1.0.0.3 false Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Millions false 1 $ false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 2 $ false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 3 $ false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 3 Cash flows from operating activities: 1 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesAbstract 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 4 Net income 2 us-gaap_ProfitLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 421000000 421 false false 2 true true 1635000000 1635 false false 3 true true 1514000000 1514 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 5 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash flows from operating activities: 2 us-gaap_AdjustmentsToReconcileNetIncomeLossToCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesAbstract 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 6 Depreciation and amortization 3 us-gaap_DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 711000000 711 false false 2 false true 637000000 637 false false 3 false true 521000000 521 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 7 (Gain) loss on investments 3 us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesGainLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -4000000 -4 false false 2 false true 25000000 25 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 8 Stock-based compensation costs 3 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 88000000 88 false false 2 false true 60000000 60 false false 3 false true 51000000 51 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 (Benefit) provision for deferred income taxes 3 us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -256000000 -256 false false 2 false true -21000000 -21 false false 3 false true -4000000 -4 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Gain on sale of product line 3 us-gaap_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposal us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true -28000000 -28 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Gain on disposal of assets 3 us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -64000000 -64 false false 2 false true -101000000 -101 false false 3 false true -79000000 -79 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Provision for doubtful accounts 3 us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 94000000 94 false false 2 false true 31000000 31 false false 3 false true 22000000 22 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 13 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: 3 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOperatingCapitalAbstract 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 14 Accounts receivable 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 399000000 399 false false 2 false true -515000000 -515 false false 3 false true -309000000 -309 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Inventories 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 240000000 240 false false 2 false true -371000000 -371 false false 3 false true -142000000 -142 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 16 Accounts payable 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayableTrade us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -89000000 -89 false false 2 false true 242000000 242 false false 3 false true 26000000 26 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 17 Accrued employee compensation and other accrued liabilities 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -130000000 -130 false false 2 false true 90000000 90 false false 3 false true -139000000 -139 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 18 Income taxes payable 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedIncomeTaxesPayable us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -169000000 -169 false false 2 false true 76000000 76 false false 3 false true 129000000 129 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 19 Income taxes paid on sale of interest in affiliate 3 bhi_IncomeTaxesPaidOnSaleOfInterestInAffiliate bhi false debit duration monetary Income tax payments related to the sale of our interest in affiliate. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false 3 false true -125000000 -125 false false Income tax payments related to the sale of our interest in affiliate. No authoritative reference available. false 20 Liabilities for pensions and other postretirement benefits and other liabilities 3 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInPensionAndPostretirementObligations us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 13000000 13 false false 2 false true -38000000 -38 false false 3 false true -4000000 -4 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 21 Other 3 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherOperatingCapitalNet us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -15000000 -15 false false 2 false true -108000000 -108 false false 3 false true 14000000 14 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 22 Net cash flows from operations 2 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1239000000 1239 false false 2 false true 1614000000 1614 false false 3 false true 1475000000 1475 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 23 Cash flows from investing activities: 1 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivitiesAbstract 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 24 Expenditures for capital assets 2 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -1086000000 -1086 false false 2 false true -1303000000 -1303 false false 3 false true -1127000000 -1127 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment 2 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 163000000 163 false false 2 false true 222000000 222 false false 3 false true 179000000 179 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 26 Proceeds from sale of businesses and interests in affiliates 2 us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinessesAndInterestsInAffiliates us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 31000000 31 false false 3 false true 10000000 10 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 27 Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired 2 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -58000000 -58 false false 2 false true -120000000 -120 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 28 Proceeds from sale of investments 2 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebt us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 15000000 15 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 29 Purchase of short-term investments 2 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireAvailableForSaleSecurities us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false 3 false true -2521000000 -2521 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 30 Proceeds from maturities of short-term investments 2 us-gaap_ProceedsFromMaturitiesPrepaymentsAndCallsOfAvailableForSaleSecurities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false 3 false true 2839000000 2839 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 31 Net cash flows from investing activities 2 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -966000000 -966 false false 2 false true -1170000000 -1170 false false 3 false true -620000000 -620 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 32 Cash flows from financing activities: 1 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivitiesAbstract 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 33 Net (repayments) borrowings of commercial paper and other short-term debt 2 us-gaap_ProceedsFromRepaymentsOfShortTermDebt us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -16000000 -16 false false 2 false true 15000000 15 false false 3 false true 14000000 14 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 34 Repayment of long-term debt 2 us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -525000000 -525 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 35 Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt 2 us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 1235000000 1235 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 36 Proceeds from issuance of common stock 2 us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 51000000 51 false false 2 false true 87000000 87 false false 3 false true 67000000 67 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 37 Repurchase of common stock 2 us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true -627000000 -627 false false 3 false true -521000000 -521 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 38 Dividends 2 us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -185000000 -185 false false 2 false true -173000000 -173 false false 3 false true -167000000 -167 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 39 Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation 2 us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 4000000 4 false false 3 false true 14000000 14 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 40 Net cash flows from financing activities 2 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -675000000 -675 false false 2 false true 541000000 541 false false 3 false true -593000000 -593 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 41 Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash 1 us-gaap_EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashAndCashEquivalents us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 42000000 42 false false 2 false true -84000000 -84 false false 3 false true 42000000 42 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 42 (Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents 1 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -360000000 -360 false false 2 false true 901000000 901 false false 3 false true 304000000 304 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 43 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year 1 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false true false false 1 false true 1955000000 1955 false false 2 false true 1054000000 1054 false false 3 false true 750000000 750 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 44 Cash and cash equivalents, end of year 1 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false true false 1 false true 1595000000 1595 false false 2 false true 1955000000 1955 false false 3 false true 1054000000 1054 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 45 Supplemental cash flows disclosures: 1 us-gaap_SupplementalCashFlowInformationAbstract 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 46 Income taxes paid 2 us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 604000000 604 false false 2 false true 621000000 621 false false 3 false true 717000000 717 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 47 Interest paid 2 us-gaap_InterestPaid us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 154000000 154 false false 2 false true 86000000 86 false false 3 false true 76000000 76 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 48 Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing activities: 1 us-gaap_CashFlowNoncashInvestingAndFinancingActivitiesDisclosureAbstract 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 49 Capital expenditures included in accounts payable 2 us-gaap_CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 29000000 29 false false 2 true true 43000000 43 false false 3 true true 40000000 40 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false false 3 47 false Millions UnKnown UnKnown false true