Risk Management Activities (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended															12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Crude Oil and Natural Gas Derivative Contracts [Member] Liabilities From Price Risk Management Activities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Crude Oil and Natural Gas Derivative Contracts [Member] Liabilities From Price Risk Management Activities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Crude Oil and Natural Gas Derivative Contracts [Member] Assets From Price Risk Management Activities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Crude Oil and Natural Gas Derivative Contracts [Member] Assets From Price Risk Management Activities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Crude Oil and Natural Gas Derivative Contracts [Member] Other Assets [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Crude Oil and Natural Gas Derivative Contracts [Member] Other Assets [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Crude Oil and Natural Gas Derivative Contracts [Member] Other Liabilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Crude Oil and Natural Gas Derivative Contracts [Member] Other Liabilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Interest Rate Swap [Member] Other Liabilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Interest Rate Swap [Member] Other Liabilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Foreign Currency Swap [Member] Other Liabilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Foreign Currency Swap [Member] Other Liabilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Crude Oil Derivative Contracts January - June [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Natural Gas Derivative Contracts January [Member] Btu	Dec. 31, 2013 Natural Gas Derivative Contracts February - December [Member] Btu	Dec. 31, 2014 Natural Gas Derivative Contracts Year Two January - December [Member]	Dec. 31, 2014 Crude Oil Derivative Contracts January - June Year Two [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Crude Oil Derivative Contracts July - December [Member]
Notes To Financial Statements [Abstract]
Net Gains on Mark-to-Market Commodity Derivative Contracts	$ 393,744,000	$ 626,053,000	$ 61,912,000
Net Realized Gains	711,479,000	180,701,000	7,033,000
Derivative [Line Items]
Volume (MMBtu)																	150,000	150,000
Volume (Bbld)																101,000					93,000
Volumes (MMBtud) - Derivative Option Contracts																		150,000	150,000
Average Price ($/MMBtu) - Derivative Option Contracts																		4.79	4.79
Derivative Weighted Average Price Crude Oil ($/Bbl)																99.29					98.44
Derivative Weighted Average Price Natural Gas ($/MMBtu)																	4.79	4.79
Volumes (Bbld) - Derivative Option Contracts																				54,000	62,000
Average Price ($/Bbl) - Derivative Option Contracts																				98.91	100.24
Proceeds from financial derivative contracts settled during the period	36,600,000
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Receivable Major Customer Percentage	26.00%	10.00%
Derivatives Assets, Current	166,135,000	450,730,000				166,000,000	451,000,000
Other Assets								0	35,000,000
Derivative Liabilities, Current	7,617,000	0		8,000,000	0
Other Liabilities										13,000,000	0	4,000,000	3,000,000	55,000,000	52,000,000
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Derivative [Abstract]
Debt Instrument Issued by EOG's Canadian Subsidiary	150,000,000
After-Tax Net Impact Other Comprehensive Income Increase (Decrease) From The Foreign Currency Swap	1,000,000	(1,000,000)	3,000,000
Interest Rate Derivative [Abstract]
Interest Rate Swap, Notional Amount	350,000,000
After-Tax Net Impact Other Comprehensive Income Increase (Decrease) From Interest Rate Swap	(100,000)	(3,000,000)	1,000,000
Derivative Collateral [Abstract]
Collateral Held on Derivative	$ 6,000,000	$ 67,000,000