Contingencies and Commitments (Unaudited) (Details) shares in Millions, IDR in Trillions			1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
		Jan. 05, 2016 shares	Aug. 04, 2016 shares	Jul. 31, 2016 USD ($) shares	May 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) shares	Aug. 08, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 05, 2016 shares	Dec. 31, 2015 shares	Jun. 30, 2016 IDR	May 10, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues | shares		4				17				210	206
Gain (Loss) on Contract Termination								$ (612,000,000)	$ 0
PT Freeport Indonesia [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Assessment By Foreign Government Of Alleged Obligations						$ 220,000,000		220,000,000
Value Added Tax Receivable															$ 269,000,000
Assessment By Foreign Government of Alleged Obligations, Expressed in Foreign Currency | IDR												IDR 2.9
Income Tax Examination, Penalties Accrued						0		0
Subsequent Event [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues | shares			8	3
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock, Gross				$ 226,000,000
Subsequent Event [Member] | PT Freeport Indonesia [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Expiration Date, Export Permit							Aug. 08, 2016
Royalty Tax [Member] | Cerro Verde [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Estimate of Possible Loss						474,000,000		474,000,000
RelatingtotheperiodDecember2006throughSeptember2011 [Member] | Royalty Tax [Member] | Cerro Verde [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Assessment By Foreign Government Of Alleged Obligations						387,000,000		387,000,000
Tax Year 2014 [Member] | PT Freeport Indonesia [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Assessment By Foreign Government Of Alleged Obligations						156,000,000		156,000,000
Tax Overpayment															$ 284,000,000
Proceeds from Income Tax Refunds						128,000,000
Disputed Tax Assessments Receivable						155,000,000		155,000,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] | PT Freeport Indonesia [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Income Tax Examination, Liability (Refund) Adjustment from Settlement with Taxing Authority														$ 196,000,000
Other Liabilities [Member] | PT Freeport Indonesia [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Income Tax Examination, Liability (Refund) Adjustment from Settlement with Taxing Authority														$ 38,000,000
Rowan Companies plc [Member] | Contract Termination [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Cash payments made under settlement agreement						85,000,000
Payable under settlement agreement						130,000,000		130,000,000
Ultra-deepwater Drillship Contracts [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Period, Contingent Consideration					12 months
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Change of Amount as Result of Variable Components						1,100,000,000		1,100,000,000
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Accrual, Noncurrent	[1]					$ 25,000,000		$ 25,000,000
Noble Drilling LLC [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Ultra-deepwater Drillship Contracts [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Contingent Payments, Contract Termination													$ 75,000,000
Rowan Companies plc [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Ultra-deepwater Drillship Contracts [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Contingent Payments, Contract Termination													$ 30,000,000
Ultra-deepwater Drillship Contracts [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues | shares						48
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock, Gross						$ 540,000,000

[1] Included in other liabilities.