Allocable percentage share of gross OPA-related environmental costs.

No definition available.

Name:	apc_AllocablePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	apc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Non-operating leasehold interest ownership percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	apc_NonOperatedInterestPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	apc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total costs accrued as of the balance sheet date for environmental loss contingencies.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 410
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13207-110859

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6395460&loc=d3e13647-108346

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of judgment or settlement awarded to (against) the entity in respect of litigation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of loss contingency liability.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of loss contingency liability expected to be resolved within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount of loss pertaining to the specified contingency that was charged against earnings in the period, including the effects of revisions in previously reported estimates.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyLossInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of cash paid for the settlement of litigation or for other legal issues during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3536-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsForLegalSettlements
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=apc_MacondoExplorationWellMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=apc_DeepwaterHorizonMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=apc_OilPollutionActOf1990Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis=us-gaap_IndemnificationGuaranteeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis=us-gaap_SettledLitigationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis=us-gaap_PendingLitigationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=apc_CleanWaterActMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Contingencies - Deepwater Horizon Events (Detail) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2011
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency accrual	$ 269,000,000		$ 5,300,000,000
Accrual for environmental loss contingencies	$ 145,000,000		126,000,000
Macondo Exploration Well [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Anadarko's nonoperated interest				25.00%
Deepwater Horizon [Member] \| Oil Pollution Act of 1990 [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Allocable percentage share of gross OPA-related environmental costs	0.00%
Accrual for environmental loss contingencies	$ 0
Deepwater Horizon [Member] \| BP indemnification liability [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency accrual	0
Deepwater Horizon [Member] \| Settled Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cash payment for Deepwater Horizon settlement		$ 4,000,000,000
Deepwater Horizon [Member] \| Pending Litigation [Member] \| Clean Water Act [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation-related contingent liability	159,500,000		$ 90,000,000
Anadarko's liability for civil penalties under Section 311 of the CWA	159,500,000
Litigation-related contingent loss	$ 69,500,000