Subsidiary Guarantors Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flow (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net loss	$ (2,472,207)	$ (1,569,317)	$ (379,127)	$ (339,160)	$ (154,502)	$ (4,100)	$ (207,870)	$ (85,337)	$ (4,759,811)	$ (451,809)	$ (691,337)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									805,757	1,073,902	829,311
Impairment of long-lived assets									5,813,954	2,303,749	828,317
Unit-based compensation expenses									56,136	53,284	42,703
Amortization and write-off of deferred financing fees									34,743	50,926	21,507
Gain loss on sale of assets and other, net									(189,161)	(261,571)	37,232
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt									(719,259)	0	5,304
Equity in earnings from consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									4,538	3,943	(2,541)
Derivatives activities:
Total gains	(273,567)	$ (549,029)	$ 191,188	(424,781)	(1,404,758)	$ (451,702)	$ 408,788	241,493	(1,063,082)	(1,206,179)	(177,857)
Cash settlements									1,199,410	95,514	248,862
Cash settlements on canceled derivatives									4,679	12,281	0
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Decrease in accounts receivable – trade, net									267,241	5,064	89,188
Increase in accounts receivable – affiliates									0	0	0
(Increase) decrease in other assets									9,582	(17,824)	16,179
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued expenses									(156,394)	99,029	(76,993)
Decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses – affiliates									0	0	0
Increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses – affiliates									0	0	0
Decrease in other liabilities									(58,876)	(48,419)	(3,663)
Net cash provided by operating activities									1,249,457	1,711,890	1,166,212
Cash flow from investing activities:
Acquisition of oil and natural gas properties and joint-venture funding, net of cash acquired									0	(2,479,252)	(279,213)
Development of oil and natural gas properties									(608,889)	(1,569,877)	(1,078,025)
Purchases of other property and equipment									(66,708)	(74,540)	(92,352)
Investment in affiliates									0	0	0
Change in notes receivable with affiliate									0	0	0
Repayment of Notes Receivable from Related Parties									0
Proceeds from sale of properties and equipment and other									368,295	2,203,565	196,273
Net cash used in investing activities									(307,302)	(1,920,104)	(1,253,317)
Proceeds from sale of units									233,427	0	0
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from borrowings									1,445,000	5,940,024	2,230,000
Repayments of Long-term Debt									(2,183,879)	(4,811,124)	(1,404,898)
Distributions to unitholders									(323,878)	(962,048)	(682,241)
Payment of Financing and Stock Issuance Costs									(28,055)	(69,694)	(16,033)
Change in note payable with affiliate									0	0	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent									0	0
Payments of Distributions to Affiliates											0
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Related Party Debt									0
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation										766	160
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation									(9,467)
Other									(74,944)	59,928	11,045
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities									(941,796)	157,852	138,033
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									359	(50,362)	50,928
Cash and cash equivalents:
Beginning				1,809				52,171	1,809	52,171	1,243
Ending	2,168				1,809				2,168	1,809	52,171
Eliminations
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net loss									5,060,784	(28,397)	266,899
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									6,711	0	0
Impairment of long-lived assets									(64,800)	0	0
Unit-based compensation expenses									0	0	0
Amortization and write-off of deferred financing fees									0	0	0
Gain loss on sale of assets and other, net									0	0	0
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt									0		0
Equity in earnings from consolidated subsidiaries									(5,002,695)	28,397	(266,899)
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									0	0	0
Derivatives activities:
Total gains									0	0	0
Cash settlements									0	0	0
Cash settlements on canceled derivatives									0	0
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Decrease in accounts receivable – trade, net									0	0	0
Increase in accounts receivable – affiliates									(1,172,407)	(274,435)	137,917
(Increase) decrease in other assets									0	0	0
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued expenses									0	0	0
Decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses – affiliates									1,172,407	274,435	(137,917)
Increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses – affiliates									1,172,407	274,435	(137,917)
Decrease in other liabilities									0	0	0
Net cash provided by operating activities									0	0	0
Cash flow from investing activities:
Acquisition of oil and natural gas properties and joint-venture funding, net of cash acquired										0	0
Development of oil and natural gas properties									0	0	0
Purchases of other property and equipment									0	0	0
Investment in affiliates									(132,332)	(100,921)	435,000
Change in notes receivable with affiliate									44,600	44,300	26,700
