Cash Deposits and Other Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Deferred Costs, Capitalized, Prepaid, and Other Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Insurance collateral deposits	$ 4,824	$ 5,032
State collateral deposits	62	143
Materials and supplies	344	354
Total	$ 5,230	$ 5,529

Amount of cash deposits and noncurrent assets classified as other.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

Deposits established for the remittance of state crude oil severance taxes and other state collateral deposits.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ae_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount of assets as of the balance sheet date pertaining to amounts paid by the insured (including a ceding company) under insurance or reinsurance contracts for which insurance risk is not transferred.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 340
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6387650&loc=d3e9420-108338

+ Details

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- Definition

The carrying amount of capitalized costs of materials, supplies, and other assets, which are not included in inventory but used in production.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant