Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 1,356	$ 2,237	$ 4,343	$ 7,421
Costs and Expenses	(2,301)	(2,335)	(6,195)	(7,933)
Operating Income (Loss)	(945)	(98)	(1,852)	(512)
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net	(129)	(114)	(363)	(351)
Intercompany Charges, Net	0	0	0	0
Equity in Subsidiary Income	0	0	0	0
Other, Net	(10)	(14)	(125)	(85)
Loss Before Income Taxes	(1,084)	(226)	(2,340)	(948)
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes	(692)	65	(489)	197
Net Loss	(1,776)	(161)	(2,829)	(751)
Noncontrolling Interests	4	9	14	26
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	(1,780)	(170)	(2,843)	(777)
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	(1,822)	(527)	(2,751)	(1,343)
Weatherford Ireland [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Costs and Expenses	(3)	(4)	(150)	(111)
Operating Income (Loss)	(3)	(4)	(150)	(111)
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net	0	0	0	0
Intercompany Charges, Net	(3)	(13)	9	(39)
Equity in Subsidiary Income	(1,774)	(153)	(2,702)	(627)
Other, Net	0	0	0	0
Loss Before Income Taxes	(1,780)	(170)	(2,843)	(777)
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes	0	0	0	0
Net Loss	(1,780)	(170)	(2,843)	(777)
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	(1,780)	(170)	(2,843)	(777)
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	(1,822)	(527)	(2,751)	(1,343)
Weatherford Bermuda [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Costs and Expenses	(6)	(1)	(6)	(5)
Operating Income (Loss)	(6)	(1)	(6)	(5)
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net	(127)	(98)	(331)	(300)
Intercompany Charges, Net	11	(6)	(30)	(49)
Equity in Subsidiary Income	(1,662)	(1,195)	(1,922)	(754)
Other, Net	(62)	41	(148)	22
Loss Before Income Taxes	(1,846)	(1,259)	(2,437)	(1,086)
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes	0	0	0	0
Net Loss	(1,846)	(1,259)	(2,437)	(1,086)
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	(1,846)	(1,259)	(2,437)	(1,086)
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	(1,861)	(1,352)	(2,501)	(1,245)
Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Costs and Expenses	(1)	1	4	1
Operating Income (Loss)	(1)	1	4	1
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net	(13)	(14)	(39)	(42)
Intercompany Charges, Net	(50)	(63)	(96)	(131)
Equity in Subsidiary Income	(1,291)	(1,371)	(1,479)	(522)
Other, Net	(49)	(1)	(76)	(1)
Loss Before Income Taxes	(1,404)	(1,448)	(1,686)	(695)
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes	(138)	26	(114)	60
Net Loss	(1,542)	(1,422)	(1,800)	(635)
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	(1,542)	(1,422)	(1,800)	(635)
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	(1,554)	(1,449)	(1,840)	(675)
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	1,356	2,237	4,343	7,421
Costs and Expenses	(2,291)	(2,331)	(6,043)	(7,818)
Operating Income (Loss)	(935)	(94)	(1,700)	(397)
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net	7	(2)	0	(9)
Intercompany Charges, Net	42	82	(223)	219
Equity in Subsidiary Income	0	0	0	0
Other, Net	60	(54)	48	(106)
Loss Before Income Taxes	(826)	(68)	(1,875)	(293)
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes	(554)	39	(375)	137
Net Loss	(1,380)	(29)	(2,250)	(156)
Noncontrolling Interests	4	9	14	26
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	(1,384)	(38)	(2,264)	(182)
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	(1,427)	(397)	(2,173)	(749)
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Costs and Expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating Income (Loss)	0	0	0	0
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net	4	0	7	0
Intercompany Charges, Net	0	0	(340)	0
Equity in Subsidiary Income	4,727	2,719	6,103	1,903
Other, Net	41	0	51	0
Loss Before Income Taxes	4,772	2,719	6,501	1,903
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes	0	0	0	0
Net Loss	4,772	2,719	6,501	1,903
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	4,772	2,719	6,501	1,903
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	$ 4,842	$ 3,198	$ 6,514	$ 2,669