Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes (Details Textual) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes (Textual) [Abstract]
Provision for state income taxes	$ 1,500,000	$ 600,000	$ (2,000,000)
Non-deductible equity compensation	1,537,000	867,000	105,000
Income tax reconciliation state income tax deferred liabilities	2,700,000	1,700,000
Valuation allowance of carryover tax assets	2,300,000	1,700,000	1,100,000
Increase in deferred tax assets	25,700,000
Deferred tax assets increase in operating loss due to excess stock based compensation	22,300,000
Increase in deferred tax assets other	1,400,000
Increase in Deferred Tax Liabilities	74,500,000
Increase in deferred tax liabilities attributable to oil and gas exploration and development costs	74,700,000
Federal NOL tax assets	54,954,000	30,715,000	28,200,000
NOLs for excess stock-based compensation	(9,450,000)	(7,590,000)	6,900,000
Operating loss carryforwards	7,500,000
Unrealized stock compensation	7,151,000	5,519,000
Minimum limit for refund	2,000,000
State valuation allowance	$ 3,900,000
Domestic Country [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Expiration date	Between 2027 and 2031
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Expiration date	Between 2013 and 2026