Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Statement of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018		Jun. 30, 2019		Jun. 30, 2018
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	$ 2,386	$ 2,289	[1]	$ 4,582		$ 4,813	[1]
Gains on sales of assets	1	18	[1]	20		37	[1],[2]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Production taxes	40	26	[1]	74		57	[1]
General and administrative	89	105	[1]	192		192	[1]
Restructuring and other termination costs	0	0	[1]	0		38	[1]
Provision for legal contingencies, net	3	4	[1]	3		9	[1]
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	580	471	[1]	1,099		930	[1],[2]
Impairments	1	54	[1]	2		64	[1],[2]
Other operating (income) expense	3	(1)	[1]	64		(1)	[1]
Total Operating Expenses	2,108	2,449	[1]	4,486		4,931	[1]
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS	278	(160)	[1]	96		(118)	[1]
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest expense	(175)	(155)	[1]	(336)	[1]	(317)	[1]
Gains (losses) on investments	(23)	0	[1]	(24)		139	[1]
Other income	18	57	[1]	27	[1]	56	[1]
Equity in net earnings of subsidiary	0	0		0		0
Total Other Expense	(180)	(98)	[1]	(333)	[1]	(122)	[1]
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES	98	(258)	[1]	(237)	[1]	(240)	[1]
INCOME TAX (BENEFIT) EXPENSE	0	(9)	[1]	(314)	[1]	(9)	[1]
NET INCOME (LOSS)	98	(249)	[3]	77	[2],[3]	(231)	[2],[3]
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	[3]	0	[3]	(1)	[3]
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	98	(249)	[1]	77	[1]	(232)	[1]
Other comprehensive income	8	7	[3]	18		17	[3]
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	106	(242)	[3]	95		(215)	[3]
Eliminations
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	0	0		0		0
Gains on sales of assets	0	0		0		0
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Production taxes	0	0		0		0
General and administrative	0	0		0		0
Restructuring and other termination costs						0
Provision for legal contingencies, net	0	0		0		0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	0	0		0		0
Impairments	0	0		0		0
Other operating (income) expense	0	0		0		0
Total Operating Expenses	0	0		0		0
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS	0	0		0		0
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest expense	0	0		0		0
Gains (losses) on investments	0			0		0
Other income	0	0		0		0
Equity in net earnings of subsidiary	(291)	104		(14)		(76)
Total Other Expense	(291)	104		(14)		(76)
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(291)	104		(14)		(76)
INCOME TAX (BENEFIT) EXPENSE	0	0		0		0
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(291)	104		(14)		(76)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0		0		0
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	(291)	104		(14)		(76)
Other comprehensive income	0	0		0		0
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	(291)	104		(14)		(76)
Parent | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	0	0		0		0
Gains on sales of assets	0	0		0		0
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Production taxes	0	0		0		0
General and administrative	0	0		0		0
Restructuring and other termination costs						0
Provision for legal contingencies, net	0	0		0		0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	0	0		0		0
Impairments	0	0		0		0
Other operating (income) expense	0	0		0		0
Total Operating Expenses	0	0		0		0
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS	0	0		0		0
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest expense	(160)	(155)		(314)		(317)
Gains (losses) on investments	0			0		0
Other income	0	0		0		0
Equity in net earnings of subsidiary	281	(103)		104		76
Total Other Expense	121	(258)		(210)		(241)
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES	121	(258)		(210)		(241)
INCOME TAX (BENEFIT) EXPENSE	23	(9)		(287)		(9)
NET INCOME (LOSS)	98	(249)		77		(232)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0		0		0
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	98	(249)		77		(232)
Other comprehensive income	0	0		0		0
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	98	(249)		77		(232)
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	2,150	2,285		4,267		4,804
Gains on sales of assets	1	18		20		37
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Production taxes	30	26		58		57
General and administrative	65	104		150		191
Restructuring and other termination costs						38
Provision for legal contingencies, net	3	4		3		9
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	439	470		874		927
Impairments	1	54		2		64
Other operating (income) expense	3	(1)		26		(1)
Total Operating Expenses	1,900	2,445		4,108		4,924
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS	250	(160)		159		(120)
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest expense	5	0		10		0
Gains (losses) on investments	0			0		139
Other income	16	57		25		56
Equity in net earnings of subsidiary	10	0		(90)		1
Total Other Expense	31	57		(55)		196
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES	281	(103)		104		76
INCOME TAX (BENEFIT) EXPENSE	0	0		0		0
NET INCOME (LOSS)	281	(103)		104		76
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(1)		0		(1)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	281	(104)		104		75
Other comprehensive income	8	7		18		17
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	289	(97)		122		92
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	236	4		315		9
Gains on sales of assets	0	0		0		0
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Production taxes	10	0		16		0
