Supplemental Guarantor Information - Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$ 8,504	$ 9,953	$ 6,726
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to oil and gas property	(8,781)	(6,414)	(4,407)
Additions to gas gathering, transmission, and processing facilities	(750)	(664)	(515)
Acquisitions of Devon properties			(1,018)
Acquisition of Cordillera	(2,666)
Acquisition of Mobil North Sea		(1,246)
Acquisitions of BP properties			(6,429)
Equity investment in Yara Pilbara Holdings Pty Limited	(439)
Mariner Energy, Inc. merger			(787)
Acquisitions, other	(252)	(567)	(126)
Proceeds from sale of oil and gas properties	27	422
Other	(563)	(176)	(121)
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(13,424)	(8,645)	(13,403)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Commercial paper, credit facility and bank notes, net	549	(925)	(32)
Fixed rate debt borrowings	4,978		2,470
Payments on fixed rate debt	(400)		(1,023)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			2,258
Proceeds from issuance of mandatory convertible preferred stock			1,227
Dividends paid	(332)	(306)	(226)
Other	(10)	84	89
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	4,785	(1,147)	4,763
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(135)	161	(1,914)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR	295	134	2,048
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	160	295	134
Apache Corporation [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	2,357		(1,848)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to oil and gas property	(3,313)	(1,478)	(1,552)
Additions to gas gathering, transmission, and processing facilities	(48)		(4)
Acquisitions of Devon properties			(1,018)
Acquisition of Cordillera	(2,666)
Acquisitions, other	(66)	(448)
Proceeds from sale of oil and gas properties	25	204
Investment in and advances to subsidiaries, net	(657)	772	(2,853)
Other	(450)	(81)	(72)
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(7,175)	(1,031)	(5,499)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Commercial paper, credit facility and bank notes, net	502	(927)	928
Fixed rate debt borrowings	4,978		2,470
Payments on fixed rate debt	(400)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			2,258
Proceeds from issuance of mandatory convertible preferred stock			1,227
Dividends paid	(332)	(306)	(226)
Other	29	108	49
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	4,777	(1,125)	6,706
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(41)	35	(641)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR	41	6	647
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD		41	6
Apache Finance Canada [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(40)		(100)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Intercompany borrowings		(1)	2
Other	35	(7)	96
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	35	(8)	98
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(5)	5	(2)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR	5		2
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD		5
All Other Subsidiaries of Apache Corporation [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	6,187		8,674
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to oil and gas property	(5,468)	(4,936)	(2,855)
Additions to gas gathering, transmission, and processing facilities	(702)	(664)	(511)
Acquisition of Mobil North Sea		(1,246)
Acquisitions of BP properties			(6,429)
Equity investment in Yara Pilbara Holdings Pty Limited	(439)
Mariner Energy, Inc. merger			(787)
Acquisitions, other	(186)	(119)	(126)
Proceeds from sale of oil and gas properties	2	218
Other	(113)	(95)	(49)
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(6,906)	(6,842)	(10,757)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Commercial paper, credit facility and bank notes, net	47	2	(960)
Intercompany borrowings	697	(763)	2,720
Payments on fixed rate debt			(1,023)
Other	(114)	(25)	75
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	630	(786)	812
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(89)	121	(1,271)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR	249	128	1,399
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	160	249	128
Reclassifications & Eliminations [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Investment in and advances to subsidiaries, net	657	(772)	2,853
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES	657	(772)	2,853
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Intercompany borrowings	(697)	764	(2,722)
Other	40	8	(131)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	$ (657)	$ 772	$ (2,853)