Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2011	Jul. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Current :
Federal					$ 181		$ (21)	$ (83)
State					13		(2)	8
Foreign					(6)		29	12
Total					188		6	(63)
Deferred:
Federal					(61)		144	234
State					(14)		(48)	30
Foreign					11		12	3
Total					(64)		108	267
Provision (benefit) for income taxes					124		114	204
Provision (benefit) for income taxes from continuing operations at federal statutory rate:
Provision (benefit) at statutory rate					421		135	192
Increases (decreases) in taxes resulting from:
Impact of nontaxable noncontrolling interests					(96)		(58)	(49)
State income taxes (net of federal benefit)					11		(35)	24
Foreign operations - net					(14)		(22)	19
Federal settlements					(109)		0	0
International revised assessments					(38)		0	0
Deferred taxes on undistributed earnings of certain foreign operations			66	66	(66)		66	0
Reduction of tax benefits on Medicare Part D federal subsidy					0		11	0
Other - net					15		17	18
Provision (benefit) for income taxes					124		114	204
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property, plant, and equipment				115	65		115
Investments				1,978	2,063		1,978
Other				101	46		101
Total deferred tax liabilities				2,194	2,174		2,194
Deferred tax assets:
Accrued liabilities				257	324		257
Minimum tax credits				120	119	[1]	120
State loss and credit carryovers				201	170		201
Other				59	98		59
Total deferred tax assets				637	711		637
Less valuation allowance				178	145		178
Net deferred tax assets				459	566		459
Overall net deferred tax liabilities				1,735	1,608		1,735
Reconciliation of beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits
Balance at beginning of period					91		89
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year					26		11
Additions for tax positions for prior years					4		3
Reductions for tax positions of prior years					(39)		(12)
Settlement with taxing authorities					(44)		0
Balance at end of period				91	38		91	89
Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes (Textuals) [Abstract]
Reductions in state income taxes (net of federal benefit) due to a reduction in our estimate of the effective deferred state rate							43
Foreign income (loss) in Income from continuing operations before income taxes					173		144	(48)
Deferred tax asset for AMT allocable to WPX					98
Deferred taxes on undistributed earnings of certain foreign operations that are no longer considered permanently invested			66	66	(66)		66	0
Undistributed earnings from foreign subsidiaries considered to be permanently reinvested					388
Cash payments for income taxes (net of refunds and including discontinued operations)					296		40	14
Unrecognized tax benefits				91	38		91	89
Reduction of income tax expense, net of federal tax expense, if recognized					41
Total interest and penalties recognized as part of income tax expense (benefit)					(56)		11	17
Total interest and penalties accrued as uncertain tax positions				104	15		104
Tax benefit from finalized settlements					109		0	0
Tax benefit from international revised assessments					38		0	0
Cash payments related to the settlements	$ 77	$ 82

[1] In conjunction with the spin-off of WPX, alternative minimum tax credits were allocated between us and WPX. A $98 million deferred tax asset for the estimated alternative minimum tax credit allocable to WPX was contributed to WPX prior to the spin-off. The final allocation of tax attributes cannot be determined until the consolidated tax returns for the tax year 2011 are complete. Any subsequent adjustments will be recorded in the tax provision for the period in which the change occurs.