Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany Receivables, Net	$ 0		$ 0
Equity Investments in Affiliates	0		0
Long-term Debt	7,606,000,000		7,605,000,000
Net Income (Loss)	(477,000,000)	$ (242,000,000)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	0	0
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	0	0
Other Adjustments	228,000,000	57,000,000
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities	(249,000,000)	(185,000,000)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	(58,000,000)	(29,000,000)
Capital Expenditures for and Acquisition of Assets Held for Sale	(1,000,000)	(9,000,000)
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	0	(4,000,000)
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	(5,000,000)	(3,000,000)
Proceeds from Sale of Assets	26,000,000	12,000,000
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses	74,000,000	25,000,000
Net Cash Provided by Investing Activities	36,000,000	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	228,000,000	(54,000,000)
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	(15,000,000)	148,000,000
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	0	0
Other, Net	(5,000,000)	(40,000,000)
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities	208,000,000	54,000,000
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,000,000	(23,000,000)
Net Decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(4,000,000)	(154,000,000)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period	602,000,000	613,000,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	598,000,000	459,000,000
Intercompany Payables, Net	0		0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	515,000,000		362,000,000
Other Assets	3,113,000,000		3,151,000,000
Other Subsidiaries
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss)	(351,000,000)	(820,000,000)
Weatherford Ireland
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss)	(481,000,000)	(245,000,000)
Weatherford Bermuda
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss)	(299,000,000)	(407,000,000)
Weatherford Delaware
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss)	(216,000,000)	(14,000,000)
Eliminations
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany Receivables, Net	(3,079,000,000)		(3,069,000,000)
Equity Investments in Affiliates	(10,558,000,000)		(11,394,000,000)
Long-term Debt	62,000,000		68,000,000
Proceeds from Sale of Productive Assets	0
Net Income (Loss)	870,000,000	1,244,000,000
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	(45,000,000)	(604,000,000)
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	(819,000,000)	(758,000,000)
Other Adjustments	(6,000,000)	118,000,000
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities	0	0
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	0	0
Capital Expenditures for and Acquisition of Assets Held for Sale	0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets		0
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses	0	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	0	0
Other, Net	0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities	0	0
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Net Decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	0	0
Intercompany Payables, Net	(3,079,000,000)		(3,069,000,000)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(8,000,000)		(7,000,000)
Other Assets	0		0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Other Subsidiaries
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany Receivables, Net	2,875,000,000		2,966,000,000
Equity Investments in Affiliates	407,000,000		354,000,000
Long-term Debt	128,000,000		130,000,000
Net Income (Loss)	(351,000,000)	(820,000,000)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	42,000,000	594,000,000
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	0	0
Other Adjustments	404,000,000	354,000,000
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities	95,000,000	128,000,000
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	(58,000,000)	(29,000,000)
Capital Expenditures for and Acquisition of Assets Held for Sale	(1,000,000)	(9,000,000)
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		(4,000,000)
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	(5,000,000)	(3,000,000)
Proceeds from Sale of Assets	26,000,000	12,000,000
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses	74,000,000	25,000,000
Net Cash Provided by Investing Activities	36,000,000	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	3,000,000	(7,000,000)
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	(2,000,000)	(2,000,000)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	(92,000,000)	(121,000,000)
Other, Net	(5,000,000)	(40,000,000)
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities	(96,000,000)	(170,000,000)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,000,000	(23,000,000)
Net Decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents	36,000,000	(65,000,000)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period	318,000,000	418,000,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	354,000,000	353,000,000
Intercompany Payables, Net	0		0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	516,000,000		362,000,000
Other Assets	2,967,000,000		3,132,000,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany Receivables, Net	0		0
Equity Investments in Affiliates	(4,126,000,000)		(3,694,000,000)
Long-term Debt	0		0
Proceeds from Sale of Productive Assets	0
Net Income (Loss)	(481,000,000)	(245,000,000)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	0	18,000,000
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	472,000,000	275,000,000
Other Adjustments	10,000,000	(10,000,000)
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities	1,000,000	38,000,000
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	0	0
Capital Expenditures for and Acquisition of Assets Held for Sale	0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets		0
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	(1,000,000)	(38,000,000)
Other, Net	0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities	(1,000,000)	(38,000,000)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Net Decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	0	0
Intercompany Payables, Net	10,000,000		3,000,000
Other Non-Current Liabilities	0		0
Other Assets	0		0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Weatherford Bermuda | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany Receivables, Net	204,000,000		103,000,000
Equity Investments in Affiliates	7,370,000,000		7,531,000,000
Long-term Debt	6,634,000,000		6,632,000,000
Proceeds from Sale of Productive Assets	0
Net Income (Loss)	(299,000,000)	(407,000,000)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	(1,000,000)	3,000,000
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	161,000,000	350,000,000
Other Adjustments	(117,000,000)	467,000,000
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities	(256,000,000)	413,000,000
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	0	0
Capital Expenditures for and Acquisition of Assets Held for Sale	0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets		0
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	225,000,000	(47,000,000)
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	(13,000,000)	(438,000,000)
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	4,000,000	(17,000,000)
Other, Net	0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities	216,000,000	(502,000,000)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Net Decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(40,000,000)	(89,000,000)
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period	284,000,000	195,000,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	244,000,000	106,000,000
Intercompany Payables, Net	0		0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	7,000,000		7,000,000
Other Assets	11,000,000		15,000,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Weatherford Delaware | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Intercompany Receivables, Net	0		0
Equity Investments in Affiliates	6,907,000,000		7,203,000,000
Long-term Debt	782,000,000		775,000,000
Proceeds from Sale of Productive Assets	0
Net Income (Loss)	(216,000,000)	(14,000,000)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Charges from Parent or Subsidiary	4,000,000	(11,000,000)
Equity in (Earnings) Loss of Affiliates	186,000,000	133,000,000
Other Adjustments	(63,000,000)	(872,000,000)
Net Cash Used in Operating Activities	(89,000,000)	(764,000,000)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Capital Expenditures for Property, Plant and Equipment	0	0
Capital Expenditures for and Acquisition of Assets Held for Sale	0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired		0
Acquisition of Intellectual Property	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets		0
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses	0
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Borrowings (Repayments) of Short-term Debt, Net	0	0
Borrowings (Repayments) Long-term Debt, Net	0	588,000,000
Borrowings (Repayments) Between Subsidiaries, Net	89,000,000	176,000,000
Other, Net	0	0
Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities	89,000,000	764,000,000
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Net Decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	0	$ 0
Intercompany Payables, Net	3,069,000,000		3,066,000,000
Other Non-Current Liabilities	0		0
Other Assets	$ 135,000,000		$ 4,000,000