Exploration Expense - Exploration Expenses (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Exploration Expenses [Line Items]
Exploration Expense	$ 52	$ 28
Unproved Property Impairments [Member]
Exploration Expenses [Line Items]
Exploration Expense	40	20
Dry Well Costs [Member]
Exploration Expenses [Line Items]
Exploration Expense	2	0
Geological and Geophysical [Member]
Exploration Expenses [Line Items]
Exploration Expense	6	1
Other Exploration Expenses [Member]
Exploration Expenses [Line Items]
Exploration Expense	$ 4	$ 7

- Definition

Exploration expenses (including prospecting) related to oil and gas producing entities and would be included in operating expenses of that entity. Costs incurred in identifying areas that may warrant examination and in examining specific areas that are considered to have prospects of containing oil and gas reserves, including costs of drilling exploratory wells and exploratory-type stratigraphic test wells. Exploration costs may be incurred both before acquiring the related property (sometimes referred to in part as prospecting costs) and after acquiring the property. Principal types of exploration costs, which include depreciation and applicable operating costs of support equipment and facilities and other costs of exploration activities, are: (i) Costs of topographical, geographical and geophysical studies, rights of access to properties to conduct those studies, and salaries and other expenses of geologists, geophysical crews, and others conducting those studies. Collectively, these are sometimes referred to as geological and geophysical or "G&G" costs. (ii) Costs of carrying and retaining undeveloped properties, such as delay rentals, ad valorem taxes on properties, legal costs for title defense, and the maintenance of land and lease records. (iii) Dry hole contributions and bottom hole contributions. (iv) Costs of drilling and equipping exploratory wells. (v) Costs of drilling exploratory-type stratigraphic test wells.

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