Acquisitions and Dispositions (Unaudited) (Notes)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Acquisitions and Dispositions [Abstract]

Business Combination Disclosure [Text Block]

ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS

Eagle Ford Disposition. On June 20, 2014, FCX completed the sale of its Eagle Ford shale assets to a subsidiary of Encana Corporation for cash consideration of $3.1 billion, before closing adjustments from the April 1, 2014, effective date. Under full cost accounting rules, the proceeds were recorded as a reduction of capitalized oil and gas properties, with no gain or loss recognition, except for $62 million of deferred tax expense recorded through September 30, 2014, in connection with the allocation of $221 million of goodwill (for which deferred taxes were not previously provided) to the Eagle Ford shale assets. Approximately $1.3 billion of proceeds from this transaction was placed in a like-kind exchange escrow and was used to reinvest in additional Deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GOM) oil and gas interests, as discussed below and in Note 2 of FCX's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014. The remaining proceeds were used to repay debt.

Deepwater GOM Acquisitions. On June 30, 2014, FCX completed the acquisition of interests in the Deepwater GOM from a subsidiary of Apache Corporation, including interests in the Lucius and Heidelberg oil fields and several exploration leases, for $918 million ($451 million for oil and gas properties subject to amortization and $477 million for costs not subject to amortization, including transaction costs and $10 million of asset retirement costs). The Deepwater GOM acquisition was funded by the like-kind exchange escrow.

On September 8, 2014, FCX completed the acquisition of additional Deepwater GOM interests for $496 million ($509 million for oil and gas properties not subject to amortization, including purchase price adjustments and transaction costs), including an interest in the Vito oil discovery in the Mississippi Canyon area and a significant lease position in the Vito basin area. This acquisition was funded in part with the remaining $414 million of funds from the like-kind exchange escrow.