Leases - Right-of-use Assets and Liability (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
ROU Assets
Operating Leases	$ 275	$ 0
Finance Leases	172
Total ROU Assets	447
Current Liabilities
Operating Leases	97	0
Finance Leases	42	41
Noncurrent Liabilities
Operating Leases	209	$ 0
Finance Leases	164
Total Lease Liabilities	512
Office Space
ROU Assets
Operating Leases	117
Finance Leases	92
Compressors
ROU Assets
Operating Leases	93
Drilling Rigs
ROU Assets
Operating Leases	29
Trunklines
ROU Assets
Operating Leases	$ 32

Lease Liability

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Lease Liability, Current [Abstract]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Lease Liability, Noncurrent [Abstract]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Leases, Right-of-use Assets

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nbl_LeasesRightofuseAssets
Namespace Prefix:	nbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Right-of-use Assets [Abstract]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	nbl_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from finance lease, classified as current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918627-209977

+ Details

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

- Definition

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from finance lease, classified as noncurrent.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of lessee's right to use underlying asset under finance lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918627-209977

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseRightOfUseAsset
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from operating lease, classified as current.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from operating lease, classified as noncurrent.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of lessee's right to use underlying asset under operating lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918627-209977

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

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- Details

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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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