Income Taxes - Income Tax Provision, Effective Income Tax Reconciliation, and Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Components of income (loss) before income taxes [Abstract]
Domestic	$ (953)	$ (2,831)	$ (1,859)
Foreign	1,093	640	87
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes	140	(2,191)	(1,772)
Current Taxes
Federal	22	(11)	(4)
State	2	1	5
Foreign	172	96	196
Total Current	196	86	197
Deferred Taxes
Federal	(123)	(1,258)	(784)
State	(7)	(8)	(24)
Foreign	60	39	(176)
Total Deferred	(70)	(1,227)	(984)
Total Income Tax Provision (Benefit) Attributable to Noble Energy	$ 126	$ (1,141)	$ (787)
Effective Tax Rate (in hundredths)	90.00%	52.10%	44.40%
Federal statutory tax rate reconciliation [Abstract]
Federal Statutory Rate (in hundredths)	21.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Effect of
Goodwill Impairment	192.50%	0.00%	0.00%
Change in Valuation Allowance	(170.20%)	(17.40%)	(2.00%)
US and Foreign Statutory Rate Change	80.70%	23.50%	1.60%
Accumulated Undistributed Foreign Earnings	0.00%	11.00%	7.20%
Transition Tax	0.00%	(4.80%)	0.00%
Difference Between US and Foreign Rates	17.90%	1.80%	(0.10%)
Earnings of Equity Method Investees	(20.10%)	1.90%	1.00%
Noncontrolling Interests	(12.10%)	1.10%	0.40%
State Taxes, Net of Federal Benefit	0.90%	0.30%	1.30%
Foreign Exploration Loss	(35.60%)	0.00%	0.00%
Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (GILTI)	24.20%	0.00%	0.00%
Return to Provision	(17.10%)	(0.10%)	(0.20%)
Audit Settlement	5.10%	0.10%	(0.20%)
Oil Profits Tax - Israel	3.30%	(0.10%)	0.00%
Other, Net	(0.50%)	(0.20%)	0.40%
Effective Rate	90.00%	52.10%	44.40%
Deferred Tax Assets
Loss Carryforwards	$ 589	$ 902
Employee Compensation and Benefits	92	97
Mark to Market of Commodity Derivative Instruments	(27)
Mark to Market of Commodity Derivative Instruments		7
Foreign Tax Credits	138	366
Other	157	104
Total Deferred Tax Assets	949	1,476
Valuation Allowance - Foreign Loss Carryforwards and Foreign Tax Credits	(320)	(549)
Net Deferred Tax Assets	629	927
Deferred Tax Liabilities
Property, Plant and Equipment, Principally Due to Differences in Depreciation, Amortization, Lease Impairment and Abandonments	(1,669)	(2,029)
Total Deferred Tax Liability	(1,669)	(2,029)
Net Deferred Tax Liability	$ (1,040)	$ (1,102)