Consolidated Condensed Statements of Operations (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
REVENUES
Oil and natural gas net sales to third parties	$ 549crc_RevenueFromSalesToThirdParties	$ 20crc_RevenueFromSalesToThirdParties
Oil and natural gas net sales to related parties		1,060us-gaap_RevenueFromRelatedParties
Other revenue	28us-gaap_OtherOperatingIncome	41us-gaap_OtherOperatingIncome
TOTAL REVENUES	577us-gaap_Revenues	1,121us-gaap_Revenues
COSTS AND OTHER DEDUCTIONS
Production costs	242	256
General and administrative expenses	76us-gaap_OperatingExpenses	77us-gaap_OperatingExpenses
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	253	289
Taxes other than on income	55	52
Exploration expense	17us-gaap_ExplorationExpense	31us-gaap_ExplorationExpense
Interest and debt expense, net	79us-gaap_InterestAndDebtExpense
Other expenses	24us-gaap_OtherExpenses	42us-gaap_OtherExpenses
TOTAL COSTS AND OTHER DEDUCTIONS	746crc_CostsAndOtherDeductions	747crc_CostsAndOtherDeductions
INCOME / (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(169)	374
Income tax (expense) / benefit	69us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(151)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
NET INCOME / (LOSS)	$ (100)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ 223us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Net income / (loss) per share of common stock
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.26)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 0.57us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.26)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 0.57us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted
Dividends per common share	$ 0.01us-gaap_DividendsPayableAmountPerShare

Total costs of sales, operating expenses, and nonoperating expenses for the period.

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The costs incurred during the period to operate and maintain wells and related equipment and facilities.

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Aggregate revenue during the period from the sale of goods to third parties in the normal course of business.

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The aggregate expense recognized in the current period that allocates the cost of tangible assets, intangible assets, or depleting assets to periods that benefit from use of the assets.

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The per share amount of a dividend declared, but not paid, as of the financial reporting date.

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The amount of net income (loss) for the period per each share of common stock or unit outstanding during the reporting period.

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The amount of net income (loss) for the period available to each share of common stock or common unit outstanding during the reporting period and to each share or unit that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares or units for all dilutive potential common shares or units outstanding during the reporting period.

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Exploration expenses (including prospecting) related to oil and gas producing entities and would be included in operating expenses of that entity. Costs incurred in identifying areas that may warrant examination and in examining specific areas that are considered to have prospects of containing oil and gas reserves, including costs of drilling exploratory wells and exploratory-type stratigraphic test wells. Exploration costs may be incurred both before acquiring the related property (sometimes referred to in part as prospecting costs) and after acquiring the property. Principal types of exploration costs, which include depreciation and applicable operating costs of support equipment and facilities and other costs of exploration activities, are: (i) Costs of topographical, geographical and geophysical studies, rights of access to properties to conduct those studies, and salaries and other expenses of geologists, geophysical crews, and others conducting those studies. Collectively, these are sometimes referred to as geological and geophysical or "G&G" costs. (ii) Costs of carrying and retaining undeveloped properties, such as delay rentals, ad valorem taxes on properties, legal costs for title defense, and the maintenance of land and lease records. (iii) Dry hole contributions and bottom hole contributions. (iv) Costs of drilling and equipping exploratory wells. (v) Costs of drilling exploratory-type stratigraphic test wells.

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Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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Interest and debt related expenses associated with nonoperating financing activities of the entity.

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The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.

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Generally recurring costs associated with normal operations except for the portion of these expenses which can be clearly related to production and included in cost of sales or services. Includes selling, general and administrative expense.

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This element represents a sum total of expenses not separately reflected on the income statement for the period.

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The total amount of other operating income, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, from items that are associated with the entity's normal revenue producing operation.

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Amount of revenue, fees and commissions earned from transactions between (a) a parent company and its subsidiaries; (b) subsidiaries of a common parent; (c) an entity and trusts for the benefit of employees, for example, but not limited to, pension and profit-sharing trusts that are managed by or under the trusteeship of the entity's management; (d) an entity and its principal, owners, management, or members of their immediate families; and (e) affiliates.

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Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

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All taxes not related to income of the entity or excise or sales taxes levied on the revenue of the entity that are not reported elsewhere. These taxes could include production, real estate, personal property, and pump tax.

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