Share-Based Compensation - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)
Restricted stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Intrinsic value of restricted stock, vested	$ 20
Unrecognized compensation expense	$ 38
Share-based compensation expense, weighted average period for recognition	2 years 1 month 13 days
Stock option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense, weighted average period for recognition	1 year 8 months 27 days
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Method Used	Black-Scholes option pricing model
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Not yet Recognized, Stock Options	$ 16
Stock option [Member] \| Management [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based compensation, percentage	33.30%
Share-based compensation, award vesting period	3 years
Stock option [Member] \| Management [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Period	7 years
Stock option [Member] \| Management [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Period	10 years
Performance Share Units [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based compensation, award vesting period	3 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Method Used	Monte Carlo simulation
Performance Share Units [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Performance Share Units Maximum Payout Percentage	0.00%
Performance Share Units [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Performance Share Units Maximum Payout Percentage	200.00%
Performance Share Units [Member] \| Management [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based compensation, award vesting period	3 years
Performance Share Units Maximum Payout Percentage	200.00%
Performance Share Grant Maximum Payout Percentage	100.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Terms of Award	less than zero
Performance Share Units [Member] \| Management [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
TSR Component Percentage Performance Share Units	0.00%
Operational Component Percentage Performance Share Units	0.00%
Performance Share Units [Member] \| Management [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
TSR Component Percentage Performance Share Units	100.00%
Operational Component Percentage Performance Share Units	100.00%

Operational Component Percentage Performance Share Units

No definition available.

Name:	chk_OperationalComponentPercentagePerformanceShareUnits
Namespace Prefix:	chk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Performance Share Grant Maximum Payout Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	chk_PerformanceShareGrantMaximumPayoutPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	chk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Performance Share Units Maximum Payout Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	chk_PerformanceShareUnitsMaximumPayoutPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	chk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

TSR Component Percentage Performance Share Units

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	chk_TSRComponentPercentagePerformanceShareUnits
Namespace Prefix:	chk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedPeriodForRecognition1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Unrecognized cost of unvested options awarded to employees as compensation.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedStockOptions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For each plan, identification of the award pricing model or other valuation method used in calculating the weighted average fair values disclosed. The model is also used to calculate the compensation expense that is shown within the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow. Examples of valuation techniques are lattice models (binomial model), closed-form models (Black-Scholes-Merton formula), and a Monte Carlo simulation technique. Fair value is the amount at which an asset or liability could be bought or incurred or sold or settled in a current transaction between willing parties, that is, other than in a forced or liquidation sale. May include disclosures about the assumptions underlying application of the method selected.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (f)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsMethodUsed
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of pertinent provisions of equity-based compensation awards that have actual or potential impact upon the company's financial statements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardTermsOfAward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of vesting of share-based compensation awards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingRightsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Intrinsic value of equity-based compensation awards vested. Excludes stock and unit options.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsAggregateIntrinsicValueVested
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period from grant date that an equity-based award expires, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardExpirationPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis=us-gaap_ManagementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: