Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 602	$ 613	$ 1,037	$ 467
Other Current Assets	2,848	3,265
Total Current Assets	3,450	3,878
Equity Investments in Affiliates	0	0
Intercompany Receivables, Net	0	0
Other Assets	3,151	5,869
Total Assets	6,601	9,747
Current Liabilities
Short-term Borrowings and Current Portion of Long-term Debt	383	148
Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities	1,917	2,082
Total Current Liabilities	2,300	2,230
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	7,605	7,541
Intercompany Payables, Net	0	0
Other Long-term Liabilities	362	547
Total Liabilities	10,267	10,318
Weatherford Shareholders’ Equity	(3,705)	(626)
Noncontrolling Interests	39	55
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficiency	6,601	9,747
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Weatherford Ireland [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0	0
Other Current Assets	1	1
Total Current Assets	1	1
Equity Investments in Affiliates	(3,694)	(460)
Intercompany Receivables, Net	0	0
Other Assets	0	0
Total Assets	(3,693)	(459)
Current Liabilities
Short-term Borrowings and Current Portion of Long-term Debt	0	0
Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities	9	10
Total Current Liabilities	9	10
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Intercompany Payables, Net	3	87
Other Long-term Liabilities	0	70
Total Liabilities	12	167
Weatherford Shareholders’ Equity	(3,705)	(626)
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficiency	(3,693)	(459)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Weatherford Bermuda [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	284	195	586	2
Other Current Assets	0	0
Total Current Assets	284	195
Equity Investments in Affiliates	7,531	7,998
Intercompany Receivables, Net	103	0
Other Assets	15	8
Total Assets	7,933	8,201
Current Liabilities
Short-term Borrowings and Current Portion of Long-term Debt	373	128
Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities	174	183
Total Current Liabilities	547	311
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	6,632	7,127
Intercompany Payables, Net	0	242
Other Long-term Liabilities	7	146
Total Liabilities	7,186	7,826
Weatherford Shareholders’ Equity	747	375
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficiency	7,933	8,201
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Weatherford Delaware [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	4	22
Other Current Assets	654	516
Total Current Assets	654	516
Equity Investments in Affiliates	7,203	8,009
Intercompany Receivables, Net	0	0
Other Assets	4	4
Total Assets	7,861	8,529
Current Liabilities
Short-term Borrowings and Current Portion of Long-term Debt	0	0
Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	0	0
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	775	166
Intercompany Payables, Net	3,066	3,884
Other Long-term Liabilities	0	136
Total Liabilities	3,841	4,186
Weatherford Shareholders’ Equity	4,020	4,343
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficiency	7,861	8,529
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	318	418	447	443
Other Current Assets	2,887	3,298
Total Current Assets	3,205	3,716
Equity Investments in Affiliates	354	530
Intercompany Receivables, Net	2,966	4,213
Other Assets	3,132	5,857
Total Assets	9,657	14,316
Current Liabilities
Short-term Borrowings and Current Portion of Long-term Debt	10	20
Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities	2,428	2,439
Total Current Liabilities	2,438	2,459
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	130	159
Intercompany Payables, Net	0	0
Other Long-term Liabilities	362	332
Total Liabilities	2,930	2,950
Weatherford Shareholders’ Equity	6,688	11,311
Noncontrolling Interests	39	55
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficiency	9,657	14,316
Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	$ 0	$ 0
Other Current Assets	(694)	(550)
Total Current Assets	(694)	(550)
Equity Investments in Affiliates	(11,394)	(16,077)
Intercompany Receivables, Net	(3,069)	(4,213)
Other Assets	0	0
Total Assets	(15,157)	(20,840)
Current Liabilities
Short-term Borrowings and Current Portion of Long-term Debt	0	0
Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities	(694)	(550)
Total Current Liabilities	(694)	(550)
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	68	89
Intercompany Payables, Net	(3,069)	(4,213)
Other Long-term Liabilities	(7)	(137)
Total Liabilities	(3,702)	(4,811)
Weatherford Shareholders’ Equity	(11,455)	(16,029)
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficiency	$ (15,157)	$ (20,840)