Area Of Undeveloped Land

No definition available.

Name:	apa_AreaOfUndevelopedLand
Namespace Prefix:	apa_
Data Type:	num:areaItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Business combination land acquired in acres.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	apa_BusinessCombinationLandAcquiredInAcres
Namespace Prefix:	apa_
Data Type:	num:areaItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Equity Method Investment Previous Ownership Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	apa_EquityMethodInvestmentPreviousOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	apa_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Ownership percentage by other party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	apa_OwnershipPercentageByOtherParty
Namespace Prefix:	apa_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Proceeds From Transaction In Project

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	apa_ProceedsFromTransactionInProject
Namespace Prefix:	apa_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash paid to acquire the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141R

-Paragraph 68

-Subparagraph f(1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141

-Paragraph 51

-Subparagraph d

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityCashPaid
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total cost of the acquired entity including the cash paid to shareholders of acquired entities, fair value of debt and equity securities issued to shareholders of acquired entities, the fair value of the liabilities assumed, and direct costs of the acquisition.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141

-Paragraph 51

-Subparagraph d

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityPurchasePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of shares of equity interests issued or issuable to acquire entity.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionEquityInterestsIssuedOrIssuableNumberOfSharesIssued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 159

-Paragraph 18

-Subparagraph f

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 18

-Paragraph 20

-Subparagraph a (1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Acquisitions and Divestitures - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended						3 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2012 acre	Mar. 31, 2013	Feb. 28, 2013 Kitimat Lng [Member]	Feb. 28, 2013 Kitimat Lng [Member] Chevron Canada And Apache Canada [Member]	Feb. 28, 2013 Kitimat Lng [Member] Apache Canada [Member]	Feb. 28, 2013 Kitimat Lng [Member] Horn River And Liard Basins [Member] acre	Jan. 31, 2012 Yara International [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Burrup Holdings Limited (Yara Pilbara Holdings Pty Limited ) [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of ownership				50.00%			49.00%
Business properties held						644,000
Percentage increase in ownership					40.00%
Proceeds from transaction		$ 405,000,000	$ 405,000,000
Cordillera's properties	312,000
Shares of common stock issued seller	6,272,667
Cash paid to seller	2,700,000,000
Ownership percentage by other party								51.00%
Amount paid for acquisition							$ 439,000,000