Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2012 Parent	Jun. 30, 2012 Parent	Dec. 31, 2011 Parent		Sep. 30, 2011 Parent	Jun. 30, 2011 Parent	Sep. 30, 2012 Guarantor Subsidiaries	Jun. 30, 2012 Guarantor Subsidiaries	Dec. 31, 2011 Guarantor Subsidiaries	Sep. 30, 2011 Guarantor Subsidiaries	Jun. 30, 2011 Guarantor Subsidiaries	Sep. 30, 2012 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries	Jun. 30, 2012 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries	Dec. 31, 2011 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries	Sep. 30, 2011 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries	Jun. 30, 2011 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries	Sep. 30, 2012 Eliminations	Jun. 30, 2012 Eliminations	Dec. 31, 2011 Eliminations	Sep. 30, 2011 Eliminations	Jun. 30, 2011 Eliminations
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 142	$ 351	$ 111	$ 102	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0	$ 54	$ 1	$ 1	$ 102	$ 102	$ 88	$ 350	$ 350	$ 9	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Restricted cash	156	44			0		0				0		0			156		44			0		0
Other	3,202	2,782			1		1				3,087		2,734			520		259			(406)		(212)
Current assets held for sale	111	0			0						111					0					0
Total Current Assets	3,611	3,177			1		1	[1]			3,252		2,735			764		653			(406)		(212)
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Natural gas and oil properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	33,904	31,200			0		0				30,995		29,659			2,901		2,017			8		(476)
Other property and equipment at cost, net	4,392	5,539			0		0				2,774		4,287			1,618		1,252			0		0
Property and equipment held for sale, net	2,307	0			0						2,283					24					0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	40,603	36,739			0		0				36,052		33,946			4,543		3,269			8		(476)
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other assets	1,334	1,919			288		161	[1]			1,099		2,015			319		120			(372)		(377)
Long-term assets held for sale	123	0			0						123					0					0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0			2,199		3,501	[1]			580		177			0		0			(2,779)		(3,678)
TOTAL ASSETS	45,671	41,835			2,488		3,663	[1]			41,106		38,873			5,626		4,042			(3,549)		(4,743)
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	6,280	7,082			762		288	[1]			5,431		6,709			444		299			(357)		(214)
Current liabilities held for sale	176				0						176					0					0
Intercompany payable to (receivable from) parent	0	0			(26,695)		(21,903)	[1]			26,531		21,489			202		651			(38)		(237)
Total Current Liabilities	6,456	7,082			(25,933)		(21,615)	[1]			32,138		28,198			646		950			(395)		(451)
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	15,755	10,626			12,983		8,226	[1]			1,785		1,720			987		680			0		0
Deferred income tax liabilities	3,418	3,484			73		390	[1]			3,142		3,135			206		196			(3)		(237)
Other liabilities	2,349	2,682			38		38	[1]			1,840		2,319			843		702			(372)		(377)
Long-term liabilities held for sale	2	0			0						2					0					0
Total Long-Term Liabilities	21,524	16,792			13,094		8,654	[1]			6,769		7,174			2,036		1,578			(375)		(614)
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders' equity	15,327	16,624			15,327		16,624	[1]			2,199		3,501			2,944		1,514			(5,143)		(5,015)
Noncontrolling interests	2,364	1,337			0		0				0		0			0		0			2,364		1,337
Total Equity	17,691	17,961	16,298		15,327		16,624	[1]			2,199		3,501			2,944		1,514			(2,779)		(3,678)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	$ 45,671	$ 41,835			$ 2,488		$ 3,663	[1]			$ 41,106		$ 38,873			$ 5,626		$ 4,042			$ (3,549)		$ (4,743)

[1] We have revised the amounts presented as long-term debt in the Guarantor Subsidiaries and Parent columns to properly reflect the long-term debt issued by the Parent of $8.2 billion, which was incorrectly presented as long-term debt attributable to the Guarantor Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2011. The impact of this error was not material to our December 31, 2011 financial statements.