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Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Feb. 28, 2013
Sep. 30, 2012
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]            
Foreign income (loss) in Income from continuing operations before income taxes   $ 102us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign $ 119us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign $ 196us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign    
Taxes on undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries - net 99us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings (37)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings 99us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings 0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings    
Tax provision (benefit) in AOCI (24)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossTax          
Cash payments for income taxes (net of refunds and including discontinued operations)   29us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet (50)us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet 198us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet    
Unrecognized tax benefits 66us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 89us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 66us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 58us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits    
Reduction of income tax expense, net of federal tax expense, if recognized   86wmb_ReductionOfIncomeTaxExpenseNetOfFederalTaxExpenseIfRecognized        
Total interest and penalties recognized as part of income tax expense (benefit)   8us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense 9us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense (7)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense    
Total interest and penalties accrued as uncertain tax positions 16us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued 24us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued 16us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued      
Gain on remeasurement of equity-method investment   2,544us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain [1] 0us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain [1] 0us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain [1]    
Minimum tax credits 66us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsAlternativeMinimumTax 137us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsAlternativeMinimumTax 66us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsAlternativeMinimumTax      
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Credit Carryforwards, Foreign   139us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsForeign        
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Domestic 0us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic 134us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic 0us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic      
Deferred Tax Assets, Other Tax Carryforwards   23us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOtherTaxCarryforwards        
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]            
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]            
Tax provision (benefit) from income tax examination           2us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationIncreaseDecreaseInLiabilityFromPriorYear
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_InternalRevenueServiceIRSMember
Cash payment (refund) from income tax examination         12us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationLiabilityRefundAdjustmentFromSettlementWithTaxingAuthority
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_InternalRevenueServiceIRSMember
 
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Decrease Resulting from Prior Period Tax Positions   45us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleAmountOfUnrecordedBenefit
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_InternalRevenueServiceIRSMember
       
FederalNetOperatingLossAndCharitableContributionCarryforwards [Member]            
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]            
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Domestic   $ 449us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic
/ us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis
= wmb_FederalNetOperatingLossAndCharitableContributionCarryforwardsMember
       
[1] Items also included in Segment profit (loss). (See Note 19 – Segment Disclosures.)