Repayment of Notes Receivable from Related Parties									(129,217)
Proceeds from sale of properties and equipment and other									0	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities									47,715	145,221	(408,300)
Proceeds from sale of units									0
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from borrowings									0	0	0
Repayments of Long-term Debt									0	0	0
Distributions to unitholders									0	0	0
Payment of Financing and Stock Issuance Costs									0	0	0
Change in note payable with affiliate									(44,600)	(44,300)	(26,700)
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent									(132,332)	(100,921)
Payments of Distributions to Affiliates											435,000
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Related Party Debt									129,217
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation										0	0
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation									0
Other									0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities									(47,715)	(145,221)	408,300
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents:
Beginning				0				0	0	0	0
Ending	0				0				0	0	0
Linn Energy, LLC | Reportable Legal Entities
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net loss									(4,759,811)	(451,809)	(691,337)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									0	0	0
Impairment of long-lived assets									0	0	0
Unit-based compensation expenses									0	0	0
Amortization and write-off of deferred financing fees									30,993	38,785	22,122
Gain loss on sale of assets and other, net									0	0	0
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt									(708,050)		5,304
Equity in earnings from consolidated subsidiaries									5,002,695	(28,397)	266,899
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									0	0	0
Derivatives activities:
Total gains									0	0	0
Cash settlements									0	0	0
Cash settlements on canceled derivatives									0	0
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Decrease in accounts receivable – trade, net									0	0	0
Increase in accounts receivable – affiliates									1,167,823	257,485	(120,967)
(Increase) decrease in other assets									0	312	(330)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued expenses									(14)	0	178
Decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses – affiliates									0	0	0
Increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses – affiliates									0	0	0
Decrease in other liabilities									(39,646)	14,465	2,092
Net cash provided by operating activities									693,990	(169,159)	(516,039)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Acquisition of oil and natural gas properties and joint-venture funding, net of cash acquired										0	0
Development of oil and natural gas properties									0	0	0
Purchases of other property and equipment									0	0	0
Investment in affiliates									132,332	100,921	(435,000)
Change in notes receivable with affiliate									(44,600)	(44,300)	(26,700)
Repayment of Notes Receivable from Related Parties									0
Proceeds from sale of properties and equipment and other									(3,430)	(14,117)	(22,039)
Net cash used in investing activities									(180,362)	(159,338)	386,261
Proceeds from sale of units									233,427
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from borrowings									1,445,000	4,640,024	2,230,000
Repayments of Long-term Debt									(1,828,461)	(3,305,000)	(1,404,898)
Distributions to unitholders									(323,878)	(962,048)	(682,241)
Payment of Financing and Stock Issuance Costs									(26,678)	(59,048)	(16,033)
Change in note payable with affiliate									0	0	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent									0	0
Payments of Distributions to Affiliates											0
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Related Party Debt									0
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation										810	0
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation									(9,467)
Other									(2,536)	13,745	2,895
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities									(512,593)	328,483	129,723
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									1,035	(14)	(55)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Beginning				38				52	38	52	107
Ending	1,073				38				1,073	38	52
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net loss									(4,045,607)	5,801	(246,926)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									547,675	771,549	818,466
Impairment of long-lived assets									5,024,944	2,050,387	828,317
Unit-based compensation expenses									56,136	53,284	42,703
Amortization and write-off of deferred financing fees									0	17,054	0
Gain loss on sale of assets and other, net									(188,200)	(372,945)	37,232
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt									0		0
Equity in earnings from consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									4,606	3,874	(2,541)
Derivatives activities:
Total gains									(1,027,014)	(1,127,395)	(182,906)
Cash settlements									1,130,640	88,776	248,862
Cash settlements on canceled derivatives									4,679	0
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Decrease in accounts receivable – trade, net									207,300	(11,419)	17,754
Increase in accounts receivable – affiliates									4,584	16,950	(16,950)
