|**Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs (Tables)**                                                                                             | 6 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
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|**Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs [Abstract]**                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Changes in Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs                                                                                               | Changes in capitalized exploratory well costs are as follows and exclude amounts that were capitalized and subsequently expensed in the same period:Six Months Ended June 30, 2012(millions)Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs, Beginning of Period$696Additions to Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs Pending Determination of Proved Reserves160Reclassified to Proved Oil and Gas Properties Based on Determination of Proved Reserves(9)Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs Charged to Expense(1)(107)Other(2)(19)Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs, End of Period$721(1)Amount primarily represents the Deep Blue exploratory well (deepwater Gulf of Mexico) costs capitalized prior toDecember 31, 2011. Although hydrocarbons were found in both the initial exploration well and subsequent sidetrack, we and our partners have decided not to proceed with additional appraisal activities at this time.(2)Amount represents the Selkirk exploratory well (North Sea) which, along with our remaining North Sea assets, was reclassified to held for sale at June 30, 2012. See Note 3. Acquisitions and Divestitures.
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|                                                                                                                                            | Six Months Ended June 30, 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|(millions)                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs, Beginning of Period                                                                                     | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Additions to Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs Pending Determination of Proved Reserves                                                    | 160                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Reclassified to Proved Oil and Gas Properties Based on Determination of Proved Reserves                                                     | (9                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs Charged to Expense(1)                                                                                    | (107                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Other(2)                                                                                                                                    | (19                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs, End of Period                                                                                           | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Aging of Capitalized Well Costs                                                                                                             | The following table provides an aging of capitalized exploratory well costs based on the date that drilling commenced, and the number of projects that have been capitalized for a period greater than one year:June 30, 2012December 31, 2011(millions)Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for a Period of One Year or Less$330$318Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for a Period Greater Than One Year Since Commencement of Drilling391378Balance at End of Period$721$696Number of Projects with Exploratory Well Costs That Have Been Capitalized for a Period Greater Than One Year Since Commencement of Drilling89                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
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|                                                                                                                                            | June 30, 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|(millions)                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for a Period of One Year or Less                                                                         | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for a Period Greater Than One Year Since Commencement of Drilling                                        | 391                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Balance at End of Period                                                                                                                    | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Number of Projects with Exploratory Well Costs That Have Been Capitalized for a Period Greater Than One Year Since Commencement of Drilling | 8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Aging of Exploratory Well Costs                                                                                                             | The following table provides a further aging of those exploratory well costs that have been capitalized for a period greater than one year since the commencement of drilling as ofJune 30, 2012:Suspended SinceTotal201120102009 & Prior(millions)Country/Project:Offshore Equatorial GuineaBlocks O and I$155$43$6$106Offshore CameroonYoYo444238Offshore IsraelLeviathan622141—Leviathan-1 Deep2727——Dalit22—121Deepwater Gulf of MexicoGunflint689356Other2 projects of $10 million or less each1376—Total$391$111$59$221                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
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|                                                                                                                                            | Total                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|(millions)                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Country/Project:                                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Offshore Equatorial Guinea                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Blocks O and I                                                                                                                              | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Offshore Cameroon                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|YoYo                                                                                                                                        | 44                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Offshore Israel                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Leviathan                                                                                                                                   | 62                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Leviathan-1 Deep                                                                                                                            | 27                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Dalit                                                                                                                                       | 22                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Deepwater Gulf of Mexico                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Gunflint                                                                                                                                    | 68                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Other                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|2 projects of $10 million or less each                                                                                                      | 13                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Total                                                                                                                                       | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

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