Short-term Borrowings and Other Debt Obligations (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	May 04, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 10, 2016	Feb. 29, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt and Capital Lease Obligations		$ 7,119,000,000	$ 7,119,000,000			$ 6,253,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity		990,000,000	990,000,000
Short-term Debt		373,000,000	373,000,000			1,181,000,000
Performance bonds		148,000,000	148,000,000
Current portion of long-term debt and term loan agreement		182,000,000	182,000,000			401,000,000
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Senior Leverage Ratio, Period One	3.0
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Senior Leverage Ratio, Period Two	2.5
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Specified Leverage and Letters of Credit Ratio, Period One	4.0
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Specified Leverage and Letter of Credit Ratio, Period Two	3.5
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Asset Coverage Ratio	4.0
Revolving credit facility [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term Debt		330,000,000	330,000,000			967,000,000
Committed letters of credit [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding, amount		61,000,000	61,000,000
Domestic and foreign facility [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short term borrowings		43,000,000	43,000,000
Uncommitted letters of credit [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding, amount		542,000,000	542,000,000
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	250,000,000	250,000,000
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	$ 483,000,000	$ 483,000,000
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		1.925%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Term Loan Agreement [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] | 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		$ 89,000,000	$ 89,000,000			$ 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%
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%