Note 5 - Long-Term Debt and Credit Facility (Details) (USD $)																						1 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Nov. 30, 2011	Aug. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2013 Bayou Wasco [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Bayou Wasco [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Wasco Energy [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 BPPC [Member] Additional [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 BPPC [Member]	Aug. 31, 2011 Term Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Agreed to Loan [Member] Initial [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Agreed to Loan [Member] Additional [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Agreed to Loan [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Insurance Carriers Collateral [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Work Performance Obligations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Initial [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Additional [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Bayou Wasco [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Term Loan [Member]	Nov. 30, 2011 Term Loan [Member]	Aug. 31, 2011 Minimum [Member]	Aug. 31, 2011 Maximum [Member]
Note 5 - Long-Term Debt and Credit Facility (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount				$ 500,000,000						$ 250,000,000									$ 250,000,000	$ 250,000,000	$ 250,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity				250,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Term				5 years
Term Loan, Term				5 years
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate																						1.50%	2.50%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	2.37%
Unsecured Debt	206,300,000	218,800,000
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	26,000,000	26,000,000
Other Loans Payable	200,000	100,000
Due from Joint Ventures					14,000,000	11,000,000	6,900,000	14,200,000	6,200,000		8,000,000	6,200,000	14,200,000			8,000,000	4,100,000	5,500,000
Other Long-term Debt	4,900,000	5,200,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	18,700,000													10,400,000	8,300,000
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	252,400,000	253,600,000
Derivative Asset, Notional Amount			83,000,000
Derivative, Amount of Hedged Item			$ 83,000,000
Derivative, Fixed Interest Rate			0.89%