Charges and Credits - Additional Information (Detail)		3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2019 USD ($) Unit	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Total number of reporting units | Unit	17
Goodwill	$ 25,000,000,000.0	$ 16,112,000,000					$ 16,112,000,000	$ 24,931,000,000
Expected increase in discount rate assumption		0.50%
Increase in goodwill impairment charge		$ 300,000,000
Expected decrease in discount rate assumption		0.50%
Decrease in goodwill impairment charge		$ 400,000,000
Intangible assets	1,085,000,000.000
Charges and credits			$ 0		$ 0	$ 0	11,979,000,000
Charges and credits, pre tax							12,692,000,000
Charges of Pressure Pumping Equipment
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets	1,324,000,000
Operating Lease Right-of-use Asset
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets	98,000,000
Supplies Expense
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets	121,000,000
Inventory Charges
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets	19,000,000
Severance Costs
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets	13,000,000						62,000,000
Equity Method Investment, Other Than Temporary Impairment
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets							231,000,000
Carrying Value of Schlumberger Production Management
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets							294,000,000
Restructuring Charges
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets							242,000,000
Acceleration of Stock-based Compensation Expense Associated With Certain Individuals
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets							57,000,000
Business Divestiture Costs
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets							49,000,000
Debt Instrument Premium Paid on Repurchase
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets							29,000,000
Other Impairment and Restructuring Charges
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets							$ 45,000,000
Headcount Reductions | Impairments and Other
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Charges and credits				$ 164,000,000
Charges and credits, pre tax				$ 184,000,000
North America
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets	243,000,000
North America | North America pressure pumping asset impairments
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets	1,575,000,000
North America | Severance Costs
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets	10,000,000
North America | Charges Related to Other Businesses
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets	310,000,000
North America | Fixed Asset Impairment
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets	230,000,000
North America | Inventory Write Down
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets	70,000,000
Argentina | Severance Costs
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets		29,000,000
Argentina | Production Related Impairment or Charges
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets		127,000,000
Argentina | Asset Impairment Charges
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets		72,000,000
Argentina | Devaluation Charge
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets		$ 26,000,000
Smith International, Inc
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Intangible assets	$ 842,000,000
Minimim
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Discount rate utilized		12.50%
Maximum
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Discount rate utilized		14.00%
Seven Reporting Units
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Total number of reporting units | Unit	7
Goodwill	$ 13,800,000,000
Ten Reporting Units
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Total number of reporting units | Unit	10
Goodwill	$ 11,200,000,000
Nine Reporting Units
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Total number of reporting units | Unit	9
Goodwill impairment charge	$ 8,800,000,000
Three Reporting Units
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Total number of reporting units | Unit	3
Goodwill	$ 1,500,000,000
Three Reporting Units | Minimim
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Goodwill	400,000,000
Three Reporting Units | Maximum
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 600,000,000
Tenth Reporting Unit
Charges And Credits [Line Items]
Total number of reporting units | Unit	10
Goodwill	$ 900,000,000