Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016		Sep. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2016		Mar. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Sep. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015		Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)																	$ (2,251)	$ (1,546)	$ 505
Revenue, Net	$ 1,406		$ 1,356		$ 1,402		$ 1,585		$ 2,012		$ 2,237		$ 2,390		$ 2,794		5,749	9,433	14,911
Costs and Expenses																	(8,000)	(10,979)	(14,406)
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net																	(499)	(468)	(498)
Intercompany Charges, Net																	0	0	0
Equity in Subsidiary Income (Loss)																	0	0	0
Other, Net																	(127)	(82)	(262)
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes																	(2,877)	(2,096)	(255)
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes																	(496)	145	(284)
Net Loss																	(3,373)	(1,951)	(539)
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests																	(19)	(34)	(45)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford	$ (549)	[1]	$ (1,780)	[2]	$ (565)	[3]	$ (498)	[4]	$ (1,208)	[5],[6]	$ (170)	[6],[7]	$ (489)	[6],[8]	$ (118)	[6],[9]	(3,392)	(1,985)	(584)
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford																	(3,361)	(2,745)	(1,278)
Weatherford Ireland Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)																	(151)	(101)	(59)
Revenue, Net																	0	0	0
Costs and Expenses																	(151)	(101)	(59)
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net																	0	0	0
Intercompany Charges, Net																	(76)	(83)	(99)
Equity in Subsidiary Income (Loss)																	(3,181)	(1,801)	(424)
Other, Net																	16	0	0
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes																	(3,392)	(1,985)	(582)
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes																	0	0	(2)
Net Loss																	(3,392)	(1,985)	(584)
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests																	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford																	(3,392)	(1,985)	(584)
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford																	(3,361)	(2,745)	(1,278)
Weatherford Bermuda [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)																	(3)	(7)	(18)
Revenue, Net																	0	0	0
Costs and Expenses																	(3)	(7)	(18)
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net																	(465)	(398)	(422)
Intercompany Charges, Net																	4	(110)	7,291
Equity in Subsidiary Income (Loss)																	(2,403)	(1,868)	(430)
Other, Net																	(38)	51	20
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes																	(2,905)	(2,332)	6,441
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes																	0	0	0
Net Loss																	(2,905)	(2,332)	6,441
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests																	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford																	(2,905)	(2,332)	6,441
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford																	(3,081)	(2,610)	5,811
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)																	5	2	3
Revenue, Net																	0	0	0
Costs and Expenses																	5	2	3
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net																	(49)	(57)	(57)
Intercompany Charges, Net																	(196)	(282)	(266)
Equity in Subsidiary Income (Loss)																	(944)	(492)	407
Other, Net																	43	11	(3)
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes																	(1,141)	(818)	84
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes																	(154)	114	131
Net Loss																	(1,295)	(704)	215
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests																	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford																	(1,295)	(704)	215
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford																	(1,425)	(754)	(128)
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)																	(2,102)	(1,440)	579
Revenue, Net																	5,749	9,433	14,911
Costs and Expenses																	(7,851)	(10,873)	(14,332)
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net																	4	(13)	(19)
Intercompany Charges, Net																	(274)	(403)	(8,802)
Equity in Subsidiary Income (Loss)																	0	0	(2)
Other, Net																	(78)	(144)	(279)
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes																	(2,450)	(2,000)	(8,523)
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes																	(342)	31	(413)
Net Loss																	(2,792)	(1,969)	(8,936)
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests																	(19)	(34)	(45)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford																	(2,811)	(2,003)	(8,981)
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford																	(2,780)	(2,762)	(9,674)
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)																	0	0	0
Revenue, Net																	0	0	0
Costs and Expenses																	0	0	0
Other Income (Expense):
Interest Expense, Net																	11	0	0
Intercompany Charges, Net																	(542)	(878)	1,876
Equity in Subsidiary Income (Loss)																	6,528	4,161	449
Other, Net																	(70)	0	0
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes																	7,011	5,039	2,325
(Provision) Benefit for Income Taxes																	0	0	0
Net Loss																	7,011	5,039	2,325
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests																	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford																	7,011	5,039	2,325
Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to Weatherford																	$ 7,286	$ 6,126	$ 3,991

[1] Includes charges of $245 million primarily related to severance and restructuring, litigation charges and pressure pumping related charges.

[2] Includes charges of $771 million primarily related to long-lived asset impairments, inventory write-downs and severance and restructuring.

[3] Includes charges of $347 million primarily related to litigation charges, an adjustment to a note from PDVSA to fair value, a bond tender premium incurred from a tender offer and severance and restructuring charges partially offset by an estimated project income on our long-term early production facility construction contract.

[4] Includes charges of $285 million primarily related to severance and restructuring, litigation charges, pressure pumping related charges and an estimated project loss on our long-term early production facility construction contract.

[5] Includes $668 million primarily related to long-lived asset impairments, severance and restructuring and supply contracts, a $265 million charge for a non-cash tax expense on distribution of subsidiary earnings and $217 million of inventory write-downs and adjustments.

[6] Includes estimated project income of $42 million, for the first quarter of 2015, estimated project loss of $69 million, $44 million and $82 million for the second, third and fourth quarter of 2015, respectively, from our long-term early production facility construction contracts.

[7] Includes charges of $77 million primarily related to severance and restructuring and supply contracts.

[8] Includes charges of $395 million primarily related to long-lived asset impairments, litigation and severance and restructuring.

[9] Includes charges of $59 million primarily related to severance and restructuring.