Operations - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2013	Jan. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 acre	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Operations And Organization [Line Items]
Net loss			$ (6,095,788)	$ (3,569,772)	$ (11,407,519)	$ (6,936,662)
Additional Financing used for capital expenditures and operations	25,000,000		375,000		1,515,000
Sale of interests in non-core assets		2,625,000
Overriding royalty interest on most of the wells		2.50%			2.50%
Acres of leasehold land to be sold					4,900
Consideration received on sale of land					11,200,000
Cash received on sale of land					10,700,000
Acres of land held by company					1,163
Selling price per acre					7,700
Assets held for sale			2,038,432		2,038,432		4,853,722
Liabilities held for sale							388,005
Non Core Assets [Member]
Operations And Organization [Line Items]
Sale of interests in non-core assets		2,625,000
Purchase and Sale Agreement [Member]
Operations And Organization [Line Items]
Assets held for sale							1,840,722
Shallow Wells [Member]
Operations And Organization [Line Items]
Assets held for sale		3,013,000
Liabilities held for sale							$ 388,005