General	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
General [Abstract]
General	Note 1. General Our accompanying interim consolidated financial statements do not include all the notes in our annual financial statements and, therefore, should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto in Exhibit 99.1 of our Form 8-K dated June 1, 2011. The accompanying unaudited financial statements include all normal recurring adjustments and others that, in the opinion of management, are necessary to present fairly our financial position at September 30, 2011, results of operations and changes in equity for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, and cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. WPX Separation On February 16, 2011, we announced that our Board of Directors approved our reorganization plan to divide our business into two separate, publicly traded corporations. This reorganization plan calls for a separation of our exploration and production business through an initial public offering (IPO) of our wholly owned subsidiary, WPX Energy, Inc. (WPX), and a subsequent tax-free spin-off of our remaining interest to our shareholders. WPX was formed in April 2011 to effect the separation. On April 29, 2011, WPX, filed an S-1 registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with respect to an IPO of its equity securities and on October 28, 2011, filed the fifth amendment to this registration statement with the SEC. On October 18, 2011, we announced that our Board of Directors approved a revised reorganization plan that calls for the complete separation of WPX via a tax-free spin-off of all of our ownership of WPX to our shareholders by year-end 2011. On October 19, 2011, WPX filed a Form 10 registration statement with the SEC with respect to this spin-off of its securities. The approval of the revised reorganization plan does not preclude us from pursuing the original plan including the IPO, in the event that market conditions become favorable. We retain the discretion to determine whether and when to complete these transactions.

General

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Note 1. General

Our accompanying interim consolidated financial statements do not include all the notes in our annual financial statements and, therefore, should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto in Exhibit 99.1 of our Form 8-K dated June 1, 2011. The accompanying unaudited financial statements include all normal recurring adjustments and others that, in the opinion of management, are necessary to present fairly our financial position at September 30, 2011, results of operations and changes in equity for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, and cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

WPX Separation

On February 16, 2011, we announced that our Board of Directors approved our reorganization plan to divide our business into two separate, publicly traded corporations. This reorganization plan calls for a separation of our exploration and production business through an initial public offering (IPO) of our wholly owned subsidiary, WPX Energy, Inc. (WPX), and a subsequent tax-free spin-off of our remaining interest to our shareholders. WPX was formed in April 2011 to effect the separation. On April 29, 2011, WPX, filed an S-1 registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with respect to an IPO of its equity securities and on October 28, 2011, filed the fifth amendment to this registration statement with the SEC.

On October 18, 2011, we announced that our Board of Directors approved a revised reorganization plan that calls for the complete separation of WPX via a tax-free spin-off of all of our ownership of WPX to our shareholders by year-end 2011. On October 19, 2011, WPX filed a Form 10 registration statement with the SEC with respect to this spin-off of its securities. The approval of the revised reorganization plan does not preclude us from pursuing the original plan including the IPO, in the event that market conditions become favorable. We retain the discretion to determine whether and when to complete these transactions.