development programs	$ 3,811	$ 4,810	$ 9,468	$ 9,560	$ 8,251	$ 7,051	$ 6,092	$ 5,399
Product revenue	4,613	3,773	4,077	3,996	1,638	1,886	1,306	2,343	16,459	7,173
License fees					5,000					5,000	15,000
Total revenues	8,424	8,583	13,545	13,556	14,889	8,937	7,398	7,742	44,108	38,966	37,970
Costs and operating expenses:
Cost of product revenue	1,404	1,331	1,330	1,246	828	554	374	664	5,311	2,420
Research and development	16,108	16,534	18,381	15,361	16,921	10,866	9,676	8,150	66,384	45,613	34,227
Sales, general and administrative	15,888	13,849	13,723	14,056	12,835	11,527	10,955	6,109	57,516	41,426	17,422
Total costs and operating expenses	33,400	31,714	33,434	30,663	30,584	22,947	21,005	14,923	129,211	89,459	51,649
Loss from operations	(24,976)	(23,131)	(19,889)	(17,107)	(15,695)	(14,010)	(13,607)	(7,181)	(85,103)	(50,493)	(13,679)
Other income (expense):
Interest and other income (expense), net	249	626	309	327	114	(76)	(184)	375
Loss from equity method investment	(631)	(683)	(510)						(1,824)
Gain (loss) from change in fair value of warrant liability	748	685	851				(3,154)	(483)	2,284	(3,637)	(2,638)
Total other income (expense)	366	628	650	327	114	(76)	(3,338)	(108)	1,971	(3,408)	(2,601)
Net loss	(24,610)	(22,503)	(19,239)	(16,780)	(15,581)	(14,086)	(16,945)	(7,289)	(83,132)	(53,901)	(16,280)
Accretion of redeemable convertible preferred stock							(24)	(36)		60	140
Net loss attributable to Solazyme, Inc. common stockholders	$ (24,610)	$ (22,503)	$ (19,239)	$ (16,780)	$ (15,581)	$ (14,086)	$ (16,969)	$ (7,325)	$ (83,132)	$ (53,961)	$ (16,420)
Net loss per share attributable to Solazyme, Inc. common stockholders:
Basic and diluted	$ (0.40)	$ (0.37)	$ (0.32)	$ (0.28)	$ (0.26)	$ (0.24)	$ (0.61)	$ (0.60)	$ (1.37)	$ (1.35)	$ (1.42)
Weighted-average number of shares used in loss per share computation:
Basic and diluted	60,873,000	60,678,000	60,378,000	60,101,000	59,703,000	59,508,000	27,673,000	12,160,000	60,509,048	39,934,013	11,540,494