GUARANTOR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Condensed Consolidating Comprehensive (Loss) Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Comprehensive (Loss) Income Statements [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 4,377	$ 3,877	$ 3,334	$ 3,242	$ 3,516	$ 3,382	$ 3,938	$ 3,771	$ 14,830	$ 14,607	$ 20,001
Costs and Expenses									17,622	28,119	20,299
Operating income (loss)	703	359	18	(3,872)	(4,097)	(3,964)	(2,421)	(3,030)	(2,792)	(13,512)	(298)
Interest expense, net									(755)	(617)	(606)
Other income, net									49	1	31
Net gain on exchanges and early extinguishment of debt									26	0	73
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity in affiliated companies' net (losses) earnings									(3,472)	(14,128)	(800)
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes									(371)	1,951	(225)
Equity in affiliated companies’ net earnings (losses)									11	(3)	3
Net loss from continuing operations	202	292	(229)	(4,097)	(4,090)	(3,815)	(1,828)	(2,447)	(3,832)	(12,180)	(1,022)
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations	(2)	(6)	(181)	(4)	(4)	25	29	41	(193)	91	277
Net loss	200	286	(410)	(4,101)	(4,094)	(3,790)	(1,799)	(2,406)	(4,025)	(12,089)	(745)
Income (Loss) From Continuing Operations Attributable to Noncontrolling Entity and Preferred Dividends									66	68	398
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests: Discontinued Operations	19	22	12	10	11	16	26	26	63	79	165
Net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders	$ 292	$ 217	$ (479)	$ (4,184)	$ (4,081)	$ (3,830)	$ (1,851)	$ (2,474)	(4,154)	(12,236)	(1,308)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent									(45)	41	(139)
Total comprehensive income (loss)									(4,199)	(12,195)	(1,447)
Eliminations
Condensed Comprehensive (Loss) Income Statements [Line Items]
Revenues									0	0	0
Costs and Expenses									10	(11)	22
Operating income (loss)									(10)	11	(22)
Interest expense, net									333	152	80
Other income, net									(292)	(139)	(80)
Net gain on exchanges and early extinguishment of debt									0		0
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity in affiliated companies' net (losses) earnings									31	24	(22)
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes									(12)	(9)	8
Equity in affiliated companies’ net earnings (losses)									9,511	31,496	9,072
Net loss from continuing operations									9,530	31,511	9,058
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations									(39)	0	0
Net loss									9,491	31,511	9,058
Income (Loss) From Continuing Operations Attributable to Noncontrolling Entity and Preferred Dividends									66	33	44
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests: Discontinued Operations									0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders									9,425	31,478	9,014
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent									45	(41)	139
Total comprehensive income (loss)									9,470	31,437	9,153
FCX Issuer | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Comprehensive (Loss) Income Statements [Line Items]
Revenues									0	0	0
Costs and Expenses									75	60	59
Operating income (loss)									(75)	(60)	(59)
Interest expense, net									(534)	(489)	(382)
Other income, net									271	225	72
Net gain on exchanges and early extinguishment of debt									26		(5)
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity in affiliated companies' net (losses) earnings									(312)	(324)	(374)
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes									(2,233)	(3,227)	96
Equity in affiliated companies’ net earnings (losses)									(1,609)	(8,685)	(1,007)
Net loss from continuing operations									(4,154)	(12,236)	(1,285)
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations									0	0	(23)
Net loss									(4,154)	(12,236)	(1,308)
Income (Loss) From Continuing Operations Attributable to Noncontrolling Entity and Preferred Dividends									0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests: Discontinued Operations									0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders									(4,154)	(12,236)	(1,308)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent									(45)	41	(139)
Total comprehensive income (loss)									(4,199)	(12,195)	(1,447)
FM O&G LLC Guarantor
Condensed Comprehensive (Loss) Income Statements [Line Items]
Impairment of oil and gas properties and goodwill									1,500	4,200	1,900
FM O&G LLC Guarantor | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Comprehensive (Loss) Income Statements [Line Items]
Revenues									379	613	2,356
Costs and Expenses									3,074	5,150	3,498
Operating income (loss)									(2,695)	(4,537)	(1,142)
Interest expense, net									(56)	(8)	(139)
Other income, net									0	1	3
Net gain on exchanges and early extinguishment of debt									0		78
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity in affiliated companies' net (losses) earnings									(2,751)	(4,544)	(1,200)
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes									1,053	1,718	281
Equity in affiliated companies’ net earnings (losses)									(3,101)	(9,976)	(3,429)
Net loss from continuing operations									(4,799)	(12,802)	(4,348)
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations									0	0	0
Net loss									(4,799)	(12,802)	(4,348)
Income (Loss) From Continuing Operations Attributable to Noncontrolling Entity and Preferred Dividends									0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests: Discontinued Operations									0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders									(4,799)	(12,802)	(4,348)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent									0	0	0
Total comprehensive income (loss)									(4,799)	(12,802)	(4,348)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Comprehensive (Loss) Income Statements [Line Items]
Impairment of oil and gas properties and goodwill									2,800	8,900	3,500
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Comprehensive (Loss) Income Statements [Line Items]
Revenues									14,451	13,994	17,645
Costs and Expenses									14,463	22,920	16,720
Operating income (loss)									(12)	(8,926)	925
Interest expense, net									(498)	(272)	(165)
Other income, net									70	(86)	36
Net gain on exchanges and early extinguishment of debt									0		0
(Loss) income before income taxes and equity in affiliated companies' net (losses) earnings									(440)	(9,284)	796
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes									821	3,469	(610)
Equity in affiliated companies’ net earnings (losses)									(4,790)	(12,838)	(4,633)
Net loss from continuing operations									(4,409)	(18,653)	(4,447)
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations									(154)	91	300
Net loss									(4,563)	(18,562)	(4,147)
Income (Loss) From Continuing Operations Attributable to Noncontrolling Entity and Preferred Dividends									0	35	354
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests: Discontinued Operations									63	79	165
Net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders									(4,626)	(18,676)	(4,666)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent									(45)	41	(139)
Total comprehensive income (loss)									$ (4,671)	$ (18,635)	$ (4,805)