2.2.0.25falsefalse0605 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (Details)truefalseIn Millionsfalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2011 - 3/31/2011 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $Jan-01-2011_Mar-31-2011http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000808362duration2011-01-01T00:00:002011-03-31T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDEPSDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 3/31/2010 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $ThreeMonthsEnded_31Mar2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000808362duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-03-31T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDEPSDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$3true0us-gaap_EarningsPerShareAbstractus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalseNet income attributable to Baker Hughes per share:4false0us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasicus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse435000000435falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse313000000313falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesNumber of [basic] shares, after adjustment for contingently issuable shares and other shares not deemed outstanding, determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that common shares have been outstanding to the total time in that period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 171 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph a Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 8 falsefalseWeighted average common shares outstanding for basic EPS5false0us-gaap_IncrementalCommonSharesAttributableToShareBasedPaymentArrangementsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse20000002falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesAggregate awards of share options and nonvested shares to be issued to an employee under a share-based compensation arrangement are considered options for purposes of computing diluted earnings per share. Such share-based awards shall be considered to be outstanding as of the grant date for purposes of computing diluted earnings per share even though their exercise may be contingent upon vesting. Those share-based awards are included in the diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) computation even if the employee may not receive (or be able to sell) the stock until some future date. Accordingly, all shares to be issued shall be included in computing diluted EPS if the effect is dilutive. The dilutive effect of share-based compensation arrangements shall be computed using the treasury stock method. If the equity share options or other equity instruments are outstanding for only part of a period, the shares issuable shall be weighted to reflect the portion of the period during which the equity instruments were outstanding.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 20 truefalseEffect of dilutive securities - stock plans6false0us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberDilutedSharesOutstandingAdjustmentus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse437000000437falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse313000000313falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesThe sum of dilutive potential common shares used in the calculation of the diluted per-share computation.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph a truefalseAdjusted weighted average common shares outstanding for diluted EPS7true0bhi_FuturePotentiallyDilutiveSharesExcludedFromDilutedEpsAbstractbhifalsenadurationFuture potentially dilutive shares excluded from diluted EPS Abstract.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringFuture potentially dilutive shares excluded from diluted EPS Abstract.falsefalseFuture potentially dilutive shares excluded from diluted EPS:8false0us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmountus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse30000003falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse20000002falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesSecurities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because to do so would increase EPS amounts or decrease loss per share amounts for the period presented.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 13, 14 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 171 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 128 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph c truefalseOptions with an exercise price greater than average market price for the period26Earnings Per Share (Details)UnKnownMillionsUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue