Quarterly Financial Data Quarterly Financial Data-Summarized Quarterly Financial Data (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Quarterly Financial Data [Line Items]
Net gain (loss) on derivatives	$ (199)	$ 175	$ 78	$ (207)	$ 443	$ (139)	$ (154)	$ (69)	$ (153)	$ 81	$ 3
Total revenues	443	795	695	359	1,022	484	430	374	2,292	2,310	1,045
Operating Costs and Expenses	472	454	422	410	447	413	388	322
Operating Income (Loss)	(130)	242	181	(149)	525	26	(3)	6	144	554	98
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(121)	122	305	(48)	353	(6)	(79)	(26)	258	242	24
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(1)	(1)	0	0	1	(1)	(2)	(89)	(2)	(91)	(40)
Net loss attributable to WPX Energy, Inc.	(122)	121	305	(48)	354	(7)	(81)	(115)	256	151	(16)
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to WPX	(121)	122	305	(48)	353	(6)	(83)	(30)	258	234	9
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to WPX	(1)	(1)	0	0	1	(1)	(2)	(89)	(2)	(91)	(40)
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	$ (122)	$ 121	$ 305	$ (48)	$ 354	$ (7)	$ (85)	$ (119)	$ 256	$ 143	$ (31)
Income (loss) from continuing operations, per basic share	$ (0.29)	$ 0.29	$ 0.72	$ (0.11)	$ 0.84	$ (0.01)	$ (0.21)	$ (0.07)	$ 0.62	$ 0.57	$ 0.02
Discontinued operation, income (loss) from discontinued operation, net of tax, per basic share					0	0	0	(0.23)	(0.01)	(0.22)	(0.10)
Earnings per share, basic	(0.29)	0.29	0.72	(0.11)	0.84	(0.01)	(0.21)	(0.30)	0.61	0.35	(0.08)
Income (loss) from continuing operations, per diluted share	(0.29)	0.29	0.72	(0.11)	0.83	(0.01)	(0.21)	(0.07)	0.61	0.57	0.02
Discontinued operation, income (loss) from discontinued operation, net of tax, per diluted share					0	0	0	(0.23)	0	(0.22)	(0.10)
Earnings per share, diluted	$ (0.29)	$ 0.29	$ 0.72	$ (0.11)	$ 0.83	$ (0.01)	$ (0.21)	$ (0.30)	$ 0.61	$ 0.35	$ (0.08)
Oil and Gas [Member]
Quarterly Financial Data [Line Items]
Revenue from contract with customer, including assessed tax	$ 601	$ 581	$ 558	$ 507	$ 544	$ 554	$ 520	$ 407	$ 2,247	$ 2,025	$ 1,016
Oil and Gas, Refining and Marketing [Member]
Quarterly Financial Data [Line Items]
Revenue from contract with customer, including assessed tax	$ 39	$ 38	$ 58	$ 59	$ 36	$ 68	$ 64	$ 36	$ 194	$ 204	$ 25