Note 6 - Segment Information (Details) - Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Sales revenues
Total revenues and other	$ 13,870	$ 19,211	$ 26,563	$ 35,849
	0	1,838	583	1,838
Operating costs and expenses	8,731	15,393	17,628	27,934
Interest expenses, net	1,200	1,478	2,380	2,966
Loss from derivative contracts, net	680	672	2,351	672
Capital loss	0	17	17	27
Total expenses and other	10,611	17,560	22,959	31,599
Income (loss) before income taxes	3,259	1,651	3,604	4,250
Net Income (Loss)	1,947	951	2,016	2,576
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(485)	(353)	(927)	(534)
Net income (loss) attributable to Isramco	2,432	1,304	2,943	3,110
Total Assets	145,095	172,246	145,095	172,246	$ 146,957
Expenditures for Long-lived Assets	238	1,792	521	4,362
UNITED STATES
Sales revenues
Revenues	6,284	11,668	12,226	21,880
ISRAEL
Sales revenues
Revenues	6,662	5,316
Non-US [Member]
Sales revenues
Revenues			13,108	11,444
Operating Segments [Member] | Oil and Gas Exploration & Production [Member]
Sales revenues
Total revenues and other	10,899	13,256	20,324	24,109
	0		583
Operating costs and expenses	4,154	8,463	8,404	15,125
Interest expenses, net	381	690	729	1,384
Loss from derivative contracts, net	680	672	2,351	672
Capital loss		17	17	10
Total expenses and other	5,215	9,842	12,084	17,191
Income (loss) before income taxes	5,684	3,414	8,240	6,918
Net Income (Loss)	3,693	2,220	5,354	4,497
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Isramco	3,693	2,220	5,354	4,497
Total Assets	105,440	116,667	105,440	116,667
Expenditures for Long-lived Assets	86	426	199	2,036
Operating Segments [Member] | Well Service [Member]
Sales revenues
Total revenues and other	3,001	5,985	6,299	11,800
	0		0
Operating costs and expenses	4,607	6,960	9,284	12,869
Interest expenses, net	819	788	1,651	1,582
Loss from derivative contracts, net	0	0	0	0
Capital loss		0	0	17
Total expenses and other	5,426	7,748	10,935	14,468
Income (loss) before income taxes	(2,425)	(1,763)	(4,636)	(2,668)
Net Income (Loss)	(1,746)	(1,269)	(3,338)	(1,921)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(485)	(353)	(927)	(534)
Net income (loss) attributable to Isramco	(1,261)	(916)	(2,411)	(1,387)
Total Assets	39,655	55,579	39,655	55,579
Expenditures for Long-lived Assets	152	1,366	322	2,326
Operating Segments [Member] | UNITED STATES | Oil and Gas Exploration & Production [Member]
Sales revenues
Revenues	3,283	5,683	5,927	10,080
Operating Segments [Member] | UNITED STATES | Well Service [Member]
Sales revenues
Revenues	3,001	5,985	6,299	11,800
Operating Segments [Member] | ISRAEL | Oil and Gas Exploration & Production [Member]
Sales revenues
Revenues	6,662	5,316
Operating Segments [Member] | ISRAEL | Well Service [Member]
Sales revenues
Revenues	0	0
Operating Segments [Member] | Non-US [Member] | Oil and Gas Exploration & Production [Member]
Sales revenues
Revenues			13,108	11,444
Operating Segments [Member] | Non-US [Member] | Well Service [Member]
Sales revenues
Revenues			0	0
Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Sales revenues
Total revenues and other	(30)	(30)	(60)	(60)
	0		0
Operating costs and expenses	(30)	(30)	(60)	(60)
Interest expenses, net	0	0	0	0
Loss from derivative contracts, net	0	0	0	0
Capital loss		0	0	0
Total expenses and other	(30)	(30)	(60)	(60)
Income (loss) before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss)	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Isramco	0	0	0	0
Total Assets	0	0	0	0
Expenditures for Long-lived Assets	0	0	0	0
Segment Reconciling Items [Member] | UNITED STATES
Sales revenues
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Segment Reconciling Items [Member] | ISRAEL
Sales revenues
Revenues	0	0
Segment Reconciling Items [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Sales revenues
Revenues			0	0
Office Services and Other [Member]
Sales revenues
Revenues	924	2,227	1,229	2,525
Office Services and Other [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | Oil and Gas Exploration & Production [Member]
Sales revenues
Revenues	954	2,257	1,289	2,585
Office Services and Other [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | Well Service [Member]
Sales revenues
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Office Services and Other [Member] | Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Sales revenues
Revenues	$ (30)	$ (30)	$ (60)	$ (60)