Segment Information - Summarized Financial Information (Details) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) segment	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 5,049	$ 5,882	$ 15,210	$ 17,490
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in loss of affiliate		(264)	224	(16,666)	446
Inventory impairments		(42)		(218)	0
Goodwill impairment		0	0	(14,717)	0
Other non-operating loss, net		(149)	(14)	(367)	(124)
Interest expense, net		(66)	(59)	(195)	(174)
Assets	[1]	37,265		$ 37,265		$ 53,213
Number of operating segments | segment				4
Operating segments
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in loss of affiliate		349	531	$ 931	1,370
Assets		32,028		32,028		50,310
Corporate
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in loss of affiliate		(115)	(109)	(353)	(314)
Segment reconciling items
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Inventory impairments		(42)	0	(218)	0
Goodwill impairment		0	0	(14,717)	0
Restructuring, impairment and other		(209)	(71)	(1,637)	(183)
Separation related		(32)	(54)	(110)	(128)
Other non-operating loss, net		(149)	(14)	(367)	(124)
Interest expense, net		(66)	(59)	(195)	(174)
Corporate and eliminations
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Assets		5,237		5,237		2,903
Oilfield Services
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		2,308	3,348	7,858	9,597
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment				(11,428)
Oilfield Services | Operating segments
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in loss of affiliate		93	274	345	683
Assets		15,724		15,724		30,317
Oilfield Equipment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		726	728	2,133	2,156
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment				(3,289)
Oilfield Equipment | Operating segments
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in loss of affiliate		19	14	(4)	40
Assets		3,687		3,687		7,645
Turbomachinery & Process Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		1,513	1,197	3,759	3,904
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment				0
Turbomachinery & Process Solutions | Operating segments
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in loss of affiliate		191	161	473	414
Assets		8,727		8,727		8,365
Digital Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues		503	609	1,460	1,833
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Goodwill impairment				0
Digital Solutions | Operating segments
Summarized financial information [Abstract]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in loss of affiliate		46	$ 82	117	$ 234
Assets		$ 3,890		$ 3,890		$ 3,983

[1] Total assets include $111 million and $273 million of assets held on behalf of General Electric Company, of which $85 million and $162 million is cash and cash equivalents and $26 million and $111 million is investment securities at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, and a corresponding amount of liability is reported in short-term debt. See "Note 15. Related Party Transactions" for further details.