Supplemental Guarantor Information (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Oil and gas production revenues	$ 4,457	$ 3,878
Other	79	47
Total revenues and other	4,536	3,925
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	1,740	936
Asset retirement obligation accretion	55	37
Lease operating expenses	673	623
Gathering and transportation	77	76
Taxes other than income	257	164
General and administrative	128	112
Merger, acquisitions & transition	6	5
Financing costs, net	40	45
Total operating expenses	2,976	1,998
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES	1,560	1,927
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	763	793
NET INCOME	797	1,134
Preferred stock dividends	19	19
INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCK	778	1,115
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCK	745	811
Apache Corporation [Member]
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Oil and gas production revenues	1,058	1,006
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates	555	894
Other	(1)	1
Total revenues and other	1,612	1,901
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	292	300
Asset retirement obligation accretion	19	17
Lease operating expenses	215	191
Gathering and transportation	12	12
Taxes other than income	50	41
General and administrative	99	89
Merger, acquisitions & transition	6	5
Financing costs, net	44	37
Total operating expenses	737	692
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES	875	1,209
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	78	75
NET INCOME	797	1,134
Preferred stock dividends	19	19
INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCK	778	1,115
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCK	745	811
Apache Finance Canada [Member]
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates	(174)	(14)
Other	17	(20)
Total revenues and other	(157)	(34)
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Financing costs, net	14	14
Total operating expenses	14	14
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(171)	(48)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(43)	(6)
NET INCOME	(128)	(42)
INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCK	(128)	(42)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCK	(128)	280
All Other Subsidiaries of Apache Corporation [Member]
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Oil and gas production revenues	3,399	2,872
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates	46	(28)
Other	64	67
Total revenues and other	3,509	2,911
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	1,448	636
Asset retirement obligation accretion	36	20
Lease operating expenses	458	432
Gathering and transportation	65	64
Taxes other than income	207	123
General and administrative	30	24
Financing costs, net	(18)	(6)
Total operating expenses	2,226	1,293
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES	1,283	1,618
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	728	724
NET INCOME	555	894
INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCK	555	894
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCK	555	3,590
Reclassifications and Eliminations [Member]
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates	(427)	(852)
Other	(1)	(1)
Total revenues and other	(428)	(853)
OPERATING EXPENSES:
General and administrative	(1)	(1)
Total operating expenses	(1)	(1)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(427)	(852)
NET INCOME	(427)	(852)
INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCK	(427)	(852)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCK	$ (427)	$ (3,870)