v2.4.0.6

Equity (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Changes in Shares of Common Stock | The changes in our shares of common stock, as categorized in the equity section of the balance sheet, were:
|  | Shares |
|  | 2011 |  |  | 2010 |  |  | 2009 |
Issued |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Beginning of year |  |  | 1,740,529,279 |  |  |  | 1,733,345,558 |  |  |  | 1,729,264,859 |
Distributed under benefit plans |  |  | 9,021,308 |  |  |  | 7,183,721 |  |  |  | 4,080,699 |
End of year |  |  | 1,749,550,587 |  |  |  | 1,740,529,279 |  |  |  | 1,733,345,558 |
Held in Treasury |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Beginning of year |  |  | 272,873,537 |  |  |  | 208,346,815 |  |  |  | 208,346,815 |
Repurchase of common stock |  |  | 155,453,382 |  |  |  | 64,526,722 |  |  |  | — |
Distributed under benefit plans |  |  | (475,696 | ) |  |  | — |  |  |  | — |
Transfer from grantor trust |  |  | 36,029,405 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | — |
End of year |  |  | 463,880,628 |  |  |  | 272,873,537 |  |  |  | 208,346,815 |
Held in Grantor Trusts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Beginning of year |  |  | 36,890,375 |  |  |  | 38,742,261 |  |  |  | 40,739,129 |
Repurchase of common stock |  |  | (157,470 | ) |  |  | — |  |  |  | — |
Distributed under benefit plans |  |  | (703,500 | ) |  |  | (1,776,873 | ) |  |  | (2,018,692 | )
Transfer to treasury stock |  |  | (36,029,405 | ) |  |  | — |  |  |  | — |
Other |  |  | — |  |  |  | (75,013 | ) |  |  | 21,824 |
End of year |  |  | — |  |  |  | 36,890,375 |  |  |  | 38,742,261 |

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- Definition Changes in shares of common stock. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | cop_ChangesInSharesOfCommonStockTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | cop_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration