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					49
Convertible notes exchanged, value						$ 241	$ 229
Exchange of preferred stock for shares of common stock								$ 26
Equity component of contingent convertible notes repurchased					(25)
Dividends on preferred stock					0
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake	$ (4,059)								(4,059)
Hedging activity										(2)
Purchase of 1,194,986 and 33,955 shares for company benefit plans											0
Release of 92,015 and 182,092 shares from company benefit plans											4
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Sep. 30, 2016		3,036		8	12,923				(17,261)	(101)	(29)	$ (1,424)
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	1												1
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners													(1)
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period at Sep. 30, 2016													259
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
TOTAL EQUITY (DEFICIT)	(1,165)
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					43
Convertible notes exchanged, value						$ 0	$ 0
Exchange of preferred stock for shares of common stock								$ 100
Equity component of contingent convertible notes repurchased					(20)
Dividends on preferred stock					(160)
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake	616								616
Hedging activity										29
Purchase of 1,194,986 and 33,955 shares for company benefit plans											(7)
Release of 92,015 and 182,092 shares from company benefit plans											2
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Sep. 30, 2017	(957)	$ 1,671		$ 9	$ 14,449				$ (16,987)	$ (67)	$ (32)	$ (957)
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	3												3
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners													(7)
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period at Sep. 30, 2017	253												$ 253
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
TOTAL EQUITY (DEFICIT)	$ (704)