Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Loss	$ (539)	$ (314)	$ (750)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	0	0	0
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	0	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Benefit	(66)	(33)	(13)
Other Adjustments	1,568	1,576	1,984
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Operating Activities	963	1,229	1,221
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisitions of Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	(1,450)	(1,575)	(2,177)
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	18	(8)	(165)
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	(5)	(9)	(17)
Purchase of Equity Investment in Unconsolidated Affiliates	(3)	0	(8)
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net	1,770	488	61
Capital Contribution to Subsidiary		0	0
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Investing Activities	330	(1,104)	(2,306)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	(924)	612	(13)
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	(259)	(600)	1,003
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	0	0	0
Proceeds from Capital Contributions	22	0	0
Other, Net	(19)	(6)	22
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Financing Activities	(1,180)	6	1,012
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	(74)	4	2
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	39	135	(71)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	435	300	371
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year	474	435	300
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Loss	2,325	(249)	1,484
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	(1,876)	0	0
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	(449)	249	(1,484)
Deferred Income Tax Benefit	0	0	0
Other Adjustments	0	0	0
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Operating Activities	0	0	0
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisitions of Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	0	0	0
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	0	0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	0	0	0
Purchase of Equity Investment in Unconsolidated Affiliates	0	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net	0	0	0
Capital Contribution to Subsidiary		1,181	115
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Investing Activities	0	1,181	115
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	0	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	0	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	0	0	0
Proceeds from Capital Contributions	0	(1,181)	(115)
Other, Net	0	0	0
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Financing Activities	0	(1,181)	(115)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	0	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year	0	0	0
Weatherford Switzerland [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Loss	(584)	(345)	(778)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	99	53	28
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	424	242	689
Deferred Income Tax Benefit	0	0	0
Other Adjustments	23	(48)	50
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Operating Activities	(38)	(98)	(11)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisitions of Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	0	0	0
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	0	0	(30)
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	0	0	0
Purchase of Equity Investment in Unconsolidated Affiliates	0	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net	0	0	0
Capital Contribution to Subsidiary		0	(30)
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Investing Activities	0	0	(60)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	0	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	0	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	39	100	71
Proceeds from Capital Contributions	0	0	0
Other, Net	0	(2)	0
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Financing Activities	39	98	71
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	1	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	0	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year	1	0	0
Weatherford Bermuda [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Loss	6,441	(521)	(1,197)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	(7,291)	(49)	(53)
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	430	(30)	701
Deferred Income Tax Benefit	0	0	0
Other Adjustments	(180)	748	35
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Operating Activities	(600)	148	(514)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisitions of Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	0	0	0
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	0	0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	0	0	0
Purchase of Equity Investment in Unconsolidated Affiliates	0	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net	0	0	0
Capital Contribution to Subsidiary		(1,181)	(85)
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Investing Activities	0	(1,181)	(85)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	(827)	550	(108)
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	(153)	(544)	1,295
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	1,580	1,027	(588)
Proceeds from Capital Contributions	0	0	0
Other, Net	0	0	0
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Financing Activities	600	1,033	599
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	0	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year	0	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Loss	215	203	(294)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	266	337	233
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	(407)	(461)	94
Deferred Income Tax Benefit	(25)	28	10
Other Adjustments	(42)	470	472
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Operating Activities	7	577	515
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisitions of Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	0	0	0
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	0	0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	0	0	0
Purchase of Equity Investment in Unconsolidated Affiliates	0	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net	0	0	0
Capital Contribution to Subsidiary		0	(118)
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Investing Activities	0	0	(118)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	0	(4)	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	(92)	(30)	(296)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	107	(565)	(101)
Proceeds from Capital Contributions	0	0	0
Other, Net	0	22	0
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Financing Activities	15	(577)	(397)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	22	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	0	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year	22	0	0
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Loss	(8,936)	598	35
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	8,802	(341)	(208)
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	2	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Benefit	(41)	(61)	(23)
Other Adjustments	1,767	406	1,427
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Operating Activities	1,594	602	1,231
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Acquisitions of Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	(1,450)	(1,575)	(2,177)
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	18	(8)	(135)
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	(5)	(9)	(17)
Purchase of Equity Investment in Unconsolidated Affiliates	(3)	0	(8)
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net	1,770	488	61
Capital Contribution to Subsidiary		0	118
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Investing Activities	330	(1,104)	(2,158)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	(97)	66	95
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	(14)	(26)	4
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	(1,726)	(562)	618
Proceeds from Capital Contributions	22	1,181	115
Other, Net	(19)	(26)	22
Net Cash Provided (Used) by Financing Activities	(1,834)	633	854
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	(74)	4	2
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	16	135	(71)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	435	300	371
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year	$ 451	$ 435	$ 300