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] 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]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Preferred Stock, 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 Issued During Period, Value, Conversion of Convertible Securities				1
Stock-based compensation					31
Convertible notes exchanged, value						$ 241	$ 229
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	$ (2,844)								(2,844)
Hedging activity										(5)
Purchase of 1,189,813 and 22,810 shares for company benefit plans											0
Release of 73,990 and 157,514 shares from company benefit plans											4
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Jun. 30, 2016		3,036		8	12,930				(16,046)	(104)	(29)	$ (205)
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													2
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, End of Period at Jun. 30, 2016													261
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
TOTAL EQUITY (DEFICIT)	56
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 Issued During Period, Value, Conversion of Convertible Securities				0
Stock-based compensation					29
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	634								634
Hedging activity										21
Purchase of 1,189,813 and 22,810 shares for company benefit plans											(6)
Release of 73,990 and 157,514 shares from company benefit plans											1
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Jun. 30, 2017	(938)	$ 1,671		$ 9	$ 14,458				$ (16,969)	$ (75)	$ (32)	$ (938)
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	2												2
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners													(5)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, End of Period at Jun. 30, 2017	254												$ 254
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
TOTAL EQUITY (DEFICIT)	$ (684)