(Increase) decrease in other assets									(9,142)	(2,187)	5,896
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued expenses									(98,209)	99,003	(52,143)
Decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses – affiliates									(1,167,823)	(270,690)	120,967
Increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses – affiliates									(1,167,823)	(270,690)	120,967
Decrease in other liabilities									(11,620)	(24,473)	6,842
Net cash provided by operating activities									432,949	1,297,569	1,625,573
Cash flow from investing activities:
Acquisition of oil and natural gas properties and joint-venture funding, net of cash acquired										(2,475,315)	(730,326)
Development of oil and natural gas properties									(576,256)	(1,061,395)	(1,060,547)
Purchases of other property and equipment									(48,967)	(63,070)	(92,352)
Investment in affiliates									0	0	0
Change in notes receivable with affiliate									0	0	0
Repayment of Notes Receivable from Related Parties									0
Proceeds from sale of properties and equipment and other									349,200	2,210,015	218,312
Net cash used in investing activities									(276,023)	(1,389,765)	(1,664,913)
Proceeds from sale of units									0
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from borrowings									0	1,300,000	0
Repayments of Long-term Debt									0	(1,300,000)	0
Distributions to unitholders									0	0	0
Payment of Financing and Stock Issuance Costs									0	0	0
Change in note payable with affiliate									44,600	44,300	26,700
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent									0	0
Payments of Distributions to Affiliates											0
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Related Party Debt									(129,217)
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation										(44)	160
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation									0
Other									(72,422)	47,047	12,422
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities									(157,039)	91,303	39,282
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									(113)	(893)	(58)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Beginning				185				1,078	185	1,078	1,136
Ending	72				185				72	185	1,078
Non-Guarantor Subsidiary | Reportable Legal Entities
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net loss									(1,015,177)	22,596	(19,973)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization									251,371	302,353	10,845
Impairment of long-lived assets									853,810	253,362	0
Unit-based compensation expenses									0	0	0
Amortization and write-off of deferred financing fees									3,750	(4,913)	(615)
Gain loss on sale of assets and other, net									(961)	111,374	0
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt									(11,209)		0
Equity in earnings from consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									(68)	69	0
Derivatives activities:
Total gains									(36,068)	(78,784)	5,049
Cash settlements									68,770	6,738	0
Cash settlements on canceled derivatives									0	12,281
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Decrease in accounts receivable – trade, net									59,941	16,483	71,434
Increase in accounts receivable – affiliates									0	0	0
(Increase) decrease in other assets									18,724	(15,949)	10,613
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued expenses									(58,171)	26	(25,028)
Decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses – affiliates									(4,584)	(3,745)	16,950
Increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses – affiliates									(4,584)	(3,745)	16,950
Decrease in other liabilities									(7,610)	(38,411)	(12,597)
Net cash provided by operating activities									122,518	583,480	56,678
Cash flow from investing activities:
Acquisition of oil and natural gas properties and joint-venture funding, net of cash acquired										(3,937)	451,113
Development of oil and natural gas properties									(32,633)	(508,482)	(17,478)
Purchases of other property and equipment									(17,741)	(11,470)	0
Investment in affiliates									0	0	0
Change in notes receivable with affiliate									0	0	0
Repayment of Notes Receivable from Related Parties									129,217
Proceeds from sale of properties and equipment and other									22,525	7,667	0
Net cash used in investing activities									101,368	(516,222)	433,635
Proceeds from sale of units									0
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from borrowings									0	0	0
Repayments of Long-term Debt									(355,418)	(206,124)	0
Distributions to unitholders									0	0	0
Payment of Financing and Stock Issuance Costs									(1,377)	(10,646)	0
Change in note payable with affiliate									0	0	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent									132,332	100,921
Payments of Distributions to Affiliates											(435,000)
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Related Party Debt									0
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation										0	0
Excess tax benefit from unit-based compensation									0
Other									14	(864)	(4,272)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities									(224,449)	(116,713)	(439,272)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									(563)	(49,455)	51,041
Cash and cash equivalents:
Beginning				$ 1,586				$ 51,041	1,586	51,041	0
Ending	$ 1,023				$ 1,586				$ 1,023	$ 1,586	$ 51,041