Supplemental Guarantor Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 586	$ 134	$ 1,211	$ 2,048
Receivables, net of allowance	2,560	2,134
Inventories	566	564
Drilling advances	277	259
Prepaid assets and other	587	389
Total current assets	4,576	3,480
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET	41,136	38,151
OTHER ASSETS:
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Equity in affiliates	0	0
Goodwill, net	1,032	1,032
Deferred charges and other	738	762
Total Assets	47,482	43,425	36,928
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	852	779
Accrued exploration and development	1,329	1,367
Current debt	417	46
Current asset retirement obligation	327	407
Derivative instruments	50	194
Accrued income taxes	267	2
Other accrued expenses	782	729
Total current liabilities	4,024	3,524
LONG-TERM DEBT	6,785	8,095
DEFERRED CREDITS AND OTHER NONCURRENT LIABILITIES:
Income taxes	5,535	4,249
Asset retirement obligation	2,603	2,465
Other	632	715
Total deferred credits other noncurrent liabilities	8,770	7,429
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
SHAREHOLDER'S EQUITY	27,903	24,377	21,945	15,779
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	47,482	43,425
Apache Corporation [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	19	6	618	647
Receivables, net of allowance	665	691
Inventories	56	55
Drilling advances	11	10
Prepaid assets and other	3,548	3,313
Total current assets	4,299	4,075
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET	12,498	11,314
OTHER ASSETS:
Intercompany receivable, net	3,447	4,695
Equity in affiliates	19,299	16,649
Goodwill, net	0	0
Deferred charges and other	210	178
Total Assets	39,753	36,911
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	522	480
Accrued exploration and development	297	274
Current debt	400	16
Current asset retirement obligation	317	317
Derivative instruments	16	153
Accrued income taxes	68	42
Other accrued expenses	267	358
Total current liabilities	1,887	1,640
LONG-TERM DEBT	6,136	7,447
DEFERRED CREDITS AND OTHER NONCURRENT LIABILITIES:
Income taxes	2,195	1,803
Asset retirement obligation	1,086	1,001
Other	546	643
Total deferred credits other noncurrent liabilities	3,827	3,447
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
SHAREHOLDER'S EQUITY	27,903	24,377
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	39,753	36,911
Apache Finance Canada [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	2
Receivables, net of allowance	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Drilling advances	1	2
Prepaid assets and other	0	0
Total current assets	1	2
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET	0	0
OTHER ASSETS:
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Equity in affiliates	1,309	1,275
Goodwill, net	0	0
Deferred charges and other	1,003	1,003
Total Assets	2,314	2,280
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	1	2
Accrued exploration and development	0	0
Current debt	0	0
Current asset retirement obligation	0	0
Derivative instruments	0	0
Accrued income taxes	0	0
Other accrued expenses	15	3
Total current liabilities	16	5
LONG-TERM DEBT	647	647
DEFERRED CREDITS AND OTHER NONCURRENT LIABILITIES:
Income taxes	5	5
Asset retirement obligation	0	0
Other	250	250
Total deferred credits other noncurrent liabilities	254	255
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
SHAREHOLDER'S EQUITY	1,397	1,373
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	2,314	2,280
All Other Subsidiaries of Apache Corporation [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	567	128	593	1,399
Receivables, net of allowance	1,895	1,443
Inventories	510	509
Drilling advances	265	247
Prepaid assets and other	(2,961)	(2,924)
Total current assets	276	(597)
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET	28,638	26,837
OTHER ASSETS:
Intercompany receivable, net	(1,745)	(3,149)
Equity in affiliates	88	98
Goodwill, net	1,032	1,032
Deferred charges and other	525	581
Total Assets	28,813	24,802
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	2,031	1,843
Accrued exploration and development	1,032	1,093
Current debt	17	30
Current asset retirement obligation	10	90
Derivative instruments	34	41
Accrued income taxes	199	(40)
Other accrued expenses	500	368
Total current liabilities	3,823	3,425
LONG-TERM DEBT	2	1
DEFERRED CREDITS AND OTHER NONCURRENT LIABILITIES:
Income taxes	3,336	2,441
Asset retirement obligation	1,517	1,464
Other	836	822
Total deferred credits other noncurrent liabilities	5,689	4,727
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
SHAREHOLDER'S EQUITY	19,299	16,649
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	28,813	24,802
Reclassifications and Eliminations [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Receivables, net of allowance	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Drilling advances	0	0
Prepaid assets and other	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET	0	0
OTHER ASSETS:
Intercompany receivable, net	(1,702)	(1,546)
Equity in affiliates	(20,696)	(18,022)
Goodwill, net	0	0
Deferred charges and other	(1,000)	(1,000)
Total Assets	(23,398)	(20,568)
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	(1,702)	(1,546)
Accrued exploration and development	0	0
Current debt	0	0
Current asset retirement obligation	0	0
Derivative instruments	0	0
Accrued income taxes	0	0
Other accrued expenses	0	0
Total current liabilities	(1,702)	(1,546)
LONG-TERM DEBT	0	0
DEFERRED CREDITS AND OTHER NONCURRENT LIABILITIES:
Income taxes	0	0
Asset retirement obligation	0	0
Other	(1,000)	(1,000)
Total deferred credits other noncurrent liabilities	(1,000)	(1,000)
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
SHAREHOLDER'S EQUITY	(20,696)	(18,022)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (23,398)	$ (20,568)