Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share from Continuing Operations (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Earnings (loss) per common share from continuing operations
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to The Williams Companies, Inc. available to common stockholders for basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share	$ 230,000,000	$ 188,000,000	$ 559,000,000	$ (7,000,000)
Basic weighted-average shares	588,310,000	584,414,000	587,641,000	584,173,000
Effect of dilutive securities:
Diluted weighted-average shares	597,633,000	592,498,000	597,097,000	584,173,000
Earnings (loss) per common share from continuing operations:
Basic	$ 0.39	$ 0.32	$ 0.95	$ (0.01)
Diluted	$ 0.38	$ 0.31	$ 0.94	$ (0.01)
Stock options excluded
Weighted-average exercise price of options excluded	36.47	29.44	36.47	29.44
Exercise price ranges of options excluded, minimum	$ 32.05	$ 21.55	$ 32.05	$ 21.55
Exercise price ranges of options excluded, maximum	$ 37.88	$ 40.51	$ 37.88	$ 40.51
Second quarter weighted-average market price	$ 30.54	$ 21.54	$ 30.54	$ 21.54
Earnings (loss) per common share from continuing operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Threshold of income loss from continuing operations attributable to company available to common stockholders for dilution calculation				109,000,000
Nonvested Restricted Stock Units
Effect of dilutive securities:
Incremental common shares attributable to share-based payment arrangements under effects of dilutive securities item	3,887,000	2,826,000	4,005,000
Earnings (loss) per common share from continuing operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of weighted-average shares excluded from computation of diluted earnings per common share				3,000,000
Stock options
Effect of dilutive securities:
Incremental common shares attributable to share-based payment arrangements under effects of dilutive securities item	3,537,000	3,022,000	3,501,000
Earnings (loss) per common share from continuing operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of weighted-average shares excluded from computation of diluted earnings per common share				3,100,000
Convertible debentures
Effect of dilutive securities:
Incremental dilutive shares, Convertible debt	1,899,000	2,236,000	1,950,000
Earnings (loss) per common share from continuing operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Interest Expenses, net of tax	$ 200,000	$ 200,000	$ 400,000
Number of weighted-average shares excluded from computation of diluted earnings per common share				2,200,000
Out of the Money Options
Earnings (loss) per common share from continuing operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of weighted-average shares excluded from computation of diluted earnings per common share	1,000,000	3,300,000
In Money Options
Earnings (loss) per common share from continuing operations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of weighted-average shares excluded from computation of diluted earnings per common share	600,000,000