Revenue Recognition - Summary of Changes in Carrying Amount of Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities (Detail) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)
Revenue From Contract With Customer [Abstract]
Balance at December 31, 2019	$ 643
Provision	(2)
Billings	(945)
Revenue recognized	953
Currency translation adjustments and other	(38)
Balance at December 31, 2020	611
Balance at December 31, 2019	427
Billings	1,130
Revenue recognized	(1,185)
Currency translation adjustments and other	(18)
Balance at December 31, 2020	$ 354

Contract with customer asset increase decrease provision.

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contract with customer liability revenue recognized including additions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	nov_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in revenue recognized for cumulative catch-up adjustment from change in estimate of transaction price which increases (decreases) right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer when right is conditioned on something other than passage of time. Includes, but is not limited to, change in assessment of whether estimate of variable consideration is constrained.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130551-203045

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer when right is conditioned on something other than passage of time, from business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130551-203045

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after allowance for credit loss, of right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer when right is conditioned on something other than passage of time.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130549-203045

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556615&loc=SL49130531-203044

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556615&loc=SL49130533-203044

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of decrease in right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer when right is conditioned on something other than passage of time from transfer to receivable due to right to consideration becoming unconditional.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130551-203045

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556615&loc=SL49130531-203044

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
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-Section 50
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-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130549-203045

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section 45
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556615&loc=SL49130532-203044

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in revenue recognized for cumulative catch-up adjustment from change in estimate of transaction price which (increases) decreases obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration from customer has been received or is due. Includes, but is not limited to, change in assessment of whether estimate of variable consideration is constrained.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration from customer has been received or is due, from business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130551-203045

+ Details

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- References

No definition available.

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