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Financial instruments disclosures - Summary of financial instruments carried at fair value (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | Jun. 30, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Jun. 30, 2017
--- | --- | --- | ---
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents |  | $ 5,989 | $ 10,550 | $ 7,746
Other investments, including loans |  | 2,187 |  |
Trade and other receivables | [1] | 2,713 |  |
Fair value [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents |  | 5,989 | 10,550 |
Investments in equity shares and funds |  | 141 | 136 |
Other investments, including loans |  | 2,187 | 1,152 |
Trade and other receivables |  | 2,713 | 2,985 |
Financial assets (excluding derivative assets) |  | 11,030 | 14,823 |
Forward contracts: designated as hedges |  | (90) |  |
Forward contracts and option contracts, not designated as hedges |  | 232 | (87) |
Derivatives related to net debt |  | (310) | (177) |
Trade and other payables |  | (5,175) | (5,922) |
Financial assets and liabilities net |  | 5,687 | 8,637 |
Fair value [member] | Level 1 [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents |  | 3,130 |  |
Investments in equity shares and funds |  | 19 | 88 |
Other investments, including loans |  | 2,090 | 1,037 |
Trade and other receivables |  | 7 |  |
Financial assets (excluding derivative assets) |  | 5,246 | 1,125 |
Financial assets and liabilities net |  | 5,246 | 1,125 |
Fair value [member] | Level 2 [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investments in equity shares and funds |  | 81 |  |
Trade and other receivables |  | 758 | 90 |
Financial assets (excluding derivative assets) |  | 839 | 90 |
Forward contracts and option contracts, not designated as hedges |  | 9 | 11 |
Derivatives related to net debt |  | (310) | (177) |
Trade and other payables |  | (20) | (15) |
Financial assets and liabilities net |  | 518 | (91) |
Fair value [member] | Level 3 [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investments in equity shares and funds |  | 41 | 3 |
Other investments, including loans |  | 82 | 88 |
Financial assets (excluding derivative assets) |  | 123 | 91 |
Forward contracts: designated as hedges |  | (90) |  |
Forward contracts and option contracts, not designated as hedges |  | 223 | (98) |
Financial assets and liabilities net |  | 256 | (7) |
Not held at fair value [member] |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Financial Instruments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Cash and cash equivalents |  | 2,859 | 10,550 |
Investments in equity shares and funds |  |  | 45 |
Other investments, including loans |  | 15 | 27 |
Trade and other receivables |  | 1,948 | 2,895 |
Financial assets (excluding derivative assets) |  | 4,822 | 13,517 |
Trade and other payables |  | (5,155) | (5,907) |
Financial assets and liabilities net |  | $ (333) | $ 7,610 |
[1] | Trade and other receivables exclude non-financial assets such as pension surpluses, prepayment of tolling charges to joint operations and other prepayments within other receivables and will therefore differ to the amounts shown in the balance sheet.

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- Definition The amount of cash on hand and demand deposits, along with short-term, highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and that are subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value. [Refer: Cash; Cash equivalents] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 7 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 45 -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=7&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_45&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IFRS -Number 12 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph B13 -Subparagraph a -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_B13_a&doctype=Appendix&seq=2 -URIDate 2017-03-09 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 54 -Subparagraph i -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_54_i&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 + Details
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- Definition The fair value of financial instruments designated as hedging instruments. Hedging instruments are designated derivatives or (for a hedge of the risk of changes in foreign currency exchange rates only) designated non-derivative financial assets or non-derivative financial liabilities whose fair value or cash flows are expected to offset changes in the fair value or cash flows of a designated hedged item. [Refer: At fair value [member]; Derivatives [member]; Derivative financial assets; Derivative financial liabilities; Financial instruments, class [member]; Financial assets; Financial liabilities] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Note Expiry date 2018-01-01 -Name IFRS -Number 7 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 22 -Subparagraph b -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=7&date=2017-03-02&anchor=para_22_b&doctype=Standard&book=B -URIDate 2017-03-09 + Details
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