Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended														12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015		Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)															$ (1,546)	$ 505	$ 523
Revenue, Net	$ 2,012	$ 2,237		$ 2,390		$ 2,794		$ 3,727		$ 3,877	$ 3,711		$ 3,596		9,433	14,911	15,263
Costs and Expenses															10,979	14,406	14,740
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net															(468)	(498)	(516)
Intercompany Charges, Net															0	0	0
Equity in Subsidiary Income (Loss)															0	0	0
Other, Net															(82)	(262)	(177)
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes															(2,096)	(255)	(170)
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes															145	(284)	(144)
Net Loss															(1,951)	(539)	(314)
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests															(34)	(45)	(31)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	$ (1,208)	$ (170)	[1],[2]	$ (489)	[2],[3]	$ (118)	[2],[4]	$ (475)	[5],[6]	$ 77	$ (145)	[6],[7]	$ (41)	[6],[8]	(1,985)	(584)	(345)
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford															(2,745)	(1,278)	(695)
Weatherford Ireland Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)															(101)	(59)	(50)
Revenue, Net															0	0	0
Costs and Expenses															101	59	50
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net															0	0	0
Intercompany Charges, Net															(83)	(99)	(53)
Equity in Subsidiary Income (Loss)															(1,801)	(424)	(242)
Other, Net															0	0	0
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes															(1,985)	(582)	(345)
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes															0	(2)	0
Net Loss															(1,985)	(584)	(345)
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests															0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford															(1,985)	(584)	(345)
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford															(2,745)	(1,278)	(695)
Weatherford Bermuda [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)															(7)	(18)	(139)
Revenue, Net															0	0	0
Costs and Expenses															7	18	139
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net															(398)	(422)	(430)
Intercompany Charges, Net															(110)	7,291	49
Equity in Subsidiary Income (Loss)															(1,868)	(430)	30
Other, Net															51	20	(31)
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes															(2,332)	6,441	(521)
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes															0	0	0
Net Loss															(2,332)	6,441	(521)
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests															0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford															(2,332)	6,441	(521)
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford															(2,610)	5,811	(788)
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)															2	3	(3)
Revenue, Net															0	0	0
Costs and Expenses															(2)	(3)	3
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net															(57)	(57)	(61)
Intercompany Charges, Net															(282)	(266)	(337)
Equity in Subsidiary Income (Loss)															(492)	407	461
Other, Net															11	(3)	(2)
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes															(818)	84	58
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes															114	131	145
Net Loss															(704)	215	203
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests															0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford															(704)	215	203
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford															(754)	(128)	39
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)															(1,440)	579	715
Revenue, Net															9,433	14,911	15,263
Costs and Expenses															10,873	14,332	14,548
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net															(13)	(19)	(25)
Intercompany Charges, Net															(403)	(8,802)	341
Equity in Subsidiary Income (Loss)															0	(2)	0
Other, Net															(144)	(279)	(144)
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes															(2,000)	(8,523)	887
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes															31	(413)	(289)
Net Loss															(1,969)	(8,936)	598
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests															(34)	(45)	(31)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford															(2,003)	(8,981)	567
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford															(2,762)	(9,674)	214
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)															0	0	0
Revenue, Net															0	0	0
Costs and Expenses															0	0	0
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net															0	0	0
Intercompany Charges, Net															878	1,876	0
Equity in Subsidiary Income (Loss)															4,161	449	(249)
Other, Net															0	0	0
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes															5,039	2,325	(249)
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes															0	0	0
Net Loss															5,039	2,325	(249)
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests															0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford															5,039	2,325	(249)
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford															$ 6,126	$ 3,991	$ 535

[1] Includes charges of $77 million primarily related to severance and restructuring and supply contracts.

[2] Includes estimated project income of $42 million, for the first quarter of 2015, estimated project loss of $69 million, $44 million and $82 million for the second, third and fourth quarter of 2015, respectively, from our long-term early production facility construction contract

[3] Includes charges of $395 million primarily related to long-lived asset impairments, litigation, and severance and restructuring.

[4] Includes charges of $59 million primarily related to severance and restructuring charges.

[5] Includes net charges of $140 million primarily related to severance and restructuring and gain on sale of business.

[6] Includes net charges of $169 million primarily related to long-lived asset impairments, severance and restructuring, gain on sale of business and equity investment of $311 million and $245 million of foreign currency related charges.

[7] Includes charges of $345 million primarily related to long-lived asset and goodwill impairments, and severance and restructuring.

[8] Includes charges of $96 million primarily related to severance and restructuring