Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ (491)	$ (107)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	0	0
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Benefit	(80)	(36)
Other Adjustments	366	101
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities	(205)	(42)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	(43)	(224)
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	(7)	0
Insurance Proceeds Related to Rig Loss	30	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net	6	3
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities	(14)	(221)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	(372)	479
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	(9)	(154)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	0	0
Proceeds from Capital Contributions	630
Other, Net	1	(18)
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities	250	307
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	(34)	(6)
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(3)	38
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period	467	474
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	464	512
Weatherford Ireland [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(498)	(118)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	1	0
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	431	111
Deferred Income Tax Benefit	0	0
Other Adjustments	959	(6)
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities	893	(13)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	0
Insurance Proceeds Related to Rig Loss	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net	0	0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities	0	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	(892)	12
Proceeds from Capital Contributions	0
Other, Net	0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities	(892)	12
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	1	(1)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period	0	1
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	1	0
Weatherford Bermuda [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(445)	(64)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	46	15
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	288	(75)
Deferred Income Tax Benefit	0	0
Other Adjustments	168	136
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities	57	12
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	0
Insurance Proceeds Related to Rig Loss	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net	0	0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities	0	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	(82)	498
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	(350)	(147)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	373	(329)
Proceeds from Capital Contributions	0
Other, Net	0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities	(59)	22
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(2)	34
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period	2	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	0	34
Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(245)	(33)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	1	0
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	235	25
Deferred Income Tax Benefit	(5)	(5)
Other Adjustments	(271)	27
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities	(285)	14
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	0
Insurance Proceeds Related to Rig Loss	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net	0	0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities	0	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	(2)	(1)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	286	(13)
Proceeds from Capital Contributions	0
Other, Net	0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities	284	(14)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(1)	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period	22	22
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	21	22
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(597)	47
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	292	(15)
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Benefit	(75)	(31)
Other Adjustments	(490)	(56)
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities	(870)	(55)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	(43)	(224)
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	(7)
Insurance Proceeds Related to Rig Loss	30
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net	6	3
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities	(14)	(221)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	(290)	(19)
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	343	(6)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	233	330
Proceeds from Capital Contributions	630
Other, Net	1	(18)
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities	917	287
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	(34)	(6)
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(1)	5
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period	443	451
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	442	456
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	1,294	61
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	(340)	0
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	(954)	(61)
Deferred Income Tax Benefit	0	0
Other Adjustments	0	0
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities	0	0
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	0
Insurance Proceeds Related to Rig Loss	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net	0	0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities	0	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	0	0
Proceeds from Capital Contributions	0
Other, Net	0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities	0	0
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	$ 0	$ 0