Consolidating Financial Statements Narrative (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Senior Notes, 6.35% due 2017 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Weatherford Bermuda [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		6.35%	6.35%
Senior Notes, 6.80% due 2037 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		6.80%
Senior Notes, 6.80% due 2037 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Weatherford Bermuda [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		6.80%	6.80%
Senior Notes, 5.50% due 2016 [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		5.50%
Senior Notes, 5.50% due 2016 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		5.50%
Senior Notes, 6.50% due 2036 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		6.50%	6.50%
Senior Notes, 6.50% due 2036 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		6.50%	6.50%
Senior Notes, 6.00% due 2018 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		6.00%	6.00%
Senior Notes, 7.00% due 2038 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		7.00%
Senior Notes, 7.00% due 2038 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		7.00%	7.00%
Senior Notes, 9.625% due 2019 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		9.625%	9.625%
Senior Notes, 9.875% due 2039 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		9.875%	9.875%
Senior Notes, 5.125% due 2020 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		5.125%
Senior Notes, 5.125% due 2020 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		5.125%	5.125%
Senior Notes, 6.75% due 2040 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		6.75%
Senior Notes, 6.75% due 2040 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		6.75%	6.75%
Senior Notes, 4.50% due 2022 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		4.50%	4.50%
Senior Notes, 4.50% due 2022 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		4.50%	4.50%
Senior Notes, 5.95% due 2042 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		5.95%	5.95%
Senior Notes, 5.95% due 2042 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		5.95%	5.95%
364-day term loan facility [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Debt instrument, term	364 days