Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($)	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Proceeds (payments) from sale of businesses and equity investment, net		$ (1,000,000)	$ (6,000,000)	$ 8,000,000
Net Loss		(2,793,000,000)	(3,373,000,000)	(1,951,000,000)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary		0	0	0
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates		0	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Provision (Benefit)		(25,000,000)	381,000,000	(448,000,000)
Other Adjustments		2,430,000,000	2,688,000,000	3,114,000,000
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities		(388,000,000)	(304,000,000)	715,000,000
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Acquisitions of Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		(225,000,000)	(204,000,000)	(682,000,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Assets Held-for-sale		244,000,000	0	0
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment		(7,000,000)	(5,000,000)	(14,000,000)
Acquisition of Intellectual Property		(15,000,000)	(10,000,000)	(8,000,000)
Proceeds from Insurance Settlement, Investing Activities		0	39,000,000	0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities		(62,000,000)	(137,000,000)	(659,000,000)
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment		51,000,000	49,000,000	37,000,000
Proceeds from Sale of Productive Assets		481,000,000
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	$ 51,000,000	51,000,000	0	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net		(128,000,000)	(1,512,000,000)	505,000,000
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net		181,000,000	1,718,000,000	(470,000,000)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net		0	0	0
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock		0	1,071,000,000	0
Other, Net		(33,000,000)	(216,000,000)	(32,000,000)
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities		20,000,000	1,061,000,000	3,000,000
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents		6,000,000	(50,000,000)	(66,000,000)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents		(424,000,000)	570,000,000	(7,000,000)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	1,037,000,000	1,037,000,000	467,000,000	474,000,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year		613,000,000	1,037,000,000	467,000,000
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Proceeds (payments) from sale of businesses and equity investment, net		0	0	0
Net Loss		4,351,000,000	7,011,000,000	5,039,000,000
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary		(135,000,000)	(542,000,000)	(878,000,000)
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates		(4,206,000,000)	(6,528,000,000)	(4,161,000,000)
Deferred Income Tax Provision (Benefit)			0	0
Other Adjustments		(10,000,000)	59,000,000	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities		0	0	0
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Acquisitions of Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Assets Held-for-sale		0
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment		0	0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property		0	0	0
Proceeds from Insurance Settlement, Investing Activities			0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities		0	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment			0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Productive Assets		0
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net		0	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net		0	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net		0	0	0
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			0
Other, Net		0	0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities		0	0	0
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents		0	0	0
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents		0	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	0	0	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year		0	0	0
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Proceeds (payments) from sale of businesses and equity investment, net		(1,000,000)	(6,000,000)	8,000,000
Net Loss		(2,384,000,000)	(2,792,000,000)	(1,969,000,000)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary		103,000,000	274,000,000	403,000,000
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates		0	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Provision (Benefit)		(25,000,000)	355,000,000	(462,000,000)
Other Adjustments		1,416,000,000	1,067,000,000	3,025,000,000
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities		(890,000,000)	(1,096,000,000)	997,000,000
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Acquisitions of Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		(225,000,000)	(204,000,000)	(682,000,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Assets Held-for-sale		244,000,000
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment		(7,000,000)	(5,000,000)	(14,000,000)
Acquisition of Intellectual Property		(15,000,000)	(10,000,000)	(8,000,000)
Proceeds from Insurance Settlement, Investing Activities			39,000,000
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities		(62,000,000)	(137,000,000)	(659,000,000)
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment			49,000,000	37,000,000
Proceeds from Sale of Productive Assets		481,000,000
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	(51,000,000)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net		(111,000,000)	(15,000,000)	(30,000,000)
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net		75,000,000	(65,000,000)	(28,000,000)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net		986,000,000	512,000,000	(190,000,000)
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			1,071,000,000
Other, Net		(33,000,000)	(216,000,000)	(32,000,000)
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities		917,000,000	1,287,000,000	(280,000,000)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents		6,000,000	(50,000,000)	(66,000,000)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents		(29,000,000)	4,000,000	(8,000,000)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	447,000,000	447,000,000	443,000,000	451,000,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year		418,000,000	447,000,000	443,000,000
Weatherford Ireland Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Proceeds (payments) from sale of businesses and equity investment, net		0	0	0
Net Loss		(2,813,000,000)	(3,392,000,000)	(1,985,000,000)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary		(12,000,000)	76,000,000	83,000,000
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates		2,891,000,000	3,181,000,000	1,801,000,000
Deferred Income Tax Provision (Benefit)		0	0	0
Other Adjustments		(278,000,000)	1,230,000,000	(35,000,000)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities		(212,000,000)	1,095,000,000	(136,000,000)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Acquisitions of Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Assets Held-for-sale		0
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment		0	0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property		0	0	0
Proceeds from Insurance Settlement, Investing Activities			0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities		0	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment			0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Productive Assets		0
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net		0	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net		0	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net		212,000,000	(1,095,000,000)	135,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			0
Other, Net		0	0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities		212,000,000	(1,095,000,000)	135,000,000
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents		0	0	0
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents		0	0	(1,000,000)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	0	0	0	1,000,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year		0	0	0
Weatherford Bermuda [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Proceeds (payments) from sale of businesses and equity investment, net		0	0	0
Net Loss		(1,287,000,000)	(2,905,000,000)	(2,332,000,000)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary		(148,000,000)	(4,000,000)	110,000,000
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates		878,000,000	2,403,000,000	1,868,000,000
Deferred Income Tax Provision (Benefit)		0	0	0
Other Adjustments		1,236,000,000	75,000,000	210,000,000
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities		679,000,000	(431,000,000)	(144,000,000)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Acquisitions of Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Assets Held-for-sale		0
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment		0	0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property		0	0	0
Proceeds from Insurance Settlement, Investing Activities			0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities		0	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment			0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Productive Assets		0
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net		(17,000,000)	(1,497,000,000)	535,000,000
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net		200,000,000	2,299,000,000	(411,000,000)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net		(1,253,000,000)	213,000,000	22,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			0
Other, Net		0	0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities		(1,070,000,000)	1,015,000,000	146,000,000
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents		0	0	0
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents		(391,000,000)	584,000,000	2,000,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	586,000,000	586,000,000	2,000,000	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year		195,000,000	586,000,000	2,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries, Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Proceeds (payments) from sale of businesses and equity investment, net		0	0	0
Net Loss		(660,000,000)	(1,295,000,000)	(704,000,000)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary		192,000,000	196,000,000	282,000,000
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates		437,000,000	944,000,000	492,000,000
Deferred Income Tax Provision (Benefit)		0	26,000,000	14,000,000
Other Adjustments		66,000,000	257,000,000	(86,000,000)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities		35,000,000	128,000,000	(2,000,000)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Acquisitions of Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Assets Held-for-sale		0
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment		0	0	0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property		0	0	0
Proceeds from Insurance Settlement, Investing Activities			0
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities		0	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment			0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Productive Assets		0
Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net		0	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net		(94,000,000)	(516,000,000)	(31,000,000)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net		55,000,000	370,000,000	33,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			0
Other, Net		0	0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities		(39,000,000)	(146,000,000)	2,000,000
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents		0	0	0
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents		(4,000,000)	(18,000,000)	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year	$ 4,000,000	4,000,000	22,000,000	22,000,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year		$ 0	$ 4,000,000	$ 22,000,000