Unit-Based Compensation and Other Benefit Plans (Tables) (Linn Energy, LLC [Member])

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Dec. 31, 2012

Linn Energy, LLC [Member]

Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]

Employee Service Share-Based Compensation Expense

A summary of unit-based compensation expenses included on the condensed consolidated statements of operations is presented below:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
	(in thousands)
General and administrative expenses	$	9,865	$	7,622
Lease operating expenses	1,397		549
Total unit-based compensation expenses	$	11,262	$	8,171
Income tax benefit	$	4,161	$	3,019

A summary of unit-based compensation expenses included on the consolidated statements of operations is presented below:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2012		2011		2010
	(in thousands)
General and administrative expenses	$	27,641	$	21,131	$	13,450
Lease operating expenses	1,892		1,112		342
Total unit-based compensation expenses	$	29,533	$	22,243	$	13,792
Income tax benefit	$	10,912	$	8,219	$	5,096

Nonvested Units

A summary of the status of the nonvested units as of December 31, 2012, is presented below:

	Number of Nonvested Units		Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Nonvested units at December 31, 2011	1,859,662		$	31.54
Granted	1,046,590		$	37.42
Vested	(875,877	)	$	27.20
Forfeited	(77,244	)	$	34.34
Nonvested units at December 31, 2012	1,953,131		$	36.16

Unit Options Activity

The following provides information related to unit option activity for the year ended December 31, 2012:

	Number of Units Underlying Options		Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Unit		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life in Years	Aggregate Intrinsic Value in Millions
Outstanding at December 31, 2011	1,409,993		$	22.14	5.83	$	22
Granted	3,400,000		$	40.01
Exercised	(167,188	)	$	21.65
Outstanding at December 31, 2012	4,642,805		$	35.25	6.28	$	16
Exercisable at December 31, 2012	1,242,805		$	22.21	4.93	$	16

Valuation Assumptions

The fair values of the 2012 unit option grants were based upon the following assumptions:

	2012
Expected volatility	34.10	%
Expected distributions	7.25	%
Risk-free rate	0.67	%
Expected term	5 years