Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2013
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ (562)	$ (483)	$ (1,053)	$ (590)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary			0	0
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates			0	0
Deferred Income Tax Benefit			(215)	(191)
Other Adjustments			924	1,030
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities			(344)	249
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment			(74)	(411)
Acquisition of Intellectual Property		(3)	(8)	(3)
Insurance Proceeds Related to Rig Loss			30	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net			16	23
Other Investing Activities			(20)
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities			(56)	(391)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net			(1,381)	478
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net			1,276	(161)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net			0	0
Proceeds from Capital Contributions			623
Other, Net			(98)	(15)
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities			420	302
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents			(35)	(23)
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(15)	137
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period			467	474
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	452	611	452	611
Weatherford Ireland [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(565)	(489)	(1,063)	(607)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary			(12)	26
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates			928	474
Deferred Income Tax Benefit			0	0
Other Adjustments			883	84
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities			736	(23)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment			0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property		0	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			(736)	22
Proceeds from Capital Contributions			0
Other, Net			0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities			(736)	22
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents			0	0
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents			0	(1)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period			0	1
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	0	0	0	0
Weatherford Bermuda [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(146)	237	(591)	173
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary			41	43
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates			260	(441)
Deferred Income Tax Benefit			0	0
Other Adjustments			(1,078)	74
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities			(1,368)	(151)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment			0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property		0	0
Insurance Proceeds Related to Rig Loss			0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net			0	0
Other Investing Activities			0		$ 0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities			0	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net			(1,450)	496
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net			3,114	(147)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net			(277)	(197)
Proceeds from Capital Contributions			0
Other, Net			0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities			1,387	152
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents			0	0
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents			19	1
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period			2	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	21	1	21	1
Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(13)	820	(258)	787
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary			46	68
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates			188	(849)
Deferred Income Tax Benefit			(24)	(34)
Other Adjustments			(18)	8
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities			(66)	(20)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment			0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property		0	0
Insurance Proceeds Related to Rig Loss			0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net			0	0
Other Investing Activities			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			(513)	(1)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net			557	21
Proceeds from Capital Contributions			0
Other, Net			0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities			44	20
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents			0	0
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(22)	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period			22	22
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	0	22	0	22
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(273)	(174)	(870)	(127)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary			265	(137)
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates			0	0
Deferred Income Tax Benefit			(191)	(157)
Other Adjustments			1,150	864
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities			354	443
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment			(74)	(411)
Acquisition of Intellectual Property		(3)	(8)
Insurance Proceeds Related to Rig Loss			30
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net			16	23
Other Investing Activities			(20)		0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities			(56)	(391)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net			69	(18)
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net			(1,325)	(13)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net			456	154
Proceeds from Capital Contributions			623
Other, Net			(98)	(15)
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities			(275)	108
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents			(35)	(23)
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(12)	137
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period			443	451
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	431	588	431	588
Parent Company [Member]
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Other Investing Activities			0		0
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	435	(877)	1,729	(816)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary			(340)	0
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates			(1,376)	816
Deferred Income Tax Benefit				0
Other Adjustments			(13)	0
Net Cash Provided by (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	0
Insurance Proceeds Related to Rig Loss			0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets and Businesses, Net			0	0
Other Investing Activities			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	$ 0	$ 0