Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Balance Sheets Table (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 4	$ 5
Other current assets	1,220	1,520
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	1,224	1,525
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on full cost accounting, net	9,352	9,350
Other property and equipment, net	1,224	1,314
Property and equipment held for sale, net	16	16
Total Property and Equipment, Net	10,592	10,680
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	270	220
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	12,086	12,425
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	2,354
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	2,354	2,356
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	9,325	9,921
Other long-term liabilities	504	520
Total Long-Term Liabilities	9,829	10,441
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	(220)	(496)
Noncontrolling interests	123	124
Total Equity (Deficit)	(97)	(372)	$ (1,203)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	12,086	12,425
Consolidation, eliminations [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	(32)	(3)
Other current assets	(2)	(1)
Intercompany receivable, net	(8,189)	(9,133)
Total Current Assets	(8,223)	(9,137)
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	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	(884)	(660)
TOTAL ASSETS	(9,107)	(9,797)
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	(34)	(4)
Intercompany payable, net	(8,189)	(9,133)
Total Current Liabilities	(8,223)	(9,137)
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total Long-Term Liabilities	0	0
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	(884)	(660)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity (Deficit)	(884)	(660)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	(9,107)	(9,797)
Parent Company [Member] | Reportable legal entities [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	34	5
Other current assets	73	154
Intercompany receivable, net	7,987	8,697
Total Current Assets	8,094	8,856
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on full cost accounting, net	478	435
Other property and equipment, net	0	0
Property and equipment held for sale, net	0	0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	478	435
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	49	52
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	807	806
TOTAL ASSETS	9,428	10,149
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	197	190
Intercompany payable, net	28	433
Total Current Liabilities	225	623
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	9,325	9,921
Other long-term liabilities	98	101
Total Long-Term Liabilities	9,423	10,022
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	(220)	(496)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity (Deficit)	(220)	(496)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	9,428	10,149
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable legal entities [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	1	1
Other current assets	1,147	1,364
Intercompany receivable, net	29	436
Total Current Assets	1,177	1,801
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on full cost accounting, net	8,847	8,888
Other property and equipment, net	1,224	1,314
Property and equipment held for sale, net	16	16
Total Property and Equipment, Net	10,087	10,218
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	221	168
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	77	(146)
TOTAL ASSETS	11,562	12,041
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	2,188	2,168
Intercompany payable, net	8,161	8,648
Total Current Liabilities	10,349	10,816
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	406	419
Total Long-Term Liabilities	406	419
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	807	806
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity (Deficit)	807	806
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	11,562	12,041
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable legal entities [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	1	2
Other current assets	2	3
Intercompany receivable, net	173	0
Total Current Assets	176	5
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on full cost accounting, net	27	27
Other property and equipment, net	0	0
Property and equipment held for sale, net	0	0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	27	27
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	203	32
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	3	2
Intercompany payable, net	0	52
Total Current Liabilities	3	54
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total Long-Term Liabilities	0	0
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	77	(146)
Noncontrolling interests	123	124
Total Equity (Deficit)	200	(22)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	$ 203	$ 32