Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Recent Accounting Pronouncements - Additional Information (Detail)	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013 Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes	Dec. 16, 2010 Solazyme Roquette Joint Venture	Apr. 02, 2012 Solazyme Bunge Jv	Dec. 16, 2010 Parent Company Solazyme Roquette Joint Venture	Apr. 02, 2012 Parent Company Solazyme Bunge Jv
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Ownership percentage		50.00%	49.90%	50.00%	50.10%
Joint venture agreement date		Dec. 16, 2010	Apr. 02, 2012
Convertible senior subordinated notes, interest rate	6.00%
Convertible senior subordinated notes, maturity date	2018

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 159

-Paragraph 18

-Subparagraph f

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 18

-Paragraph 20

-Subparagraph a (1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant