Debt - Debt for Apache and Subsidiaries (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	$ 9,784	$ 12,411
Unamortized discount	(59)	(66)
Notes interest rate	4.375%
Total debt	9,725	12,345
Current maturities	(53)	(990)
Long-term debt	9,672	11,355
Commercial Paper [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount		489
United States [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	9,430	11,682
Argentina Overdraft Lines of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	51	69
Canada Lines Of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	2	9
Money Market Lines of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount		13
5.25% notes due 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount		500
Debt maturity year	2013	2013
Notes interest rate	5.25%	5.25%
6.0% notes due 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount		400
Debt maturity year	2013	2013
Notes interest rate	6.00%	6.00%
5.625% notes due 2017 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	500	500
Debt maturity year	2017	2017
Notes interest rate	5.625%	5.625%
One Point Seven Five Percentage Notes Due Twenty Seventeen [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	400	400
Debt maturity year	2017	2017
Notes interest rate	1.75%	1.75%
6.9% notes due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	400	400
Debt maturity year	2018	2018
Notes interest rate	6.90%	6.90%
7.0% notes due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	150	150
Debt maturity year	2018	2018
Notes interest rate	7.00%	7.00%
7.625% notes due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	150	150
Debt maturity year	2019	2019
Notes interest rate	7.625%	7.625%
3.625% notes due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	500	500
Debt maturity year	2021	2021
Notes interest rate	3.625%	3.625%
Three Point Two Five Percentage Notes Due Twenty Twenty Two [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	919	1,100
Debt maturity year	2022	2022
Notes interest rate	3.25%	3.25%
Two Point Six Two Five Percentage Notes Due Twenty Twenty Three [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	531	1,200
Debt maturity year	2023	2023
Notes interest rate	2.625%	2.625%
7.7% notes due 2026 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	100	100
Debt maturity year	2026	2026
Notes interest rate	7.70%	7.70%
7.95% notes due 2026 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	180	180
Debt maturity year	2026	2026
Notes interest rate	7.95%	7.95%
6.0% notes due 2037 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	1,000	1,000
Debt maturity year	2037	2037
Notes interest rate	6.00%	6.00%
5.1% notes due 2040 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	1,500	1,500
Debt maturity year	2040	2040
Notes interest rate	5.10%	5.10%
5.25% notes due 2042 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	500	500
Debt maturity year	2042	2042
Notes interest rate	5.25%	5.25%
Four Point Seven Five Percentage Notes Due Twenty Forty Three [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	1,500	1,500
Debt maturity year	2043	2043
Notes interest rate	4.75%	4.75%
Four Point Two Five Percentage Notes Due Twenty Forty Four [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	800	800
Debt maturity year	2044	2044
Notes interest rate	4.25%	4.25%
7.375% debentures due 2047 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	150	150
Debt maturity year	2047	2047
Notes interest rate	7.325%	7.375%
7.625% debentures due 2096 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	150	150
Debt maturity year	2096	2096
Notes interest rate	7.625%	7.625%
Apache Finance Canada 4.375% notes due 2015 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount		350
Debt maturity year	2015	2015
Notes interest rate	4.375%	4.375%
Notes Due In Twenty Sixteen And Twenty Seventeen [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	1	1
Debt maturity year	2016	2016
Apache finance Canada 7.75% notes due 2029 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	300	300
Debt maturity year	2029	2029
Notes interest rate	7.75%	7.75%
Subsidiary And Other Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt before unamortized discount	$ 354	$ 729

Debt Instrument Maturity Year

No definition available.

Name:	apa_DebtInstrumentMaturityYear
Namespace Prefix:	apa_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of short-term debt and current maturity of long-term debt and capital lease obligations due within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19,20)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19

-Article 5

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of debt discount that was originally recognized at the issuance of the instrument that has yet to be amortized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1A

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28541-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, including current and noncurrent amounts. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 16

-Article 7

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 16

-Article 9

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 20, 22

-Article 5

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, excluding amounts to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer (current maturities). Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant