Organization (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Jan. 15, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Accrued interest	$ 959		$ 97
Threshold price	$ 2.50
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01		$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	150,000,000		80,000,000
Notes payable to noncontrolling interest owners			$ 13,709
CT Energy [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Interest rate	15.00%
Proceeds from issuance of note payable to related party	$ 32,200
Convertible notes converted	$ 10
Shares issuable upon warrant conversion	34,070,820
Warrant exercise price	$ 1.25
Threshold price	$ 2.50
Notes payable to noncontrolling interest owners	$ 1,300
Notes payable maturity date	Jan. 01, 2016
CT Energy [Member] | 15% Senior Secured Non-Convertible Note [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Interest rate	15.00%
Proceeds from issuance of note payable to related party	$ 25,200
Senior secured non-convertible note	$ 25,200
Debt term	5 years
Threshold price	$ 2.50
Commencement date of quarterly interest payment	Oct. 01, 2015
Addition default interest rate	2.00%
CT Energy [Member] | 9% Convertible Senior Secured Note [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Interest rate	9.00%
Debt term	5 years
Senior secured convertible note	$ 7,000
Convertible notes converted	7,000
Accrued interest	$ 100
Common stock converted from note	8,667,597
Conversion price	$ 0.82
Threshold price	$ 2.50
Commencement date of quarterly interest payment	Oct. 01, 2015
CT Energy [Member] | 15% Non-Convertible Senior Secured Additional Draw Note [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Interest rate	15.00%
Debt term	5 years
Threshold price	$ 2.50
Potential additional periodic borrowing availability	$ 2,000
Period additional draw may be utilized	6 months
Period after transaction additional funds become available	1 year
Potential additional borrowing availability	$ 12,000
Commencement date of quarterly interest payment	Oct. 01, 2016
Addition default interest rate	2.00%
Petroandina [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Interest rate	11.00%
Commencement date of quarterly interest payment	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt extension term	1 month
Notes payable to noncontrolling interest owners			$ 7,600
Notes payable maturity date	Jan. 01, 2016
Harvest Holding [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Ownership interest in Harvest Holding held by noncontrolling interest owners	49.00%
Harvest Holding [Member] | Harvest Natural Resources [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Ownership percentage	51.00%
Harvest Holding [Member] | Vinccler [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Ownership interest in Harvest Holding held by noncontrolling interest owners	20.00%
Harvest Holding [Member] | Petroandina [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Ownership interest in Harvest Holding held by noncontrolling interest owners	29.00%
Harvest Holding [Member] | CT Energy [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Ownership percentage	16.60%
HNR Finance [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Indirect ownership percentage	100.00%
Petrodelta, S.A. [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Indirect ownership percentage	40.00%	51.00%
Petrodelta, S.A. [Member] | Harvest Natural Resources [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Ownership percentage	20.40%
Petrodelta, S.A. [Member] | CVP And PDVSA Social S.A. [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Ownership percentage	60.00%
Harvest Vinccler S.C.A [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Indirect ownership percentage	100.00%
Series C Preferred Stock [Member] | CT Energy [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Mezzanine equity, shares issued	69.75
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01
Trigger Price Not Met [Member] | CT Energy [Member] | 15% Senior Secured Non-Convertible Note [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.00%
Debt extension term	2 years
Trigger Price Not Met [Member] | CT Energy [Member] | 9% Convertible Senior Secured Note [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.00%
Debt extension term	2 years
Trigger Price Not Met [Member] | CT Energy [Member] | 15% Non-Convertible Senior Secured Additional Draw Note [Member]
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Effects of Changes, Net [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.00%
Debt extension term	2 years