Financial Instruments (Details) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Carrying amount
Financial instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 6,001,000,000	$ 4,017,000,000
Notes receivable and working capital loan receivable	111,000,000	139,000,000
Restricted cash investments	835,000,000	934,000,000
Long-term debt, including current maturities	13,912,000,000	12,698,000,000
Derivative instruments, assets	7,000,000	36,000,000
Derivative instruments, liabilities	18,000,000	38,000,000
Debt
Fixed rate debt	13,300,000,000	11,900,000,000
Variable-rate debt	591,000,000	761,000,000
Carrying amount | Other current assets
Financial instruments
Notes receivable and working capital loan receivable	11,000,000	37,000,000
Carrying amount | Other assets
Financial instruments
Notes receivable and working capital loan receivable	100,000,000	102,000,000
Carrying amount | TPDI and ADDCL Credit Facilities
Financial instruments
Restricted cash investments	60,000,000	45,000,000
Carrying amount | Aker Drilling
Financial instruments
Restricted cash investments	775,000,000	889,000,000
Carrying amount | Consolidated Variable Interest Entities
Financial instruments
Long-term debt of consolidated variable interest entities, including current maturities	205,000,000	838,000,000
Fair value
Financial instruments
Cash and cash equivalents	6,001,000,000	4,017,000,000
Notes receivable and working capital loan receivable	111,000,000	139,000,000
Restricted cash investments	882,000,000	975,000,000
Fair value | Level 2
Financial instruments
Long-term debt, including current maturities	15,550,000,000	13,074,000,000
Derivative instruments, assets	7,000,000	36,000,000
Derivative instruments, liabilities	18,000,000	38,000,000
Debt
Fixed rate debt	15,000,000,000	12,200,000,000
Variable-rate debt	205,000,000	838,000,000
Fair value | Level 2 | Aker Drilling
Financial instruments
Restricted cash investments	822,000,000	930,000,000
Fair value | Level 2 | Consolidated Variable Interest Entities
Financial instruments
Long-term debt of consolidated variable interest entities, including current maturities	$ 205,000,000	$ 838,000,000