CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member] Preferred Stock, Exchanged for Shares of Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Preferred Stock, Exchanged for Shares of Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Contingent Convertible Senior Notes Exchanged for Shares of Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Senior Notes Exchanged for Shares of Common Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Treasury Stock - Common [Member]	Parent [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2015		$ 3,062		$ 7	$ 12,403				$ (13,202)	$ (99)	$ (33)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value			$ (26)
Stock-based compensation					16
Convertible notes exchanged, value							$ 65	$ 11
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Other						$ 26
Equity component of contingent convertible notes repurchased					0
Dividends on preferred stock					0
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake	$ (1,068)								(1,068)
Hedging activity										0
Purchase of 1,185,517 and 10,100 shares for company benefit plans											0
Release of 38,013 and 63,318 shares from company benefit plans											2
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Mar. 31, 2016		3,036		7	12,521				(14,270)	(99)	(31)	$ 1,164
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2015													$ 259
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0												0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners													1
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, End of Period at Mar. 31, 2016													260
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
TOTAL EQUITY (DEFICIT)	1,424
TOTAL EQUITY (DEFICIT)	(1,203)
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2016	(1,460)	1,771		9	14,486				(17,603)	(96)	(27)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value			$ (100)
Stock-based compensation					10
Convertible notes exchanged, value							$ 0	$ 0
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Other						$ 100
Equity component of contingent convertible notes repurchased					(20)
Dividends on preferred stock					(137)
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake	140								140
Hedging activity										14
Purchase of 1,185,517 and 10,100 shares for company benefit plans											(7)
Release of 38,013 and 63,318 shares from company benefit plans											1
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Mar. 31, 2017	(1,459)	$ 1,671		$ 9	$ 14,439				$ (17,463)	$ (82)	$ (33)	$ (1,459)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2016	257												257
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	1												1
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners													(2)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, End of Period at Mar. 31, 2017	256												$ 256
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
TOTAL EQUITY (DEFICIT)	$ (1,203)