Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	[1]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 4	$ 4
Other current assets	1,380	1,594
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	1,384	1,598
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties, at cost based on successful efforts accounting, net	13,688	9,712
Other property and equipment, net	1,145	1,091
Property and equipment held for sale, net	12	15
Total Property and Equipment, Net	14,845	10,818
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	311	319
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	16,540	12,735
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	2,220	2,887
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	2,220	2,887
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	9,701	7,341
Other long-term liabilities	389	374
Total Long-Term Liabilities	10,090	7,715
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	4,191	2,092
Noncontrolling interests	39	41
Total Equity	4,230	2,133	$ 1,689
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	16,540	12,735
Eliminations
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	(8)	(2)
Other current assets	0	0
Intercompany receivable, net	(6,321)	(6,671)
Total Current Assets	(6,329)	(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	(287)	0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	(8,320)	(3,257)
TOTAL ASSETS	(14,936)	(9,930)
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	(8)	(2)
Intercompany payable, net	(6,321)	(6,671)
Total Current Liabilities	(6,329)	(6,673)
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	(287)	0
Total Long-Term Liabilities	(287)	0
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	(8,320)	(3,257)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	(8,320)	(3,257)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	(14,936)	(9,930)
Parent | Reportable legal entities
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	9	4
Other current assets	54	60
Intercompany receivable, net	6,321	6,671
Total Current Assets	6,384	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	327	26
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	5,982	3,248
TOTAL ASSETS	12,693	10,009
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	137	523
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	137	523
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	8,311	7,341
Other long-term liabilities	54	53
Total Long-Term Liabilities	8,365	7,394
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	4,191	2,092
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	4,191	2,092
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	12,693	10,009
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	1	1
Other current assets	1,229	1,532
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	1,230	1,533
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties, at cost based on successful efforts accounting, net	9,556	9,664
Other property and equipment, net	1,061	1,091
Property and equipment held for sale, net	12	15
Total Property and Equipment, Net	10,629	10,770
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	247	293
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	2,338	9
TOTAL ASSETS	14,444	12,605
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	1,841	2,365
Intercompany payable, net	6,321	6,671
Total Current Liabilities	8,162	9,036
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	300	321
Total Long-Term Liabilities	300	321
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	5,982	3,248
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total Equity	5,982	3,248
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	14,444	12,605
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	2	1
Other current assets	97	2
Intercompany receivable, net	0	0
Total Current Assets	99	3
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
Oil and natural gas properties, at cost based on successful efforts accounting, net	4,132	48
Other property and equipment, net	84	0
Property and equipment held for sale, net	0	0
Total Property and Equipment, Net	4,216	48
LONG-TERM ASSETS:
Other long-term assets	24	0
Investments in subsidiaries and intercompany advances	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	4,339	51
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current liabilities	250	1
Intercompany payable, net	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	250	1
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Long-term debt, net	1,390	0
Other long-term liabilities	322	0
Total Long-Term Liabilities	1,712	0
EQUITY:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity	2,338	9
Noncontrolling interests	39	41
Total Equity	2,377	50
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	$ 4,339	$ 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.