Acquisitions and Divestitures - 2015 Activity (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended					9 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015		Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Percentage of ownership				100.00%					100.00%
Impairment of equity method investment										$ 148
Proceeds from sale of Kitimat LNG project									$ 0	854	[1]
Impairments				$ 836	$ 3,903	[2]			1,009	6,327	[1],[2]
Leasehold and property acquisitions				51	126				169	254	[1]
Transaction, reorganization, and separation				$ 12	$ 0	[2]			$ 36	$ 120	[2]
Australia [Member] | Woodside Sale [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestitures			$ 2,800
Australia [Member] | Consortium Sale [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestitures		$ 1,900
Gain (loss) on disposal		$ (139)
Upstream Assets [Member] | Canada [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on disposal			146
Upstream Assets [Member] | Australia [Member] | Woodside Sale [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestitures			1,400
LNG Assets [Member] | Australia [Member] | Woodside Sale [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestitures			$ 1,400
Wheatstone LNG [Member] | Australia [Member] | Oil and gas property and equipment [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Impairments							$ 49
Gain (loss) on disposal							$ (23)
Yara Pilbara Holdings Pty Limited [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Percentage of ownership					49.00%					49.00%
Proceeds from Sale of Equity Method Investments	$ 391
Impairment of equity method investment										$ 148
Kitimat LNG [Member] | Canada [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Percentage of ownership			50.00%
Proceeds from sale of Kitimat LNG project			$ 854
Impairments								$ 655
Kitimat LNG [Member] | Upstream Assets [Member] | Canada [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of Kitimat LNG project			510
Kitimat LNG [Member] | LNG Assets [Member] | Canada [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of Kitimat LNG project			$ 344
Wheatstone LNG [Member] | Australia [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Impairments								$ 833

[1] Financial information for 2015 has been recast to reflect retrospective application of the successful efforts method of accounting. See Note 1.

[2] Financial information for 2015 has been recast to reflect retrospective application of the successful efforts method of accounting. See Note 1.