Debt and Interest Expense - Long-Term Debt (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed-rate public notes	$ 5,625hes_FixedRateNotes	$ 5,275hes_FixedRateNotes
Financing obligations associated with floating production system	331hes_LeasedFloatingProductionSystem	296hes_LeasedFloatingProductionSystem
Other fixed-rate notes, weighted average rate 12.9%		135hes_OtherFixedRateNotes
Project lease financing, weighted average rate 5.1%		60hes_ProjectLeaseFinancing
Fair value adjustments - interest rate hedging	31	30
Other debt		2hes_OtherDebt
Total debt	5,987	5,798
Less: Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt	68us-gaap_DebtCurrent	378us-gaap_DebtCurrent
Total long-term debt	5,919us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent	5,420us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
7.0% Due 2014 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed-rate public notes		250
1.3% Due 2017 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed-rate public notes	300
8.1% Due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed-rate public notes	999	998
3.5% Due 2024 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed-rate public notes	298
7.9% Due 2029 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed-rate public notes	696	695
7.3% Due 2031 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed-rate public notes	747	747
7.1% Due 2033 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed-rate public notes	598	598
6.0% Due 2040 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed-rate public notes	745	745
5.6% Due 2041 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed-rate public notes	$ 1,242	$ 1,242

Fair value adjustments interest rate hedging.

No definition available.

Name:	hes_FairValueAdjustmentsInterestRateHedging
Namespace Prefix:	hes_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount of fixed rate notes payable as of the balance sheet date, including the current portion, which originally required full repayment more than twelve months after issuance or greater than the normal operating cycle of the company.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hes_FixedRateNotes
Namespace Prefix:	hes_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The noncurrent amount of debt outstanding for the leased floating production system at Tubular Bells Project as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hes_LeasedFloatingProductionSystem
Namespace Prefix:	hes_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, aggregate carrying amount of other debt, as of the balance sheet date, with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer. Further, the amount herein also includes adjustments related to interest rate swaps.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hes_OtherDebt
Namespace Prefix:	hes_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, aggregate carrying amount of other fixed rate notes payable, as of the balance sheet date, with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hes_OtherFixedRateNotes
Namespace Prefix:	hes_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, aggregate carrying amount of project lease financing payable, as of the balance sheet date, with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hes_ProjectLeaseFinancing
Namespace Prefix:	hes_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of short-term debt and current maturity of long-term debt and capital lease obligations due within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19,20)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt and capital lease obligations including current maturities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsIncludingCurrentMaturities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, excluding amounts to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer (current maturities). Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=hes_NotesEightPointOnePercentageDueTwoThousandNineteenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=hes_NotesFivePointSixPercentageDueTwoThousandFortyOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=hes_NotesSevenPointNinePercentageDueTwoThousandTwentyNineMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=hes_NotesSevenPointOnePercentageDueTwoThousandThirtyThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=hes_NotesSevenPointThreePercentageDueTwoThousandThirtyOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=hes_NotesSevenPointZeroPercentageDueTwoThousandFourteenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=hes_NotesSixPointZeroPercentageDueTwoThousandFortyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=hes_OnePointThreePercentageDueTwoThousandSeventeenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=hes_ThreePointFivePercentageDueTwoThousandTwentyFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: