Supplemental Guarantor Information - Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING OPERATING ACTIVITIES			$ 2,572	$ 5,756
CASH PROVIDED BY DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS			150	772
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES			2,722	6,528
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to oil and gas property			(3,844)	(6,585)
Leasehold and property acquisitions	$ (126)	$ (526)	(254)	(638)
Additions to gas gathering, transmission, and processing facilities			(113)	(503)
Proceeds from sale of Deepwater Gulf of Mexico assets				1,367
Proceeds from sale of Kitimat LNG			854
Restricted cash related to divestitures				(545)
Proceeds from sale of other oil and gas properties			148	390
Other			(99)	(96)
NET CASH USED IN CONTINUING INVESTING ACTIVITIES			(3,308)	(6,610)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS			4,335	(331)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES			1,027	(6,941)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Commercial paper and bank credit facilities, net			(1,570)	1,246
Early redemption of fixed-rate debt			(939)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest			(97)	(124)
Dividends paid			(283)	(271)
Treasury stock activity, net				(1,830)
Other			26	38
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING FINANCING ACTIVITIES			(2,863)	(941)
NET CASH USED IN DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS				(42)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES			(2,863)	(983)
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS			886	(1,396)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR			769	1,906
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	1,655	510	1,655	510
Reclassifications & Eliminations [Member]
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Investment in subsidiaries, net			(274)	(2,303)
NET CASH USED IN CONTINUING INVESTING ACTIVITIES			(274)	(2,303)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES			(274)	(2,303)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Intercompany borrowings			274	2,312
Other				(9)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING FINANCING ACTIVITIES			274	2,303
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES			274	2,303
Apache Corporation [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING OPERATING ACTIVITIES			77	3,574
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES			77	3,574
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to oil and gas property			(1,517)	(5,425)
Leasehold and property acquisitions			(243)	(503)
Additions to gas gathering, transmission, and processing facilities			(25)	(21)
Proceeds from sale of Deepwater Gulf of Mexico assets				1,367
Restricted cash related to divestitures				(545)
Proceeds from sale of other oil and gas properties			8	35
Investment in subsidiaries, net			274	2,303
Other			(16)	(67)
NET CASH USED IN CONTINUING INVESTING ACTIVITIES			(1,519)	(2,856)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES			(1,519)	(2,856)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Commercial paper and bank credit facilities, net			(1,570)	1,248
Intercompany borrowings			4,416
Early redemption of fixed-rate debt			(939)
Dividends paid			(283)	(271)
Treasury stock activity, net				(1,830)
Other			2
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING FINANCING ACTIVITIES			1,626	(853)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES			1,626	(853)
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS			184	(135)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR			267	155
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	451	20	451	20
Apache Finance Canada [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING OPERATING ACTIVITIES			(25)	(37)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES			(25)	(37)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Intercompany borrowings			(10)	10
Other			35	24
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING FINANCING ACTIVITIES			25	34
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES			25	34
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS				(3)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR				3
All Other Subsidiaries of Apache Corporation [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING OPERATING ACTIVITIES			2,520	2,219
CASH PROVIDED BY DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS			150	772
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES			2,670	2,991
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to oil and gas property			(2,327)	(1,160)
Leasehold and property acquisitions			(11)	(135)
Additions to gas gathering, transmission, and processing facilities			(88)	(482)
Proceeds from sale of Kitimat LNG			854
Proceeds from sale of other oil and gas properties			140	355
Other			(83)	(29)
NET CASH USED IN CONTINUING INVESTING ACTIVITIES			(1,515)	(1,451)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS			4,335	(331)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES			2,820	(1,782)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Commercial paper and bank credit facilities, net				(2)
Intercompany borrowings			(4,680)	(2,322)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest			(97)	(124)
Other			(11)	23
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) CONTINUING FINANCING ACTIVITIES			(4,788)	(2,425)
NET CASH USED IN DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS				(42)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES			(4,788)	(2,467)
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS			702	(1,258)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR			502	1,748
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	$ 1,204	$ 490	$ 1,204	$ 490