Supplemental Disclosures to the Consolidated Balance Sheets and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Par Value of Senior Notes Exchanged	$ 2,000,000,000
Cash payments for interest, net of amounts capitalized		$ 562,303,000	$ 542,775,000	$ 392,607,000
Cash payments for income taxes		643,000	0	14,000
Joint-venture funding			25,000,000	170,000,000
In connection with the acquisition of oil and natural gas properties and joint-venture funding, assets were acquired and liabilities were assumed as follow:
Fair value of assets acquired		0	2,679,547,000	5,726,681,000
Cash paid, net of cash acquired		0	(2,395,339,000)	(109,350,000)
Units issued in connection with the Berry acquisition		0	0	(2,781,888,000)
Noncash gains on exchanges of properties		0	(85,493,000)	0
Receivables from sellers		0	16,213,000	(93,000)
Payables to sellers		0	(3,515,000)	(6,854,000)
Liabilities assumed		0	211,413,000	2,828,496,000
Accrued capital expenditures		81,656,000	$ 240,331,000	$ 334,542,000
Senior Secured Second Lien Notes Due 2020 [Member] | Linn Energy, LLC | Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		$ 1,000,000,000