Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Balance Sheets Table (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 3	$ 5
Other current assets	1,237	1,520
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	1,240	1,525
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on full cost accounting, net	9,675	9,350
Other property and equipment, net	1,164	1,314
Property and equipment held for sale, net	11	16
Total Property and Equipment, Net	10,850	10,680
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	251	220
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	12,341	12,425
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	2,873	2,356
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	2,873	2,356
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	9,238	9,921
Other long-term liabilities	347	520
Total Long-Term Liabilities	9,585	10,441
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity (deficit)	(240)	(496)
Noncontrolling interests	123	124
Total Equity (Deficit)	(117)	(372)	$ (684)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	12,341	12,425
Eliminations [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	(5)	(3)
Other current assets	0	(1)
Intercompany receivable, net	(8,338)	(9,133)
Total Current Assets	(8,343)	(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	(985)	(660)
TOTAL ASSETS	(9,328)	(9,797)
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	(5)	(4)
Intercompany payable, net	(8,338)	(9,133)
Total Current Liabilities	(8,343)	(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 (deficit)	(985)	(660)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity (Deficit)	(985)	(660)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	(9,328)	(9,797)
Parent Company [Member] | Reportable legal entities [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	5	5
Other current assets	63	154
Intercompany receivable, net	8,132	8,697
Total Current Assets	8,200	8,856
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on full cost accounting, net	521	435
Other property and equipment, net	0	0
Property and equipment held for sale, net	0	0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	521	435
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	44	52
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	907	806
TOTAL ASSETS	9,672	10,149
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	561	190
Intercompany payable, net	32	433
Total Current Liabilities	593	623
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	9,238	9,921
Other long-term liabilities	81	101
Total Long-Term Liabilities	9,319	10,022
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity (deficit)	(240)	(496)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity (Deficit)	(240)	(496)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	9,672	10,149
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable legal entities [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	1	1
Other current assets	1,173	1,364
Intercompany receivable, net	31	436
Total Current Assets	1,205	1,801
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on full cost accounting, net	9,129	8,888
Other property and equipment, net	1,164	1,314
Property and equipment held for sale, net	11	16
Total Property and Equipment, Net	10,304	10,218
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	207	168
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	78
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances		(146)
TOTAL ASSETS	11,794	12,041
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	2,315	2,168
Intercompany payable, net	8,306	8,648
Total Current Liabilities	10,621	10,816
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	266	419
Total Long-Term Liabilities	266	419
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity (deficit)	907	806
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity (Deficit)	907	806
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	11,794	12,041
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable legal entities [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	2	2
Other current assets	1	3
Intercompany receivable, net	175	0
Total Current Assets	178	5
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on full cost accounting, net	25	27
Other property and equipment, net	0	0
Property and equipment held for sale, net	0	0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	25	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	2	2
Intercompany payable, net	0	52
Total Current Liabilities	2	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 (deficit)	78	(146)
Noncontrolling interests	123	124
Total Equity (Deficit)	201	(22)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	$ 203	$ 32