Refining Joint Venture (Details) (USD $) In Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Summarized balance sheet
Other current assets	$ (973)	$ (1,002)
Net fixed assets	(24,167)	(21,127)
Other assets	(597)	(471)
Current liabilities	6,606	7,613
Deferred liabilities and credits	1,233	1,239
Carrying value of Hess Corporation's equity investment	26	158
Equity method [Member]
Summarized balance sheet
Cash and cash equivalents	3	45
Other current assets	535	668
Net fixed assets	1,926	1,987
Other assets	23	27
Current liabilities	(1,230)	(1,001)
Long-term debt	(523)	(706)
Deferred liabilities and credits	(126)	(135)
Members' equity	608	885
Refining Joint Venture (Textual) [Abstract]
Inventory purchases prepayment to HOVENSA	$ 119

Inventory purchases prepayment to refining joint venture.

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Refining joint venture.

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Cash includes currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. It also includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits in that the customer may deposit additional funds at any time and effectively may withdraw funds at any time without prior notice or penalty. Cash equivalents, excluding items classified as marketable securities, include short-term, highly liquid Investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash, and so near their maturity that they present minimal risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, only investments with original maturities of three months or less qualify under that definition. Original maturity means original maturity to the entity holding the investment. For example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months. Short-term investments, exclusive of cash equivalents, generally consist of marketable securities intended to be sold within one year (or the normal operating cycle if longer) and may include trading securities, available-for-sale securities, or held-to-maturity securities (if maturing within one year), as applicable.

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This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized.

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The amount of equity (capital) attributable to the equity method investment of the entity.

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