Long-term Debt Schedule of Long-term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	$ 6,280	$ 6,848
Less amounts due in one year	401	50
Long-term debt	$ 5,879	6,798
Senior Notes, 5.50% due 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.50%
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 5.50% due 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	$ 350	352
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.35% due 2017 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	604	607
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.00% due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	499	498
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 9.625% due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	$ 1,014	1,018
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 5.125% due 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.125%
Total	$ 771	$ 798
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 4.50% due 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.50%	4.50%
Total	$ 644	$ 715
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.50% due 2036 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.50%	6.50%
Total	$ 449	$ 556
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.80% due 2037 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.80%
Total	$ 257	298
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 7.00% due 2038 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	7.00%
Total	$ 459	497
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 9.875% due 2039 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	$ 247	247
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.75% due 2040 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.75%
Total	$ 460	$ 596
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 5.95% due 2042 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.95%	5.95%
Total	$ 372	$ 478
Secured Borrowings [Member] | Secured Borrowing, 4.82% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.82%	4.82%
Total	$ 9	$ 12
Capital and Other Lease Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	116	136
Other Long-term Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	29	40
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 864	$ 911
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 5.50% due 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.50%
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.00% due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.00%	6.00%
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 9.625% due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	9.625%	9.625%
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 5.125% due 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.125%	5.125%
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 4.50% due 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.50%	4.50%
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.50% due 2036 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.50%	6.50%
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 7.00% due 2038 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	7.00%	7.00%
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 9.875% due 2039 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	9.875%	9.875%
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.75% due 2040 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.75%	6.75%
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 5.95% due 2042 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.95%	5.95%
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 5.50% due 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.50%	5.50%