Segment Information - Financial Information by Major Geographic Area (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales and other operating revenues	$ 6,323	$ 5,466	$ 4,762
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Hess Corporation	(282)	(4,074)	(6,132)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	1,883	2,883	3,244
Impairment	0	4,203	67
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	335	(1,837)	2,222
Identifiable Assets	21,433	23,112
Property, Plant and Equipment (Net)	16,083	16,192
Capital Expenditures	2,180	1,973	1,921
Operating Segments | Corporate, Interest and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales and other operating revenues	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Hess Corporation	(453)	(463)	(1,210)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	8	24	10
Impairment		0	0
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(94)	(26)	609
Identifiable Assets	2,039	4,170
Property, Plant and Equipment (Net)	15	23
Capital Expenditures	0	0	0
United States
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales and other operating revenues	4,842	3,692	3,085
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Hess Corporation	131	(2,433)	(2,353)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	1,424	1,942	2,133
Impairment		1,700	67
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(25)	0	411
Identifiable Assets	13,250	13,640
Property, Plant and Equipment (Net)	11,653	11,894
Capital Expenditures	1,543	1,387	1,400
Europe | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales and other operating revenues	164	629	610
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Hess Corporation	42	(1,383)	(439)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	37	381	502
Impairment		2,503	0
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	15	(1,999)	243
Identifiable Assets	1,033	1,024
Property, Plant and Equipment (Net)	906	946
Capital Expenditures	8	141	59
Africa | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales and other operating revenues	548	675	601
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Hess Corporation	36	259	(355)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	19	263	375
Impairment		0	0
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	430	197	244
Identifiable Assets	395	428
Property, Plant and Equipment (Net)	355	365
Capital Expenditures	9	30	10
Asia and Other Countries | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales and other operating revenues	769	470	466
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Hess Corporation	(38)	(54)	(1,775)
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization	395	273	224
Impairment		0	0
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	9	(9)	715
Identifiable Assets	4,716	3,850
Property, Plant and Equipment (Net)	3,154	2,964
Capital Expenditures	$ 620	$ 415	$ 452