Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheet Table (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,759	$ 4,108	$ 90	$ 837
Restricted cash	0	38
Other current assets	203	207
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	3,579	7,468
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	14,726	30,143
Other property and equipment, net	2,139	2,279
Property and equipment held for sale, net	94	93
Total Property and Equipment, Net	16,959	32,515
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	266	497
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	21,286	40,751
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	2,374	3,061
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	4,557	5,863
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	10,674	11,154
Deferred income tax liabilities	574	4,185
Other long-term liabilities	387	679
Total Long-Term Liabilities	12,183	16,683
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	4,282	16,903
Noncontrolling interests	264	1,302
Total Equity	4,546	18,205	17,631
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	21,286	40,751
Parent Company Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,849	4,100	11	799
Restricted cash	0	0
Other current assets	69	55
Intercompany receivable, net	24,909	24,527
Total Current Assets	26,827	28,682
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas 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 long-term assets	112	153
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	(10,358)	126
TOTAL ASSETS	16,581	28,961
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	1,529	792
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	1,529	792
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	10,674	11,154
Deferred income tax liabilities	(5)	0
Other long-term liabilities	101	112
Total Long-Term Liabilities	10,770	11,266
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	4,282	16,903
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	4,282	16,903
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	16,581	28,961
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	12	2	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Other current assets	1,736	3,174
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	1,748	3,176
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	13,503	28,358
Other property and equipment, net	2,139	2,276
Property and equipment held for sale, net	94	93
Total Property and Equipment, Net	15,736	30,727
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	626	618
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	788	467
TOTAL ASSETS	18,898	34,988
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	3,118	5,081
Intercompany payable, net	24,788	24,940
Total Current Liabilities	27,906	30,021
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities	516	3,751
Other long-term liabilities	834	1,090
Total Long-Term Liabilities	1,350	4,841
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	(10,358)	126
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	(10,358)	126
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	18,898	34,988
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	1	84	90	38
Restricted cash	0	38
Other current assets	15	93
Intercompany receivable, net	457	341
Total Current Assets	473	556
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	98	1,112
Other property and equipment, net	0	3
Property and equipment held for sale, net	0	0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	98	1,115
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	10	26
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	581	1,697
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	13	68
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	13	68
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities	32	234
Other long-term liabilities	0	142
Total Long-Term Liabilities	32	376
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	536	1,253
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	536	1,253
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	581	1,697
Eliminations [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	(103)	(78)	$ (11)	$ 0
Restricted cash	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Intercompany receivable, net	(25,366)	(24,868)
Total Current Assets	(25,469)	(24,946)
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties, at cost based on full cost accounting, net	1,125	673
Other property and equipment, net	0	0
Property and equipment held for sale, net	0	0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	1,125	673
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	0	(29)
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	9,570	(593)
TOTAL ASSETS	(14,774)	(24,895)
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	(103)	(78)
Intercompany payable, net	(24,788)	(24,940)
Total Current Liabilities	(24,891)	(25,018)
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities	31	200
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total Long-Term Liabilities	31	200
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	9,822	(1,379)
Noncontrolling interests	264	1,302
Total Equity	10,086	(77)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	(14,774)	(24,895)
Consolidated Entities [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Other current assets	1,820	3,322
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	748	768
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	4,557	5,863
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Other long-term liabilities	$ 935	$ 1,344