Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Revenues:
Research and development programs	$ 5,024	$ 5,824	$ 6,260	$ 2,680	$ 3,811	$ 4,810	$ 9,468	$ 9,560	$ 19,788	$ 27,649	$ 26,793
Product revenue	6,250	4,797	4,915	4,000	4,613	3,773	4,077	3,996	19,962	16,459	7,173
Total revenues	11,274	10,621	11,175	6,680	8,424	8,583	13,545	13,556	39,750	44,108	38,966
Costs and operating expenses:
Cost of product revenue	1,985	1,450	1,496	1,454	1,404	1,331	1,330	1,246	6,385	5,311	2,420
Research and development	20,381	17,556	14,915	13,720	16,108	16,534	18,381	15,361	66,572	66,384	45,613
Sales, general and administrative	16,923	15,708	15,436	14,866	15,888	13,849	13,723	14,056	62,933	57,516	41,426
Total costs and operating expenses	39,289	34,714	31,847	30,040	33,400	31,714	33,434	30,663	135,890	129,211	89,459
Loss from operations	(28,015)	(24,093)	(20,672)	(23,360)	(24,976)	(23,131)	(19,889)	(17,107)	(96,140)	(85,103)	(50,493)
Other income (expense):
Interest and other income, net	(1,191)	(1,614)	(1,439)	(1,523)	249	626	309	327	1,369	2,072	871
Loss from equity method investment	(2,696)	(2,360)	(2,222)	(959)	(631)	(683)	(510)		(8,237)	(1,824)
Gain (loss) from change in fair value of warrant liability	572	200	(679)	54	748	685	851		(147)	(2,284)	3,637
Loss from change in fair value of derivative liability	(2,006)	(2,836)	(813)	(737)					6,392
Total other income (expense)	(5,321)	(6,610)	(5,153)	(3,165)	366	628	650	327	(20,249)	1,971	(3,408)
Net loss	$ (33,336)	$ (30,703)	$ (25,825)	$ (26,525)	$ (24,610)	$ (22,503)	$ (19,239)	$ (16,780)	$ (116,389)	$ (83,132)	$ (53,901)
Net loss per share attributable to Solazyme, Inc. common stockholders:
Basic and diluted	$ (0.49)	$ (0.47)	$ (0.42)	$ (0.43)	$ (0.40)	$ (0.37)	$ (0.32)	$ (0.28)	$ (1.81)	$ (1.37)	$ (1.35)
Weighted-average number of shares used in loss per share computation:
Basic and diluted	68,453,000	64,812,000	61,958,000	61,543,000	60,873,000	60,678,000	60,378,000	60,101,000	64,211,958	60,509,048	39,934,013