Note 10 - Third-party Long-term Debt - Loan Agreements Summary (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2024		Dec. 31, 2023	May 31, 2021	Jun. 30, 2006
Nonrelated Party [Member]
Original principal amount	[1]	$ 2,000,000
Monthly principal and interest payment	[1]	10,000.00
LE Term Loan Due 2034 [Member] | Veritex Community Bank [Member]
Original principal amount				$ 25,000,000
LE Term Loan Due 2034 [Member] | Veritex Community Bank [Member] | Nonrelated Party [Member]
Original principal amount	[2]	25,000,000
Monthly principal and interest payment	[2]	300,000
LRM Term Loan Due 2034 [Member] | Veritex Community Bank [Member]
Original principal amount				10,000,000
LRM Term Loan Due 2034 [Member] | Veritex Community Bank [Member] | Nonrelated Party [Member]
Original principal amount	[2]	10,000,000
Monthly principal and interest payment	[2]	100,000
Kissick Debt [Member] | John Kissick [Member] | Nonrelated Party [Member]
Original principal amount		11,700,000	[3]			$ 8,000,000
Monthly principal and interest payment	[3]	$ 500,000
Maturity date	[3]	Jan. 31, 2018
Interest rate	[3]	6.25%
NPS Term Loan Due 2031 [Member] | Greater Nevada Credit Union (GNCU) [Member] | Nonrelated Party [Member]
Original principal amount	[4]	$ 10,000,000
Monthly principal and interest payment	[4]	$ 100,000
Maturity date	[4]	Oct. 31, 2031
Interest rate	[4]	5.75%
Blue Dolphin Term Loan Due 2051 [Member] | Small Business Administration SBA [Member] | Nonrelated Party [Member]
Maturity date	[1]	Jun. 30, 2051
BDEC Term Loan Due 2051 [Member] | Small Business Administration SBA [Member]
Original principal amount				$ 2,000,000
BDEC Term Loan Due 2051 [Member] | Small Business Administration SBA [Member] | Nonrelated Party [Member]
Original principal amount					$ 500,000
Interest rate	[1]	3.75%
LE Term Loan Due 2050 [Member] | Small Business Administration SBA [Member] | Nonrelated Party [Member]
Original principal amount	[5]	$ 150,000
Monthly principal and interest payment	[5]	$ 700.0000
Maturity date	[5]	Aug. 31, 2050
Interest rate	[5]	3.75%
NPS Term Loan Due 2050 [Member] | Small Business Administration SBA [Member] | Nonrelated Party [Member]
Original principal amount	[5]	$ 150,000
Monthly principal and interest payment	[5]	$ 700.0000
Maturity date	[5]	Aug. 31, 2050
Interest rate	[5]	3.75%
Equipment Loan Due 2025 [Member] | Texas First Rentals, LLC [Member] | Nonrelated Party [Member]
Original principal amount	[6]	$ 70,000.00
Monthly principal and interest payment	[6]	$ 1,300.0000
Maturity date	[6]	Oct. 31, 2025
Interest rate	[6]	4.50%

[1] Original principal amount was $0.5 million; the Blue Dolphin Term Loan Due 2051 was modified to increase the principal amount by $1.5 million. Payments deferred for thirty (30) months; first payment due and paid in November 2023; interest accrues during deferral period; loan not forgivable.

[2] Restricted cash, noncurrent totaled $1.0 and $0.0 at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. Restricted cash, noncurrent reflects amounts held by Veritex in a payment reserve account, which is required to have a balance of $1.0 million. Although the amount at December 31, 2023 was $0, the payment reserve account was fully replenished on January 2, 2024.

[3] Original principal amount was $8.0 million; pursuant to a 2017 sixth amendment, principal under the Kissick Debt increased by $3.7 million.

[4] Loan requires monthly interest-only payments for the first thirty-six (36) months. Afterwards, principal and interest payments are due monthly through loan maturity. First payment due in November 2024.

[5] Payments deferred for thirty (30) months; first payment made in February 2023; interest accrued during deferral period; loan not forgivable.

[6] In May 2019, LE entered into 12-month equipment rental agreement with an option to purchase backhoe at maturity; equipment rental agreement matured in May 2020; in October 2020, LE entered into the Equipment Loan Due 2025 to finance the backhoe purchase; backhoe used at the Nixon facility.