Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs (Details) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)
Changes in Capitalized Well Costs
Beginning balance	$ 36,000
Additions pending the determination of proved reserves	9,000
Divestitures and other	0
Reclassifications to proved properties	(18,000)
Charges to exploration expense	0
Ending balance	27,000
Capitalized exploratory well costs that have been capitalized for period greater than one year	$ 1,000

Capitalized Exploratory Well Cost, Divestitures Pending Determination of Proved Reserves

No definition available.

Name:	chk_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCostDivestituresPendingDeterminationofProvedReserves
Namespace Prefix:	chk_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Additions to capitalized exploratory well costs that were added during the reporting period pending the determination of proved reserves.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 932
-SubTopic 235
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064819&loc=SL6806780-109447

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of expense for capitalized exploratory well costs for which proved reserves were not found at the exploratory well.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 932
-SubTopic 235
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064819&loc=SL6806780-109447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCostChargedToExpense1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of capitalized exploratory well costs that is pending the determination of proved reserves. This does not include amounts that were capitalized and subsequently expensed in the same annual period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 932
-SubTopic 235
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064819&loc=SL6806780-109447

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount of exploratory well costs that have been capitalized for a period of greater than one year after the completion of drilling.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 932
-SubTopic 235
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064819&loc=SL6806780-109447

+ Details

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

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Previously capitalized costs of the drilling of wells that were reclassified as part of the costs of the enterprise's wells and related equipment and facilities at the time that proved reserves were found.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 932
-SubTopic 235
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064819&loc=SL6806780-109447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReclassificationToWellFacilitiesAndEquipmentBasedOnDeterminationOfProvedReserves
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration