Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 1,037	$ 467	$ 474	$ 435
Other Current Assets	3,873	5,097
Total Current Assets	4,910	5,564
Equity Investments in Affiliates	0	0
Intercompany Receivables, Net	0	0
Other Assets	7,754	9,196
Total Assets	12,664	14,760
Current Liabilities
Short-term Borrowings and Current Portion of Long-Term Debt	179	1,582
Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities	2,249	2,449
Total Current Liabilities	2,428	4,031
Long-term Debt	7,403	5,852
Intercompany Payables, Net	0	0
Other Long-term Liabilities	765	512
Total Liabilities	10,596	10,395
Weatherford Shareholders’ Equity	2,012	4,304
Noncontrolling Interests	56	61
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	12,664	14,760
Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0	0
Other Current Assets	(531)	(704)
Total Current Assets	(531)	(704)
Equity Investments in Affiliates	(20,422)	(27,072)
Intercompany Receivables, Net	(3,762)	(10,423)
Other Assets	(12)	0
Total Assets	(24,727)	(38,199)
Current Liabilities
Short-term Borrowings and Current Portion of Long-Term Debt	0	0
Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities	(542)	(704)
Total Current Liabilities	(542)	(704)
Long-term Debt	107	0
Intercompany Payables, Net	(3,762)	(10,423)
Other Long-term Liabilities	(146)	0
Total Liabilities	(4,343)	(11,127)
Weatherford Shareholders’ Equity	(20,384)	(27,072)
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	(24,727)	(38,199)
Weatherford Ireland Parent Company [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	1	0
Other Current Assets	1	4
Total Current Assets	1	4
Equity Investments in Affiliates	2,415	5,693
Intercompany Receivables, Net	0	0
Other Assets	2	3
Total Assets	2,418	5,700
Current Liabilities
Short-term Borrowings and Current Portion of Long-Term Debt	0	0
Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities	105	19
Total Current Liabilities	105	19
Long-term Debt	0	0
Intercompany Payables, Net	145	1,362
Other Long-term Liabilities	156	15
Total Liabilities	406	1,396
Weatherford Shareholders’ Equity	2,012	4,304
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,418	5,700
Weatherford Bermuda [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	586	2	0	0
Other Current Assets	0	0
Total Current Assets	586	2
Equity Investments in Affiliates	8,669	8,709
Intercompany Receivables, Net	0	0
Other Assets	13	2
Total Assets	9,268	8,713
Current Liabilities
Short-term Borrowings and Current Portion of Long-Term Debt	53	1,503
Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities	198	212
Total Current Liabilities	251	1,715
Long-term Debt	6,944	4,885
Intercompany Payables, Net	224	6,147
Other Long-term Liabilities	152	77
Total Liabilities	7,571	12,824
Weatherford Shareholders’ Equity	1,697	(4,111)
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	9,268	8,713
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	4	22	22	0
Other Current Assets	512	651
Total Current Assets	516	673
Equity Investments in Affiliates	8,301	9,187
Intercompany Receivables, Net	0	0
Other Assets	0	16
Total Assets	8,817	9,876
Current Liabilities
Short-term Borrowings and Current Portion of Long-Term Debt	94	6
Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	94	6
Long-term Debt	148	862
Intercompany Payables, Net	3,393	2,914
Other Long-term Liabilities	146	10
Total Liabilities	3,781	3,792
Weatherford Shareholders’ Equity	5,036	6,084
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	8,817	9,876
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	447	443	$ 451	$ 435
Other Current Assets	3,891	5,146
Total Current Assets	4,338	5,589
Equity Investments in Affiliates	1,037	3,483
Intercompany Receivables, Net	3,762	10,423
Other Assets	7,751	9,175
Total Assets	16,888	28,670
Current Liabilities
Short-term Borrowings and Current Portion of Long-Term Debt	32	73
Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities	2,488	2,922
Total Current Liabilities	2,520	2,995
Long-term Debt	204	105
Intercompany Payables, Net	0	0
Other Long-term Liabilities	457	410
Total Liabilities	3,181	3,510
Weatherford Shareholders’ Equity	13,651	25,099
Noncontrolling Interests	56	61
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ 16,888	$ 28,670