Short-term Borrowings and Other Debt Obligations (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	May 04, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Jul. 19, 2016	Jun. 10, 2016	Feb. 29, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 7,113,000,000	$ 7,113,000,000				$ 6,253,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity		1,310,000,000	1,310,000,000
Short-term Debt		120,000,000	120,000,000				1,181,000,000
Performance bonds		149,000,000	149,000,000
Current portion of long-term debt and term loan agreement		170,000,000	170,000,000				401,000,000
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Senior Leverage Ratio, Period One	3
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Senior Leverage Ratio, Period Two	2.5
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Specified Leverage and Letters of Credit Ratio, Period One	4
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Specified Leverage and Letter of Credit Ratio, Period Two	3.5
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Asset Coverage Ratio	4
Revolving credit facility [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term Debt		47,000,000	47,000,000				967,000,000
Committed letters of credit [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding, amount		26,000,000	26,000,000
Domestic and foreign facility [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short term borrowings		73,000,000	73,000,000
Uncommitted letters of credit [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding, amount		590,000,000	590,000,000
A&R Credit Agreement [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment, Principal	$ 12,500,000
Credit agreement, maximum capacity	1,379,000,000
Commitments Not Electing to Extend Maturity	229,000,000
Term Loan Agreement [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Credit agreement, maximum capacity							0
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	$ 500,000,000	$ 496,000,000	$ 496,000,000
Senior Notes, 6.35% due 2017 [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage					6.35%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | A&R Credit Agreement [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate		2.80%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Term Loan Agreement [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate		2.30%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Term Loan Agreement [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate			1.425%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Term Loan Agreement [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate			3.20%
Base Rate [Member] | Term Loan Agreement [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate			0.425%
Base Rate [Member] | Term Loan Agreement [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate			2.20%
Tranche One [Member] | Bi-Lateral Revolver Debt [Member] | Domestic and foreign facility [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short term borrowings		$ 180,000,000	$ 180,000,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.35% due 2017 [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 90,000,000	$ 90,000,000				$ 604,000,000
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 5.50% due 2016 [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Current portion of long-term debt and term loan agreement						$ 350,000,000
Non-Extending Lenders [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | A&R Credit Agreement [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.75%
Non-Extending Lenders [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | A&R Credit Agreement [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.925%
Non-Extending Lenders [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | A&R Credit Agreement [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.00%
Non-Extending Lenders [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | A&R Credit Agreement [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.925%
Extending Lenders [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | A&R Credit Agreement [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.925%
Extending Lenders [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | A&R Credit Agreement [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	3.70%
Extending Lenders [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | A&R Credit Agreement [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.925%
Extending Lenders [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | A&R Credit Agreement [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	2.70%
Subsequent Event [Member] | A&R Credit Agreement [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Credit agreement, maximum capacity				$ 250,000,000
Weatherford Bermuda [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.35% due 2017 [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		6.35%	6.35%				6.35%