Long-term Debt Schedule of Long-term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 17, 2016	Jun. 10, 2016	May 04, 2016	Feb. 29, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	$ 7,119						$ 6,253
Less amounts due in one year	182						401
Long-term debt	6,937						5,852
Term Loan Agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit agreement, maximum capacity							0
Total	$ 483				$ 500
Senior Notes, 6.35% due 2017 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage				6.35%
Senior Notes, 6.00% due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage				6.00%
Senior Notes, 9.625% due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage				9.625%
Senior Notes, 5.125% due 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage				5.125%
Exchangeable Senior Notes, 5.875 Percent due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.875%
Senior Notes, 7.75 Percent due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	7.75%
Senior Notes, 8.25 Percent due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	8.25%
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 5.50% due 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Less amounts due in one year						$ 350
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.35% due 2017 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	$ 89						604
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.00% due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	66						498
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 9.625% due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	490						1,012
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 5.125% due 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	363						768
Senior Notes [Member] | Exchangeable Senior Notes, 5.875 Percent due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	1,142						0
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 7.75 Percent due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	738		$ 750				0
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 4.50% due 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	642						642
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 8.25 Percent due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	738		$ 750				0
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.50% due 2036 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	446						446
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.80% due 2037 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	255						255
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 7.00% due 2038 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	455						455
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 9.875% due 2039 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	245						245
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.75% due 2040 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	456						456
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 5.95% due 2042 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	368						$ 368
Secured Borrowings [Member] | Secured Borrowing, 4.82% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		4.82%					4.82%
Total	6						$ 9
Capital and Other Lease Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	129						116
Other Long-term Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	8						29
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 5.50% due 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total	0						350
Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 143						$ 862
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%
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%
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%
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%
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%
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%
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%
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%
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%
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%
Weatherford Bermuda [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 6,468						$ 4,885
Weatherford Bermuda [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.35% due 2017 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.35%						6.35%
Weatherford Bermuda [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Exchangeable Senior Notes, 5.875 Percent due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		5.875%
Weatherford Bermuda [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 7.75 Percent due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	7.75%	7.75%
Weatherford Bermuda [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 8.25 Percent due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	8.25%	8.25%
Weatherford Bermuda [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes, 6.80% due 2037 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.80%						6.80%