Investments in Joint Ventures - Intrexon Energy Partners II - Additional Information (Details)	1 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) board_seat
Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]
Investment	$ 9,977,000	$ 23,655,000
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]
Membership interest	50.00%
Maximum additional capital contributions committed	$ 10,000,000
Total number of seats on the joint venture's governing board \| board_seat		5
Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC \| Upfront and Milestone Payments \| Upfront
Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]
Collaborative agreement, consideration received, value	$ 18,000,000
Investor \| Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]
Membership interest	50.00%
Capital contribution	$ 18,000,000
Maximum additional capital contributions committed	10,000,000
All Investors \| Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]
Capital contribution	4,000,000
Investments in affiliates \| Intrexon Energy Partners II, LLC
Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]
Investment	$ 2,000,000	$ 1,414,000

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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This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized.

+ 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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Value of consideration received by the entity for collaboration

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Amount of additional capital contributions to the joint venture for which the entity is committed, maximum.

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Number of seats on the governing board.

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Schedule Of Investments In Joint Venture [Line Items]

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