Guarantees and Contingencies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Guarantees and Contingencies	13. Guarantees and Contingencies The Corporation, along with many companies engaged in refining and marketing of gasoline, has been a party to lawsuits and claims related to the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in gasoline. A series of similar lawsuits, many involving water utilities or governmental entities, were filed in jurisdictions across the U.S. against producers of MTBE and petroleum refiners who produced gasoline containing MTBE, including the Corporation. The principal allegation in all cases was that gasoline containing MTBE is a defective product and that these parties are strictly liable in proportion to their share of the gasoline market for damage to groundwater resources and are required to take remedial action to ameliorate the alleged effects on the environment of releases of MTBE. The majority of the cases asserted against the Corporation have been settled. In March 2014, the Corporation agreed to settle claims against it arising out of an action brought by the State of New Jersey for approximately $35 million. The settlement has been approved by the trial judge and the Corporation has reserves to fully cover this settlement amount. In June 2014, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit in state court in Pennsylvania alleging that Hess Corporation and all major oil companies with operations in Pennsylvania have damaged the ground waters in Pennsylvania by introducing gasoline with MTBE into the Commonwealth. This action has been removed to the Federal court and has been forwarded to the existing MTBE multidistrict litigation pending in the Southern District of New York. An action brought by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico also remained unresolved at September 30, 2014. The Corporation has recorded reserves for its estimated liabilities for its unresolved MTBE lawsuits, which are not material to the consolidated financial statements. The Corporation is subject to loss contingencies with respect to various claims, lawsuits and other proceedings. The Corporation cannot predict with certainty if, how or when such claims, lawsuits and proceedings will be resolved or what the eventual relief, if any, may be. Numerous issues may need to be resolved, including through lengthy discovery, conciliation and/or arbitration proceedings, or litigation before a loss or range of loss can be reasonably estimated. Subject to the foregoing, in management’s opinion, based upon currently known facts and circumstances, the outcome of such lawsuits, claims and proceedings is not expected to have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of the Corporation. However, the Corporation could incur judgments, enter into settlements or revise its opinion regarding the outcome of certain matters, and such developments could have a material adverse effect on its results of operations in the period in which the amounts are accrued and its cash flows in the period in which the amounts are paid.

13. Guarantees and Contingencies

The Corporation, along with many companies engaged in refining and marketing of gasoline, has been a party to lawsuits and claims related to the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in gasoline. A series of similar lawsuits, many involving water utilities or governmental entities, were filed in jurisdictions across the U.S. against producers of MTBE and petroleum refiners who produced gasoline containing MTBE, including the Corporation. The principal allegation in all cases was that gasoline containing MTBE is a defective product and that these parties are strictly liable in proportion to their share of the gasoline market for damage to groundwater resources and are required to take remedial action to ameliorate the alleged effects on the environment of releases of MTBE. The majority of the cases asserted against the Corporation have been settled. In March 2014, the Corporation agreed to settle claims against it arising out of an action brought by the State of New Jersey for approximately $35 million. The settlement has been approved by the trial judge and the Corporation has reserves to fully cover this settlement amount. In June 2014, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit in state court in Pennsylvania alleging that Hess Corporation and all major oil companies with operations in Pennsylvania have damaged the ground waters in Pennsylvania by introducing gasoline with MTBE into the Commonwealth. This action has been removed to the Federal court and has been forwarded to the existing MTBE multidistrict litigation pending in the Southern District of New York. An action brought by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico also remained unresolved at September 30, 2014. The Corporation has recorded reserves for its estimated liabilities for its unresolved MTBE lawsuits, which are not material to the consolidated financial statements.

The Corporation is subject to loss contingencies with respect to various claims, lawsuits and other proceedings. The Corporation cannot predict with certainty if, how or when such claims, lawsuits and proceedings will be resolved or what the eventual relief, if any, may be. Numerous issues may need to be resolved, including through lengthy discovery, conciliation and/or arbitration proceedings, or litigation before a loss or range of loss can be reasonably estimated. Subject to the foregoing, in management’s opinion, based upon currently known facts and circumstances, the outcome of such lawsuits, claims and proceedings is not expected to have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of the Corporation. However, the Corporation could incur judgments, enter into settlements or revise its opinion regarding the outcome of certain matters, and such developments could have a material adverse effect on its results of operations in the period in which the amounts are accrued and its cash flows in the period in which the amounts are paid.