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Intangible assets - Summary of intangible assets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | $ 3,279 | $ 3,336 |
Adjustment on currency translation | 216 | 58 |
Expenditure during the year | 122 | 31 |
Amortisation for the year | (177) | (227) | $ (207)
Impairment charges | (357) | (1) |
Disposals, transfers and other movements | 36 | 82 |
Intangible assets at end of period | 3,119 | 3,279 | 3,336
Cost [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | 8,013 |  |
Intangible assets at end of period | 7,857 | 8,013 |
Accumulated amortisation and impairment [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | (4,734) |  |
Intangible assets at end of period | (4,738) | (4,734) |
Exploration and evaluation [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | 711 | 706 |
Adjustment on currency translation | 27 | 14 |
Expenditure during the year | 57 | 8 |
Impairment charges | (357) |  |
Disposals, transfers and other movements | (45) | (17) |
Intangible assets at end of period | 393 | 711 | 706
Exploration and evaluation [member] | Cost [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | 2,588 |  |
Intangible assets at end of period | 2,658 | 2,588 |
Exploration and evaluation [member] | Accumulated amortisation and impairment [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | (1,877) |  |
Intangible assets at end of period | (2,265) | (1,877) |
Trademarks, patented and non-patented technology [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | 78 | 94 |
Adjustment on currency translation | 10 | (3) |
Amortisation for the year | (13) | (13) |
Intangible assets at end of period | 75 | 78 | 94
Trademarks, patented and non-patented technology [member] | Cost [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | 199 |  |
Intangible assets at end of period | 224 | 199 |
Trademarks, patented and non-patented technology [member] | Accumulated amortisation and impairment [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | (121) |  |
Intangible assets at end of period | (149) | (121) |
Contract based intangible assets [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | 2,103 | 2,138 |
Adjustment on currency translation | 150 | 47 |
Amortisation for the year | (67) | (87) |
Disposals, transfers and other movements | 2 | 5 |
Intangible assets at end of period | 2,188 | 2,103 | 2,138
Contract based intangible assets [member] | Cost [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | 3,897 |  |
Intangible assets at end of period | 3,438 | 3,897 |
Contract based intangible assets [member] | Accumulated amortisation and impairment [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | (1,794) |  |
Intangible assets at end of period | (1,250) | (1,794) |
Other intangible assets [Member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | 387 | 398 |
Adjustment on currency translation | 29 |  |
Expenditure during the year | 65 | 23 |
Amortisation for the year | (97) | (127) |
Impairment charges |  | (1) |
Disposals, transfers and other movements | 79 | 94 |
Intangible assets at end of period | 463 | 387 | $ 398
Other intangible assets [Member] | Cost [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | 1,329 |  |
Intangible assets at end of period | 1,537 | 1,329 |
Other intangible assets [Member] | Accumulated amortisation and impairment [member] |  |  |
Disclosure of detailed information about intangible assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Intangible assets at beginning of period | (942) |  |
Intangible assets at end of period | $ (1,074) | $ (942) |

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- Definition The increase (decrease) in intangible assets other than goodwill resulting from net exchange differences arising on the translation of the financial statements from the functional currency into a different presentation currency, including the translation of a foreign operation into the presentation currency of the reporting entity. [Refer: Intangible assets other than goodwill] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 38 -IssueDate 2016-01-13 -Paragraph 118 -Subparagraph e -Clause vii -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=38&date=2016-03-30&anchor=para_118_e_vii&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2016-03-31 + Details
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