Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net revenues	$ 132,620	$ 210,148	$ 120,028
Cost of revenues	106,005	152,119	87,874
Gross profit	26,615	58,029	32,154
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	33,449	35,184	20,883
Amortization of intangibles	8,211	9,582	8,709
Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets	25,622	36,666	0
Total operating expenses	67,282	81,432	29,592
Operating income (loss)	(40,667)	(23,403)	2,562
Interest expense	(2,455)	(3,177)	(1,725)
Impairment of marketable securities	(59,781)	0	0
Other income (expense), net	14,899	7,058	7,074
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity method loss	(88,004)	(19,522)	7,911
Benefit from income taxes	6,323	1,323	5,818
Loss from equity method investees, net of tax	(16,102)	(6,070)	(862)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	(97,783)	(24,269)	12,867
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes	0	506	(5,540)
Net income (loss)	(97,783)	(23,763)	7,327
Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests in consolidated entities
Continuing operations	376	235	156
Discontinued operations	0	(279)	3,188
Net income (loss) attributable to Steel Excel Inc.	$ (97,407)	$ (23,807)	$ 10,671
Basic income (loss) per share attributable to Steel Excel Inc.: ($ per share)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	$ (8.50)	$ (2.06)	$ 1.03
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes	0.00	0.02	(0.19)
Net income (loss)	(8.50)	(2.04)	0.85
Diluted income (loss) per share attributable to Steel Excel Inc.: ($ per share)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	(8.50)	(2.06)	1.03
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes	0.00	0.02	(0.19)
Net income (loss)	$ (8.50)	$ (2.04)	$ 0.85
Shares used in computing income (loss) per share:
Basic (in Shares)	11,454	11,678	12,584
Diluted (in Shares)	11,454	11,678	12,602