Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Balance Sheets Table (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 4	$ 5
Other current assets	1,231	1,520
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	1,235	1,525
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on full cost accounting, net	10,021	9,350
Other property and equipment, net	1,109	1,314
Property and equipment held for sale, net	47	16
Total Property and Equipment, Net	11,177	10,680
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	247	220
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	12,659	12,425
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	2,976	2,356
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	2,976	2,356
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	9,380	9,921
Other long-term liabilities	342	520
Total Long-Term Liabilities	9,722	10,441
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity (deficit)	(162)	(496)
Noncontrolling interests	123	124
Total Equity (Deficit)	(39)	(372)	$ (704)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	12,659	12,425
Eliminations [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	(4)	(3)
Other current assets	0	(1)
Intercompany receivable, net	(8,208)	(9,133)
Total Current Assets	(8,212)	(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	(1,272)	(660)
TOTAL ASSETS	(9,484)	(9,797)
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	(4)	(4)
Intercompany payable, net	(8,208)	(9,133)
Total Current Liabilities	(8,212)	(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)	(1,272)	(660)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity (Deficit)	(1,272)	(660)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	(9,484)	(9,797)
Parent Company [Member] | Reportable legal entities [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	6	5
Other current assets	69	154
Intercompany receivable, net	8,003	8,697
Total Current Assets	8,078	8,856
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on full cost accounting, net	563	435
Other property and equipment, net	0	0
Property and equipment held for sale, net	0	0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	563	435
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	29	52
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	1,193	806
TOTAL ASSETS	9,863	10,149
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	563	190
Intercompany payable, net	29	433
Total Current Liabilities	592	623
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	9,380	9,921
Other long-term liabilities	53	101
Total Long-Term Liabilities	9,433	10,022
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity (deficit)	(162)	(496)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity (Deficit)	(162)	(496)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	9,863	10,149
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable legal entities [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	1	1
Other current assets	1,160	1,364
Intercompany receivable, net	29	436
Total Current Assets	1,190	1,801
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on full cost accounting, net	9,433	8,888
Other property and equipment, net	1,109	1,314
Property and equipment held for sale, net	47	16
Total Property and Equipment, Net	10,589	10,218
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	218	168
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	79
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances		(146)
TOTAL ASSETS	12,076	12,041
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	2,415	2,168
Intercompany payable, net	8,179	8,648
Total Current Liabilities	10,594	10,816
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	289	419
Total Long-Term Liabilities	289	419
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity (deficit)	1,193	806
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity (Deficit)	1,193	806
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	12,076	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	176	0
Total Current Assets	179	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	204	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)	79	(146)
Noncontrolling interests	123	124
Total Equity (Deficit)	202	(22)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	$ 204	$ 32