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Asset Retirement Obligations (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]    
Asset Retirement Obligations, Beginning Balance $ 751us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation $ 586us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation
Liabilities Incurred 10us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred 1us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred
Liabilities Settled (8)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled (14)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled
Revision of Estimate 24us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate 72us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate
Accretion Expense (10)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense [1] (10)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense [1]
Asset Retirement Obligations, Ending Balance 787us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation 655us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation
Onshore US [Member]    
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]    
Liabilities Incurred 4us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= nbl_OnshoreUSMember
 
Liabilities Settled   (24)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= nbl_OnshoreUSMember
Deepwater Gulf of Mexico [Member]    
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]    
Liabilities Incurred 6us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= nbl_DeepwaterGulfOfMexicoMember
 
Other (Onshore US) [Member]    
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]    
Liabilities Settled   (17)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= nbl_OtherOnshoreUsMember
North Sea [Member]    
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]    
Liabilities Settled   (27)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= nbl_NorthSeaMember
Revision of Estimate   $ 67us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= nbl_NorthSeaMember
[1] Accretion expense is included in DD&A expense in the consolidated statements of operations.