Earnings Per Unit (Linn Energy, LLC [Member])

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Dec. 31, 2012

Linn Energy, LLC [Member]

Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]

Schedule of Earnings Per Unit Reconciliation

The following table provides a reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted per unit computations for net loss:

	Net Loss (Numerator)			Units (Denominator)	Per Unit Amount
	(in thousands)
Three months ended March 31, 2013:
Net loss:
Allocated to units	$	(221,885	)
Allocated to participating securities	(1,301		)
	$	(223,186	)
Net loss per unit:
Basic net loss per unit				233,176	$	(0.96	)
Dilutive effect of unit equivalents				—	—
Diluted net loss per unit				233,176	$	(0.96	)
Three months ended March 31, 2012:
Net loss:
Allocated to units	$	(6,202	)
Allocated to participating securities	(1,375		)
	$	(7,577	)
Net loss per unit:
Basic net loss per unit				193,256	$	(0.04	)
Dilutive effect of unit equivalents				—	—
Diluted net loss per unit				193,256	$	(0.04	)

The following table provides a reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted per unit computations for net income (loss):

	Net Income (Loss) (Numerator)			Units (Denominator)	Per Unit Amount
	(in thousands)
Year ended December 31, 2012:
Net loss:
Allocated to units	$	(386,616	)
Allocated to unvested restricted units	(4,575		)
	$	(391,191	)
Net loss per unit:
Basic net loss per unit				203,775	$	(1.92	)
Dilutive effect of unit equivalents				—	—
Diluted net loss per unit				203,775	$	(1.92	)
Year ended December 31, 2011:
Net income:
Allocated to units	$	438,439
Allocated to unvested restricted units	(4,739		)
	$	433,700
Net income per unit:
Basic net income per unit				172,004	$	2.52
Dilutive effect of unit equivalents				725	(0.01		)
Diluted net income per unit				172,729	$	2.51
Year ended December 31, 2010:
Net loss:
Allocated to units	$	(114,288	)
Allocated to unvested restricted units	—
	$	(114,288	)
Net loss per unit:
Basic net loss per unit				142,535	$	(0.80	)
Dilutive effect of unit equivalents				—	—
Diluted net loss per unit				142,535	$	(0.80	)

Earnings Per Unit

Earnings Per Unit

Basic earnings per unit is computed by dividing net earnings attributable to unitholders by the weighted average number of units outstanding during each period. Diluted earnings per unit is computed by adjusting the average number of units outstanding for the dilutive effect, if any, of unit equivalents. The Company uses the treasury stock method to determine the dilutive effect.

The following table provides a reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted per unit computations for net loss:

	Net Loss (Numerator)			Units (Denominator)	Per Unit Amount
	(in thousands)
Three months ended March 31, 2013:
Net loss:
Allocated to units	$	(221,885	)
Allocated to participating securities	(1,301		)
	$	(223,186	)
Net loss per unit:
Basic net loss per unit				233,176	$	(0.96	)
Dilutive effect of unit equivalents				—	—
Diluted net loss per unit				233,176	$	(0.96	)
Three months ended March 31, 2012:
Net loss:
Allocated to units	$	(6,202	)
Allocated to participating securities	(1,375		)
	$	(7,577	)
Net loss per unit:
Basic net loss per unit				193,256	$	(0.04	)
Dilutive effect of unit equivalents				—	—
Diluted net loss per unit				193,256	$	(0.04	)

Basic units outstanding excludes the effect of weighted average anti-dilutive unit equivalents related to approximately 5 million and 2 million unit options and warrants for the three months ended March 31, 2013, and March 31, 2012, respectively. All equivalent units were anti-dilutive for the three months ended March 31, 2013, and March 31, 2012.

Earnings Per Unit

Basic earnings per unit is computed by dividing net earnings attributable to unitholders by the weighted average number of units outstanding during each period. Diluted earnings per unit is computed by adjusting the average number of units outstanding for the dilutive effect, if any, of unit equivalents. The Company uses the treasury stock method to determine the dilutive effect.

The following table provides a reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted per unit computations for net income (loss):

	Net Income (Loss) (Numerator)			Units (Denominator)	Per Unit Amount
	(in thousands)
Year ended December 31, 2012:
Net loss:
Allocated to units	$	(386,616	)
Allocated to unvested restricted units	(4,575		)
	$	(391,191	)
Net loss per unit:
Basic net loss per unit				203,775	$	(1.92	)
Dilutive effect of unit equivalents				—	—
Diluted net loss per unit				203,775	$	(1.92	)
Year ended December 31, 2011:
Net income:
Allocated to units	$	438,439
Allocated to unvested restricted units	(4,739		)
	$	433,700
Net income per unit:
Basic net income per unit				172,004	$	2.52
Dilutive effect of unit equivalents				725	(0.01		)
Diluted net income per unit				172,729	$	2.51
Year ended December 31, 2010:
Net loss:
Allocated to units	$	(114,288	)
Allocated to unvested restricted units	—
	$	(114,288	)
Net loss per unit:
Basic net loss per unit				142,535	$	(0.80	)
Dilutive effect of unit equivalents				—	—
Diluted net loss per unit				142,535	$	(0.80	)

Basic units outstanding excludes the effect of weighted average anti-dilutive unit equivalents related to approximately 2 million unit options and warrants for each of the years ended December 31, 2012, and December 31, 2010. All equivalent units were anti-dilutive for the years ended December 31, 2012, and December 31, 2010, respectively. There were no anti-dilutive unit equivalents for the year ended December 31, 2011.