1.0.0.3 false Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $) In Millions false 1 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 false 2 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 4 Current Assets: 2 us-gaap_AssetsCurrentAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 5 Cash and cash equivalents 3 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 1595000000 1595 false false 2 true true 1955000000 1955 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 6 Accounts receivable - less allowance for doubtful accounts (2009 - $157; 2008 - $74) 3 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2331000000 2331 false false 2 false true 2759000000 2759 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 7 Inventories, net 3 us-gaap_InventoryNet us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1836000000 1836 false false 2 false true 2021000000 2021 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 8 Deferred income taxes 3 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 268000000 268 false false 2 false true 231000000 231 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 Other current assets 3 us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 195000000 195 false false 2 false true 179000000 179 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 10 Total current assets 3 us-gaap_AssetsCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 6225000000 6225 false false 2 false true 7145000000 7145 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Property, plant and equipment - less accumulated depreciation (2009 - $3,668; 2008 - $3,203) 2 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3161000000 3161 false false 2 false true 2833000000 2833 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Goodwill 2 us-gaap_Goodwill us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1418000000 1418 false false 2 false true 1389000000 1389 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 13 Intangible assets, net 2 us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 195000000 195 false false 2 false true 198000000 198 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 14 Other assets 2 us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 440000000 440 false false 2 false true 296000000 296 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 15 Total assets 2 us-gaap_Assets us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 11439000000 11439 false false 2 false true 11861000000 11861 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 17 Current Liabilities: 2 us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrentAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 18 Accounts payable 3 us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 821000000 821 false false 2 false true 888000000 888 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 19 Short-term borrowings and current portion of long-term debt 3 us-gaap_DebtCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 15000000 15 false false 2 false true 558000000 558 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 20 Accrued employee compensation 3 us-gaap_EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 448000000 448 false false 2 false true 530000000 530 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 21 Income taxes payable 3 us-gaap_AccruedIncomeTaxesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 95000000 95 false false 2 false true 272000000 272 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 22 Other accrued liabilities 3 us-gaap_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 234000000 234 false false 2 false true 263000000 263 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 23 Total current liabilities 3 us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1613000000 1613 false false 2 false true 2511000000 2511 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 24 Long-term debt 2 us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1785000000 1785 false false 2 false true 1775000000 1775 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Deferred income taxes and other tax liabilities 2 bhi_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesAndLiabilitiyForUncertainTaxPositionsNonCurrent bhi false credit instant monetary Represents the noncurrent portion of deferred tax liabilities, which result from applying the applicable tax rate to net... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 309000000 309 false false 2 false true 384000000 384 false false Represents the noncurrent portion of deferred tax liabilities, which result from applying the applicable tax rate to net taxable temporary differences pertaining to each jurisdiction to which the entity is obligated to pay income tax. A noncurrent taxable temporary difference is a difference between the tax basis and the carrying amount of a noncurrent asset or liability in the financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. In a classified statement of financial position, an enterprise shall separate deferred tax liabilities and assets into a current amount and a noncurrent amount. Deferred tax liabilities and assets shall be classified as current or noncurrent based on the classification of the related asset or liability for financial reporting. A deferred tax liability or asset that is not related to an asset or liability for financial reporting, including deferred tax assets related to carryforwards, shall be classified according to the expected reversal date of the temporary difference. Liability for uncertain tax positions is the noncurrent portion of the amount recognized for uncertain tax positions as of the balance sheet date. No authoritative reference available. false 26 Liabilities for pensions and other postretirement benefits 2 us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementDefinedBenefitPlansLiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 379000000 379 false false 2 false true 317000000 317 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 27 Other liabilities 2 us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 69000000 69 false false 2 false true 67000000 67 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 29 Stockholders' Equity: 2 us-gaap_StockholdersEquityAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 30 Common stock, one dollar par value (shares authorized - 750; issued and outstanding: 2009 - 312; 2008 - 309) 3 us-gaap_CommonStockValue us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 312000000 312 false false 2 false true 309000000 309 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 31 Capital in excess of par value 3 us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalCommonStock us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 874000000 874 false false 2 false true 745000000 745 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 32 Retained earnings 3 us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 6512000000 6512 false false 2 false true 6276000000 6276 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 Accumulated other comprehensive loss 3 us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -414000000 -414 false false 2 false true -523000000 -523 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 34 Total stockholders' equity 3 us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 7284000000 7284 false false 2 false true 6807000000 6807 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 35 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity 2 us-gaap_LiabilitiesAndStockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 11439000000 11439 false false 2 true true 11861000000 11861 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true false 2 30 false Millions UnKnown UnKnown false true