Supplemental Guarantor Information - Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$ 4,550	$ 5,276
CASH PROVIDED BY DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	82	104
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	4,632	5,380
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to oil and gas property	(4,871)	(5,050)
Additions to gas gathering, transmission and processing facilities	(721)	(491)
Proceeds from sale of Deepwater Gulf of Mexico assets	1,367
Proceeds from Kitimat LNG transaction, net	0	405
Restricted cash related to divestitures	(1,367)
Proceeds from sale of other oil and gas properties	381
Acquisitions	(5)	(148)
Investment in subsidiaries, net	0
Other	(23)	14
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(5,239)	(5,270)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	748	(94)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(4,491)	(5,364)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Commercial paper and bank credit facilities, net	(1)	945
Intercompany borrowings	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(66)
Payments on fixed rate debt	0	(500)
Dividends paid	(176)	(183)
Treasury stock activity, net	(1,263)	(249)
Other common stock activity	25	3
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(1,481)	16
NET CASH USED IN DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	(42)	(8)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(1,523)	8
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(1,382)	24
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR	1,906	160
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	524	184
Reclassifications & Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING OPERATING ACTIVITIES	0
CASH PROVIDED BY DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	0
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to oil and gas property	0
Additions to gas gathering, transmission and processing facilities	0
Proceeds from sale of Deepwater Gulf of Mexico assets	0
Restricted cash related to divestitures	0
Proceeds from sale of other oil and gas properties	0
Acquisitions	0
Investment in subsidiaries, net	(2,899)	(1,258)
Other	0
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(2,899)	(1,258)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(2,899)	(1,258)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Commercial paper and bank credit facilities, net	0
Intercompany borrowings	2,898	1,252
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	0
Dividends paid	0
Treasury stock activity, net	0
Other common stock activity	1	6
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING FINANCING ACTIVITIES	2,899	1,258
NET CASH USED IN DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	2,899	1,258
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	0
Apache Corporation [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING OPERATING ACTIVITIES	70	688
CASH PROVIDED BY DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	70	688
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to oil and gas property	(1,703)	(1,854)
Additions to gas gathering, transmission and processing facilities	(2)	(54)
Proceeds from sale of Deepwater Gulf of Mexico assets	1,367
Restricted cash related to divestitures	(1,367)
Proceeds from sale of other oil and gas properties	69
Acquisitions	(5)
Investment in subsidiaries, net	2,899	1,258
Other	(35)	(58)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING INVESTING ACTIVITIES	1,223	(708)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES	1,223	(708)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Commercial paper and bank credit facilities, net	0	945
Intercompany borrowings	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	0
Payments on fixed rate debt		(500)
Dividends paid	(176)	(183)
Treasury stock activity, net	(1,263)	(249)
Other common stock activity	0	7
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(1,439)	20
NET CASH USED IN DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(1,439)	20
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(146)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR	155
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	9
Apache Finance Canada [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(33)	(76)
CASH PROVIDED BY DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(33)	(76)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to oil and gas property	0
Additions to gas gathering, transmission and processing facilities	0
Proceeds from sale of Deepwater Gulf of Mexico assets	0
Restricted cash related to divestitures	0
Proceeds from sale of other oil and gas properties	0
Acquisitions	0
Investment in subsidiaries, net	0
Other	0
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING INVESTING ACTIVITIES	0
NET CASH PROVIDED BY DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES	0
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Commercial paper and bank credit facilities, net	0
Intercompany borrowings	11	1
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	0
Dividends paid	0
Treasury stock activity, net	0
Other common stock activity	19	75
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING FINANCING ACTIVITIES	30	76
NET CASH USED IN DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	30	76
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(3)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR	3
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	0
All Other Subsidiaries of Apache Corporation [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING OPERATING ACTIVITIES	4,513	4,664
CASH PROVIDED BY DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	82	104
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	4,595	4,768
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to oil and gas property	(3,168)	(3,196)
Additions to gas gathering, transmission and processing facilities	(719)	(437)
Proceeds from sale of Deepwater Gulf of Mexico assets	0
Proceeds from Kitimat LNG transaction, net		405
Restricted cash related to divestitures	0
Proceeds from sale of other oil and gas properties	312
Acquisitions	0	(148)
Investment in subsidiaries, net	0
Other	12	72
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(3,563)	(3,304)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	748	(94)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(2,815)	(3,398)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Commercial paper and bank credit facilities, net	(1)
Intercompany borrowings	(2,909)	(1,253)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(66)
Dividends paid	0
Treasury stock activity, net	0
Other common stock activity	5	(85)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(2,971)	(1,338)
NET CASH USED IN DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	(42)	(8)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(3,013)	(1,346)
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(1,233)	24
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR	1,748	160
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	$ 515	$ 184