Notes Payable - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	May 21, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Aug. 20, 2014	Apr. 26, 2012	Feb. 28, 2013
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Discount related to NPI					$ (1,235,294)
Interest expense on debt	0	1,115,280
ASD Credit Agreement, closing date		Dec. 31, 2018
Interest		8,550,179	4,482,229
Amortization expense - Termination Fee Debt Discount					(3,940,659)
Addition to principal balance and interest expense		375,000
Principal balance of Interest amortization		375,000
Debt financing cost amortization period		3 months
Interest added back to principal		2,186,038
Initial withdrawal amount	102,500,000	102,500,000		102,500,000
Remaining borrowing capacity	47,500,000	47,500,000
Scheduled amortization beginning period		May 01, 2015
Minimum amortization requirement, description		The minimum amortization required each month will be the greater of (i) 0.75% of the then outstanding balance (after May 1, 2016) or (ii) the amortization amount that would be required for American Shale to achieve a predetermined Net Debt Ratio within six months.
Loans, prepayment amount exempt from charges		25,000,000
Committed [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Remaining borrowing capacity				47,500,000
Uncommitted [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Remaining borrowing capacity				50,000,000
First Anniversary [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Loans, prepayment charge		4.00%
Second Anniversary To Third Anniversary [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Loans, prepayment charge		3.00%
Net Profits Interest Agreement [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Percentage of net profit		6.50%
Percentage of net profit for subsequent borrowing		2.50%
Percentage of NPI earned		1.00%
Payment in Kind (PIK) Note [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Administrative fee				593,750
ASD Credit Agreement - Morgan Stanley NPIi [Member] | Net Profits Interest Agreement [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Discount related to NPI						4,072,410
Accretion of discount related to the NPI	296,175
ASD Credit Agreement - Morgan Stanley NPIi [Member] | Proved Property [Member] | Net Profits Interest Agreement [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Discount related to NPI						3,339,376
ASD Credit Agreement - Morgan Stanley NPIi [Member] | Unproved Property [Member] | Net Profits Interest Agreement [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Discount related to NPI						733,034
Minimum [Member] | Net Profits Interest Agreement [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Minimum amount of NPI earned	1,500,000	1,500,000
Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Credit facility, face amount				200,000,000
ASD Credit Agreement [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Credit facility, face amount	50,000,000	50,000,000						50,000,000
Number of gas wells in which the company owns working interest gross	13	13
Number of gas wells in which the company owns working interest net	7.60	7.60
Marcellus leased properties area		22,000
Discount related to NPI	3,000,000	3,000,000
Administrative fee	50,000	50,000
Interest expense on debt	1,145,486	1,189,400	794,118
Debt instrument, additional interest rate		1.00%
Debt instrument interest rate		9.00%
Increase in borrowings		7,500,000
Debt instrument, interest rate description		Interest at a per annum rate equal to 9% plus the greater of 1% or LIBOR, for a three month interest period.
Additional interest rate upon the occurrence of default	2.00%	2.00%
Payment percentage on outstanding interest, make-wholes and fees		101.00%
Credit agreement withdrawal							5,000,000
ASD Credit Agreement [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Minimum percentage of capital expenditures	50.00%	50.00%
A&R Credit Agreement [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt instrument increase borrowing capacity									75,000,000
Interest rate		Interest was due monthly at 10% plus the greater of 1% or the 3 month LIBOR rate
Maturity Date		Feb. 28, 2015
Debt instrument, additional interest rate		1.00%
Debt instrument interest rate		10.00%
Debt instrument LIBOR Rate		11.00%
Debt instruments increase in principal amount		25,000,000
Maximum termination fees on prepayment		12,500,000
Prepayment penalty description		The Termination Fee was defined as $12.5 million less all interest payments actually made with respect to the $25 million loan prior to such date.
ASD Credit Agreement, closing date		Apr. 26, 2014
Termination fee liability	6,800,000	6,800,000
Interest		5,700,000
Amortization expense - Termination Fee Debt Discount	6,800,000	6,800,000
Conversion period - Termination Fee Debt Discount		Feb. 28, 2015
Termination fee related to repayment of loan		9,077,778
Amortization of termination fee	0	3,940,689
Debt instrument percentage of contingent interest on non compliance of debt covenant		1.00%
Addition to principal balance and interest expense		$ 1,149,969	$ 2,030,050