Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 677	$ 287	$ 1,024	$ 351
Restricted cash	81	111
Other	2,832	2,546
Current assets held for sale	2	4
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	3,592	2,948
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Natural gas and oil properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	32,484	31,918
Other property and equipment at cost, net	4,354	4,615
Property and equipment held for sale, net	511	634
Total Property and Equipment, Net	37,349	37,167
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other assets	1,204	1,496
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	42,145	41,611
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	5,602	6,245
Current liabilities held for sale	18	21
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	5,620	6,266
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	13,057	12,157
Deferred income tax liabilities	3,260	2,807
Other liabilities	2,004	2,485
Total Long-Term Liabilities	18,321	17,449
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders' equity	16,035	15,569
Noncontrolling interests	2,169	2,327
Total Equity	18,204	17,896	19,788
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	42,145	41,611
Parent
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Other	95	1
Current assets held for sale	0	0
Intercompany receivable, net	25,923	25,584
Total Current Assets	26,018	25,585
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Natural gas and oil properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	0	0
Other property and equipment at cost, net	0	0
Property and equipment held for sale, net	0	0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	0	0
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other assets	121	217
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	3,117	2,241
TOTAL ASSETS	29,256	28,043
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	311	789
Current liabilities held for sale	0	0
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	311	789
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	12,008	11,089
Deferred income tax liabilities	595	361
Other liabilities	307	235
Total Long-Term Liabilities	12,910	11,685
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders' equity	16,035	15,569
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	16,035	15,569
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	29,256	28,043
Guarantor Subsidiaries
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	655	228	911	1
Restricted cash	0	0
Other	2,550	2,369
Current assets held for sale	2	0
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	3,207	2,597
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Natural gas and oil properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	29,270	29,083
Other property and equipment at cost, net	2,595	3,066
Property and equipment held for sale, net	510	255
Total Property and Equipment, Net	32,375	32,404
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other assets	1,331	1,396
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	(143)	(186)
TOTAL ASSETS	36,770	36,211
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	5,316	5,368
Current liabilities held for sale	18	0
Intercompany payable, net	24,242	24,394
Total Current Liabilities	29,576	29,762
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities	2,829	2,425
Other liabilities	1,248	1,783
Total Long-Term Liabilities	4,077	4,208
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders' equity	3,117	2,241
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	3,117	2,241
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	36,770	36,211
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	22	59	113	350
Restricted cash	81	111
Other	686	513
Current assets held for sale	0	4
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	789	687
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Natural gas and oil properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	3,144	3,057
Other property and equipment at cost, net	1,759	1,549
Property and equipment held for sale, net	1	379
Total Property and Equipment, Net	4,904	4,985
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other assets	124	261
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	5,817	5,933
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	474	426
Current liabilities held for sale	0	21
Intercompany payable, net	1,386	1,311
Total Current Liabilities	1,860	1,758
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	1,049	1,068
Deferred income tax liabilities	130	127
Other liabilities	821	839
Total Long-Term Liabilities	2,000	2,034
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders' equity	1,957	2,141
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	1,957	2,141
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	5,817	5,933
Eliminations
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Other	(499)	(337)
Current assets held for sale	0	0
Intercompany receivable, net	(25,923)	(25,584)
Total Current Assets	(26,422)	(25,921)
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Natural gas and oil properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	70	(222)
Other property and equipment at cost, net	0	0
Property and equipment held for sale, net	0	0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	70	(222)
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other assets	(372)	(378)
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	(2,974)	(2,055)
TOTAL ASSETS	(29,698)	(28,576)
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	(499)	(338)
Current liabilities held for sale	0	0
Intercompany payable, net	(25,628)	(25,705)
Total Current Liabilities	(26,127)	(26,043)
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities	(294)	(106)
Other liabilities	(372)	(372)
Total Long-Term Liabilities	(666)	(478)
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders' equity	(5,074)	(4,382)
Noncontrolling interests	2,169	2,327
Total Equity	(2,905)	(2,055)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	$ (29,698)	$ (28,576)