Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheets Table (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	[1]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 8	$ 4
Other current assets	1,357	1,594
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	1,365	1,598
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on successful efforts accounting, net	13,767	9,712
Other property and equipment, net	1,156	1,091
Property and equipment held for sale, net	16	15
Total Property and Equipment, Net	14,939	10,818
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	333	319
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	16,637	12,735
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	2,930	2,887
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	2,930	2,887
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	9,167	7,341
Other long-term liabilities	402	374
Total Long-Term Liabilities	9,569	7,715
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	4,097	2,092
Noncontrolling interests	41	41
Total Equity	4,138	2,133	$ 1,942
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	16,637	12,735
Eliminations
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	(2)	(2)
Other current assets	0	0
Intercompany receivable, net	(6,350)	(6,671)
Total Current Assets	(6,352)	(6,673)
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on successful efforts 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	(310)	0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	(8,020)	(3,257)
TOTAL ASSETS	(14,682)	(9,930)
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	(2)	(2)
Intercompany payable, net	(6,350)	(6,671)
Total Current Liabilities	(6,352)	(6,673)
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	(310)	0
Total Long-Term Liabilities	(310)	0
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	(8,020)	(3,257)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	(8,020)	(3,257)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	(14,682)	(9,930)
Parent | Reportable legal entities
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	3	4
Other current assets	53	60
Intercompany receivable, net	6,350	6,671
Total Current Assets	6,406	6,735
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on successful efforts 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	347	26
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	5,692	3,248
TOTAL ASSETS	12,445	10,009
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	521	523
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	521	523
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	7,775	7,341
Other long-term liabilities	52	53
Total Long-Term Liabilities	7,827	7,394
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	4,097	2,092
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	4,097	2,092
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	12,445	10,009
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	1	1
Other current assets	1,208	1,532
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	1,209	1,533
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on successful efforts accounting, net	9,673	9,664
Other property and equipment, net	1,077	1,091
Property and equipment held for sale, net	16	15
Total Property and Equipment, Net	10,766	10,770
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	245	293
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	2,328	9
TOTAL ASSETS	14,548	12,605
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	2,203	2,365
Intercompany payable, net	6,350	6,671
Total Current Liabilities	8,553	9,036
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	303	321
Total Long-Term Liabilities	303	321
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	5,692	3,248
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	5,692	3,248
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	14,548	12,605
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	6	1
Other current assets	96	2
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	102	3
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties at cost, based on successful efforts accounting, net	4,094	48
Other property and equipment, net	79	0
Property and equipment held for sale, net	0	0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	4,173	48
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	51	0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	4,326	51
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	208	1
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	208	1
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	1,392	0
Other long-term liabilities	357	0
Total Long-Term Liabilities	1,749	0
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	2,328	9
Noncontrolling interests	41	41
Total Equity	2,369	50
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	$ 4,326	$ 51

[1] Financial information for prior periods has been recast to reflect the retrospective application of the successful efforts method of accounting. See Note 1.