General and administrative	24	1		42		1
Restructuring and other termination costs						0
Provision for legal contingencies, net	0	0		0		0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	141	1		225		3
Impairments	0	0		0		0
Other operating (income) expense	0	0		38		0
Total Operating Expenses	208	4		378		7
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS	28	0		(63)		2
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest expense	(20)	0		(32)		0
Gains (losses) on investments	(23)			(24)		0
Other income	2	0		2		0
Equity in net earnings of subsidiary	0	(1)		0		(1)
Total Other Expense	(41)	(1)		(54)		(1)
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(13)	(1)		(117)		1
INCOME TAX (BENEFIT) EXPENSE	(23)	0		(27)		0
NET INCOME (LOSS)	10	(1)		(90)		1
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	1		0		0
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	10	0		(90)		1
Other comprehensive income	0	0		0		0
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	10	0		(90)		1
Oil, natural gas and NGL
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	1,454	982	[1]	2,383		2,225	[1]
Oil, natural gas and NGL | Eliminations
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	0	0		0		0
Oil, natural gas and NGL | Parent | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	0	0		0		0
Oil, natural gas and NGL | Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	1,218	978		2,068		2,216
Oil, natural gas and NGL | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	236	4		315		9
Marketing
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	916	1,273	[1]	2,149		2,519	[1]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	940	1,292	[1]	2,170		2,560	[1]
Marketing | Eliminations
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	0	0		0		0
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	0	0		0		0
Marketing | Parent | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	0	0		0		0
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	0	0		0		0
Marketing | Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	916	1,273		2,149		2,519
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	940	1,292		2,170		2,560
Marketing | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	0	0		0		0
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	0	0		0		0
Oil, natural gas and NGL and Marketing
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	2,370	2,255	[1]	4,532		4,744	[1]
Oil, natural gas and NGL and Marketing | Eliminations
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	0	0		0		0
Oil, natural gas and NGL and Marketing | Parent | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	0	0		0		0
Oil, natural gas and NGL and Marketing | Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	2,134	2,251		4,217		4,735
Oil, natural gas and NGL and Marketing | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	236	4		315		9
Other
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	15	16	[1]	30		32	[1]
Other | Eliminations
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	0	0		0		0
Other | Parent | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	0	0		0		0
Other | Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	15	16		30		32
Other | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	0	0		0		0
Oil, natural gas and NGL production
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	166	138	[1]	298		285	[1]
Oil, natural gas and NGL production | Eliminations
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	0	0		0		0
Oil, natural gas and NGL production | Parent | Reportable legal entities
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	0	0		0		0
Oil, natural gas and NGL production | Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	138	138		255		285
Oil, natural gas and NGL production | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	28	0		43		0
Oil, natural gas and NGL gathering, processing and transportation
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	271	340	[1]	545		696	[1]
Oil, natural gas and NGL gathering, processing and transportation | Eliminations
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	0	0		0		0
Oil, natural gas and NGL gathering, processing and transportation | Parent | Reportable legal entities
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	0	0		0		0
Oil, natural gas and NGL gathering, processing and transportation | Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	265	338		534		693
Oil, natural gas and NGL gathering, processing and transportation | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	6	2		11		3
Exploration
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	15	20	[1]	39		101	[1]
Exploration | Eliminations
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	0	0		0		0
Exploration | Parent | Reportable legal entities
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	0	0		0		0
Exploration | Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	16	20		36		101
Exploration | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	$ (1)	$ 0		$ 3		$ 0

[1] Financial information for 2018 has been recast to reflect the retrospective application of the successful efforts method of accounting. See Note 1.

[2] Financial information for 2018 has been recast to reflect the retrospective application of the successful efforts method of accounting. See Note 1.

[3] Financial information for 2018 has been recast to reflect the retrospective application of the successful efforts method of accounting. See Note 1.