Short-term Borrowings and Other Debt Obligations (Narrative) (Details)		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	May 04, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 26, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 17, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Remaining borrowing capacity		$ 1,100,000,000	$ 1,100,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Collateral			69
Debt instrument, covenant, senior leverage ratio, period two	2.5
Debt instrument, covenant, specified leverage and letter of credit ratio, period two	3.5
Debt instrument, covenant, asset coverage ratio	4.0
Borrowings of Long-term Debt			$ 251,000,000	$ 3,156,000,000
Short-term debt		7,000,000	7,000,000					$ 2,000,000
Performance bonds		61,000,000	61,000,000
Current portion of long-term debt		145,000,000	145,000,000					177,000,000
Current portion of long-term debt and term loan agreement		29,000,000	29,000,000
Revolving credit facility
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		0	0					$ 0
Committed letters of credit
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding, amount		73,000,000	73,000,000
Domestic and foreign facility
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short term borrowings		7,000,000	7,000,000
Uncommitted letters of credit
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding, amount		436,000,000	436,000,000
A&R Credit Agreement
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Credit agreement, maximum capacity		1,199,000,000	1,199,000,000				$ 1,380,000,000
Commitments not electing to extend maturity	$ 199,000,000
Term Loan Agreement
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Current portion of long-term debt		50,000,000	50,000,000
Senior Notes, 9.875 Percent due 2024
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Long-term Debt		540,000,000	540,000,000			$ 250,000,000
Term Loan Borrowings before Debt Issuance Cost
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Debt and capital lease obligations		400,000,000	400,000,000
Senior Notes, 6.35% due 2017
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term debt		$ 88,000,000	$ 88,000,000
Senior Notes | Senior Notes, 9.875 Percent due 2024
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt						9.875%
Weatherford Bermuda | Senior Notes | Senior Notes, 6.35% due 2017
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		6.35%	6.35%					6.35%
Weatherford Bermuda | Senior Notes | Senior Notes, 6.00% due 2018
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Stated interest rate on debt		6.00%	6.00%
Current portion of long-term debt		$ 66,000,000	$ 66,000,000
Subsequent Event | A&R Credit Agreement
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Credit agreement, maximum capacity					$ 1,000,000,000.0
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) | Term Loan Agreement
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)		2.30%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) | Extending Lenders | Minimum | A&R Credit Agreement
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)		2.80%