Basis of Presentation (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Basis of Presentation (Policies)	Sep. 30, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Nature of Business	Nature of Business LinnCo, LLC (“LinnCo” or the “Company”) is a Delaware limited liability company formed on April 30, 2012, that completed its initial public offering (“IPO”) in October 2012. After the IPO, LinnCo’s initial sole purpose was to own units representing limited liability company interests (“units”) in its affiliate, Linn Energy, LLC (“LINN Energy”). In connection with the acquisition of Berry Petroleum Company, now Berry Petroleum Company, LLC (“Berry”), LinnCo amended its limited liability company agreement to permit, among other things, the acquisition and subsequent transfer of assets to LINN Energy for consideration received. As of September 30, 2016, LinnCo had no significant assets or operations other than those related to its interest in LINN Energy. LINN Energy is an independent oil and natural gas company. At September 30, 2016, LINN Energy’s last reported sales price was $0.06 per unit, as reported by OTC Markets Group Inc.’s Pink marketplace, and the Company owned approximately 71% of LINN Energy’s outstanding units.
Principles of Reporting	Principles of Reporting The information reported herein reflects all normal recurring adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the results for the interim periods. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with United States (“U.S.”) generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted under Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) rules and regulations; as such, this report should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. The results reported in these unaudited financial statements should not necessarily be taken as indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year. Investments in noncontrolled entities over which the Company exercises significant influence are accounted for under the equity method.
Dividends	Dividends Within five business days after receiving a cash distribution related to its interest in LINN Energy units, LinnCo is required to pay the cash received, net of reserves for its income taxes liability (“tax reserve”), if any, as dividends to its shareholders. The amount of the tax reserve is calculated on a quarterly basis and is determined based on the estimated tax liability for the entire year. The current tax reserve can be increased or reduced, at Company management’s discretion, to account for the over/(under) tax reserve previously recorded. Because the tax reserve is an estimate, upon filing the annual tax returns, if the actual amount of tax due is greater or less than the total amount of tax reserved, the subsequent tax reserve, at Company management’s discretion, could be adjusted accordingly. Any such adjustments are subject to approval by the Company’s Board of Directors (“Board”).
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of the accompanying financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management of the Company to make estimates and assumptions about future events. These estimates and the underlying assumptions affect the amount of assets and liabilities reported, disclosures about contingent assets and liabilities, and reported amounts of income and expenses. These estimates and assumptions are based on management’s best estimates and judgment. Management evaluates its estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis using historical experience and other factors, including the current economic environment, which management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Such estimates and assumptions are adjusted when facts and circumstances dictate. As future events and their effects cannot be determined with precision, actual results could differ from these estimates. Any changes in estimates resulting from continuing changes in the economic environment will be reflected in the financial statements in future periods.
Recently Issued Accounting Standards	Recently Issued Accounting Standards In November 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) that is intended to simplify the presentation of deferred taxes by requiring that all deferred taxes be classified as noncurrent, presented as a single noncurrent amount for each tax-paying component of an entity. The ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016; however, the Company early adopted it on January 1, 2016, on a retrospective basis. The adoption of this ASU resulted in the reclassification of previously-classified current deferred taxes of approximately $3 million to noncurrent on the Company’s balance sheet at December 31, 2015. There was no impact to the statements of operations. In August 2014, the FASB issued an ASU that provides guidance about management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. This ASU is effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016, and for annual periods and interim periods thereafter (early adoption permitted). The Company does not expect the adoption of this ASU to have a material impact on its financial statements or related disclosures.
Accounting for Investment in Linn Energy, LLC	Accounting for Investment in Linn Energy, LLC The Company uses the equity method of accounting for its investment in LINN Energy. The Company’s equity income (loss) consists of its share of LINN Energy’s earnings or losses attributed to the units the Company owns, the amortization of the difference between the Company’s investment in LINN Energy and LINN Energy’s underlying net assets attributable to certain assets and liabilities, and impairments of its investment in LINN Energy. The Company records its share of LINN Energy’s net income (loss) in the period in which it is earned. If the Company’s share of LINN Energy’s losses reduces its investment in LINN Energy to zero, the Company temporarily discontinues applying the equity method. At September 30, 2016, the Company owned approximately 71% of LINN Energy’s outstanding units. The Company’s ownership percentage could change if the Company acquires additional units or if LINN Energy issues or repurchases additional units. Changes in the Company’s ownership percentage affect its net income (loss). At September 30, 2016, the carrying amount of the Company’s investment in LINN Energy was greater than the Company’s ownership interest in LINN Energy’s underlying net assets by approximately $1.1 billion. The difference is attributable to cumulative excess losses of approximately $592 million, as well as a basis difference of approximately $509 million related to proved and unproved oil and natural gas properties and senior notes. The difference attributable to oil and natural gas properties and senior notes is amortized over the lives of the related assets and liabilities. Such amortization is included in the equity income (loss) from the Company’s investment in LINN Energy. At December 31, 2015, the carrying amount of the Company’s investment in LINN Energy was greater than the Company’s ownership interest in LINN Energy’s underlying net assets by approximately $85 million. Impairment testing on the Company’s investment in LINN Energy is performed when events or circumstances warrant such testing and considers whether there is an inability to recover the carrying value of the investment that is other than temporary. No impairments occurred with respect to the Company’s investment in LINN Energy for the three months ended September 30, 2016. At June 30, 2016, declines in the quoted market price of LINN Energy units, when considering LINN Energy’s bankruptcy filing, were determined by the Company to be other than temporary. Accordingly, the Company reduced the carrying value of its investment in LINN Energy to fair value by recording a charge of approximately $181 million in excess of what would otherwise be recognized by application of the equity method. The carrying value was reduced to fair value using LINN Energy’s quoted market price of $0.09 per unit at June 30, 2016, which is characteristic of a Level 1 fair value measurement. The impairment charge of approximately $181 million is included in “equity loss from investment in Linn Energy, LLC” on the statement of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. For the nine months ended September 30, 2015, the Company recorded an impairment charge of approximately $326 million.

Disclosure of accounting policy for the equity method of accounting for investments in common stock or other interests including unconsolidated subsidiaries, corporate joint ventures, noncontrolling interests in real estate ventures, limited partnerships, and limited liability companies. The accounting policy may include information such as: (1) initially recording an investment in the stock of an investee at cost; (2) adjusting the carrying amount of the investment to recognize the investor's share of the earnings or losses of the investee after the date of acquisition; and (3) adjustments to reflect the investor's share of changes in the investee's capital (dividends). This disclosure may also include a detailed description of the policy for determining the amount of equity method losses recognized after an investment has been reduced to zero as a result of previous losses, reasons for not using the equity method when the investor company owns 20 percent or more of the voting stock of the investee's company (including identification of the significant investee), reasons for using the equity method when the ownership percentage is less than 20 percent, and discussion of recognition of equity method losses when an investor's total investment in an investee includes, in addition to an investment in common stock, other investments such as preferred stock and loans to the investee. An entity also may describe how such investments are assessed for impairment.

LinnCo, LLC 10-Q