Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 987	$ 287	$ 142	$ 351
Restricted cash	75	111
Other	2,932	2,546
Current assets held for sale	0	4
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	3,994	2,948
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Natural gas and oil properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	32,519	31,918
Other property and equipment, net	4,005	4,615
Property and equipment held for sale, net	597	634
Total Property and Equipment, Net	37,121	37,167
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other assets	1,173	1,496
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	42,288	41,611
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	5,678	6,245
Current liabilities held for sale	0	21
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	5,678	6,266
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	12,736	12,157
Deferred income tax liabilities	3,423	2,807
Other long-term liabilities	2,103	2,485
Total Long-Term Liabilities	18,262	17,449
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	16,196	15,569
Noncontrolling interests	2,152	2,327
Total Equity	18,348	17,896	17,691
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	42,288	41,611
Parent
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	966	228	61	1
Restricted cash	0	0
Other	104	1
Current assets held for sale	0	0
Intercompany receivable, net	25,863	25,356
Total Current Assets	26,933	25,585
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Natural gas and oil properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	0	0
Other property and equipment, net	0	0
Property and equipment held for sale, net	0	0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	0	0
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other assets	114	217
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	2,211	2,241
TOTAL ASSETS	29,258	28,043
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	242	789
Current liabilities held for sale		0
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	242	789
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	11,801	11,089
Deferred income tax liabilities	638	361
Other long-term liabilities	381	235
Total Long-Term Liabilities	12,820	11,685
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	16,196	15,569
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	16,196	15,569
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	29,258	28,043
Guarantor Subsidiaries
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Other	2,606	2,378
Current assets held for sale	0	0
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	2,606	2,378
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Natural gas and oil properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	29,245	29,083
Other property and equipment, net	2,561	3,066
Property and equipment held for sale, net	571	255
Total Property and Equipment, Net	32,377	32,404
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other assets	1,316	1,396
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	(238)	(186)
TOTAL ASSETS	36,061	35,992
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	5,427	5,377
Current liabilities held for sale		0
Intercompany payable, net	24,740	24,166
Total Current Liabilities	30,167	29,543
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities	2,397	2,425
Other long-term liabilities	1,286	1,783
Total Long-Term Liabilities	3,683	4,208
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	2,211	2,241
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	2,211	2,241
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	36,061	35,992
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	14	59	81	350
Restricted cash	82	111
Other	645	512
Current assets held for sale	0	4
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	741	686
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Natural gas and oil properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	3,123	3,057
Other property and equipment, net	1,445	1,549
Property and equipment held for sale, net	26	379
Total Property and Equipment, Net	4,594	4,985
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other assets	115	261
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	5,450	5,932
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	431	424
Current liabilities held for sale		21
Intercompany payable, net	1,279	1,312
Total Current Liabilities	1,710	1,757
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	935	1,068
Deferred income tax liabilities	60	127
Other long-term liabilities	900	839
Total Long-Term Liabilities	1,895	2,034
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	1,845	2,141
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	1,845	2,141
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	5,450	5,932
Eliminations
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	7	0	0	0
Restricted cash	(7)	0
Other	(423)	(345)
Current assets held for sale	0	0
Intercompany receivable, net	(25,863)	(25,356)
Total Current Assets	(26,286)	(25,701)
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Natural gas and oil properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	151	(222)
Other property and equipment, net	(1)	0
Property and equipment held for sale, net	0	0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	150	(222)
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other assets	(372)	(378)
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	(1,973)	(2,055)
TOTAL ASSETS	(28,481)	(28,356)
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	(422)	(345)
Current liabilities held for sale		0
Intercompany payable, net	(26,019)	(25,478)
Total Current Liabilities	(26,441)	(25,823)
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities	328	(106)
Other long-term liabilities	(464)	(372)
Total Long-Term Liabilities	(136)	(478)
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	(4,056)	(4,382)
Noncontrolling interests	2,152	2,327
Total Equity	(1,904)	(2,055)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	$ (28,481)	$ (28,356)