Investments in Joint Ventures - Intrexon Energy Partners II - Additional Information (Details)	1 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) board_seat
Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]
Investment	$ 9,977,000	$ 22,714,000
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]
Membership interest	50.00%
Maximum additional capital contribution committed	$ 10,000,000
Number of board members designated by the Company \| board_seat		1
Number of board members not designated by the Company \| board_seat		4
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC \| Investments In Affiliates
Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]
Investment	$ 2,000,000	$ 1,777,000
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC \| Investors
Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]
Membership interest	50.00%
Capital contributions	$ 18,000,000
Maximum additional capital contribution committed	10,000,000
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC \| All Investors
Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]
Capital contributions	4,000,000
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC \| Upfront and Milestone Payments \| Upfront
Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]
Collaborative arrangement consideration received, value	$ 18,000,000

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 Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66011266&loc=d3e33918-111571

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+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66022249&loc=d3e33749-111570

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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The cash outflow associated with the investment in or advances to an entity in which the reporting entity shares control of the entity with another party or group.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3213-108585

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Number of seats on the governing board not selected by the Company.

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Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]

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