v2.4.0.6
Suspended Wells - Summary of Aging of Exploratory Well Costs that have been Capitalized for More than One Year (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2010
Dec. 31, 2009
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year $ 922 $ 793 $ 589
Aktote-Kazakhstan [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 19    
Alpine Satellite-Alaska [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 21    
Browse Basin-Australia[Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 216    
Caldita/Barossa-Australia [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 77    
Fiord West-Alaska[Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 16    
Harrison-U.K.[Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 15    
Kairan-Kazakhstan (2) [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 27    
Kairan-Kazakhstan (1) [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 14    
Kashagan-Kazakhstan [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 44    
Malikai - Malaysia [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 52    
NPR-A-Alaska [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 17    
NPR-A-Alaska [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 30    
Point Thomson-Alaska [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 37    
Rak More-Kazakhsta [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 22    
Saleski-Canada [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 14    
Shenandoah-Lower 48 [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 43    
Sunrise 3-Australia[Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 13    
Surmont III and beyond-Canada [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 26    
Su tu Nau-Vietnam [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 18    
Thornbury-Canada [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 19    
Tiber-Lower 48 [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 40    
Titan-Norway [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 11    
Ubah-Malaysia [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 34    
Uge-Nigeria [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 29    
Sixteen projects of $10 million or less each [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 68    
2008-2010 [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 589    
2008-2010 [Member] | Browse Basin-Australia[Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 216    
2008-2010 [Member] | Fiord West-Alaska[Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 16    
2008-2010 [Member] | Kairan-Kazakhstan (1) [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 5    
2008-2010 [Member] | Kashagan-Kazakhstan [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 19    
2008-2010 [Member] | NPR-A-Alaska [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 17    
2008-2010 [Member] | NPR-A-Alaska [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 19    
2008-2010 [Member] | Point Thomson-Alaska [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 37    
2008-2010 [Member] | Rak More-Kazakhsta [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 22    
2008-2010 [Member] | Saleski-Canada [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 14    
2008-2010 [Member] | Shenandoah-Lower 48 [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 43    
2008-2010 [Member] | Sunrise 3-Australia[Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 13    
2008-2010 [Member] | Surmont III and beyond-Canada [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 6    
2008-2010 [Member] | Su tu Nau-Vietnam [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 9    
2008-2010 [Member] | Thornbury-Canada [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 19    
2008-2010 [Member] | Tiber-Lower 48 [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 40    
2008-2010 [Member] | Titan-Norway [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 11    
2008-2010 [Member] | Ubah-Malaysia [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 34    
2008-2010 [Member] | Uge-Nigeria [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 15    
2008-2010 [Member] | Sixteen projects of $10 million or less each [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 34    
2005-2007 [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 250    
2005-2007 [Member] | Caldita/Barossa-Australia [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 77    
2005-2007 [Member] | Harrison-U.K.[Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 15    
2005-2007 [Member] | Kairan-Kazakhstan (2) [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 14    
2005-2007 [Member] | Kairan-Kazakhstan (1) [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 5    
2005-2007 [Member] | Kashagan-Kazakhstan [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 15    
2005-2007 [Member] | Malikai - Malaysia [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 40    
2005-2007 [Member] | NPR-A-Alaska [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 11    
2005-2007 [Member] | Surmont III and beyond-Canada [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 18    
2005-2007 [Member] | Su tu Nau-Vietnam [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 9    
2005-2007 [Member] | Uge-Nigeria [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 14    
2005-2007 [Member] | Sixteen projects of $10 million or less each [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 32    
2001-2004 [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 83    
2001-2004 [Member] | Aktote-Kazakhstan [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 19    
2001-2004 [Member] | Alpine Satellite-Alaska [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 21    
2001-2004 [Member] | Kairan-Kazakhstan (2) [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 13    
2001-2004 [Member] | Kairan-Kazakhstan (1) [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 4    
2001-2004 [Member] | Kashagan-Kazakhstan [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 10    
2001-2004 [Member] | Malikai - Malaysia [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 12    
2001-2004 [Member] | Surmont III and beyond-Canada [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year 2    
2001-2004 [Member] | Sixteen projects of $10 million or less each [Member]
      
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]      
Aging of Exploratory Well Cost that have been capitalized for more than one year $ 2