Earnings (Loss) Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 20, 2015	Mar. 03, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noble Energy				$ (998)	$ (2,441)	$ 1,214
Earnings Adjustment from Assumed Conversion of Dilutive Shares of Common Stock in Rabbi Trust				0	0	(17)
Net Income (Loss) Used for Diluted Earnings (Loss) Per Share Calculation				$ (998)	$ (2,441)	$ 1,197
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic (in shares)				430,000,000	402,000,000	361,000,000
Incremental Shares From Assumed Conversion of Dilutive Stock Options and Restricted Stock (in shares)				0	0	6,000,000
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted (in shares)				430,000,000	402,000,000	367,000,000
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Per Share, Basic (in dollars per share)				$ (2.32)	$ (6.07)	$ 3.36
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Per Share, Diluted (in dollars per share)				$ (2.32)	$ (6.07)	$ 3.27
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount (in shares)				14,000,000	10,000,000	3,000,000
Weighted average Exercise Price of antidilutive options (in dollars per share)				$ 45.69	$ 52.39	$ 60.30
Shares issued				0	24,150,000
Shares of Noble Energy common stock issued to Rosetta shareholders				0	41,048,240
Underwritten Public Offering
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Shares issued		21,000,000	24,150,000
Rosetta Resources, Inc
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Shares of Noble Energy common stock issued to Rosetta shareholders	41,000,000