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] 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, 2016		$ 1,771			$ 14,486		$ (17,603)	$ (96)	$ (27)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange/conversions of 0 and 236,048 shares of preferred stock for common stock			$ (100)
Stock-based compensation					43
Exchange of preferred stock for 0 and 9,965,835 shares of common stock						$ 100
Equity component of contingent convertible notes repurchased, net of tax					(20)
Dividends on preferred stock					(160)
Net income attributable to Chesapeake	$ 616						616
Cumulative effect of accounting change							0
Hedging activity								29
Purchase of 1,499,033 and 1,194,986 shares for company benefit plans									(7)
Release of 431,474 and 92,015 shares from company benefit plans									2
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Sep. 30, 2017		1,671		$ 9	14,449		(16,987)	(67)	(32)	$ (957)
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2016											$ 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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
TOTAL EQUITY (DEFICIT)	(704)
TOTAL EQUITY (DEFICIT)	(372)
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2017	(496)	1,671			14,437		(16,525)	(57)	(31)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange/conversions of 0 and 236,048 shares of preferred stock for common stock			$ 0
Stock-based compensation					26
Exchange of preferred stock for 0 and 9,965,835 shares of common stock						$ 0
Equity component of contingent convertible notes repurchased, net of tax					0
Dividends on preferred stock					(69)
Net income attributable to Chesapeake	360						360
Cumulative effect of accounting change							(8)
Hedging activity								25
Purchase of 1,499,033 and 1,194,986 shares for company benefit plans									(4)
Release of 431,474 and 92,015 shares from company benefit plans									4
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Sep. 30, 2018	(162)	$ 1,671		$ 9	$ 14,394		$ (16,173)	$ (32)	$ (31)	$ (162)
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2017	124										124
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(3)										3
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners											(4)
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period at Sep. 30, 2018	123										$ 123
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
TOTAL EQUITY (DEFICIT)	$ (39)