Change in Accounting Principle - Statements of Shareholders' Equity (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018		Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018		Jan. 01, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period					$ 2,092
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake		$ (61)	$ (146)	[1]	16	$ (378)	[1]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		4,696			4,696
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, beginning of period					41
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	0	[1],[2]	0	(1)	[1],[2]
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period		39			39
TOTAL EQUITY		4,735	1,535	[3]	4,735	1,535	[3]		$ 2,133
PREFERRED STOCK
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		1,671	1,671	[3]	1,671	1,671	[3]
Exchange of 40,000, 0, 40,000 and 0 shares of preferred stock for common stock		(40)	0	[3]	(40)	0	[3]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		$ 1,631	$ 1,671	[3]	$ 1,631	$ 1,671	[3]
Preferred stock exchanges (in shares)		40,000	0		40,000	0
COMMON STOCK
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		$ 16	$ 9	[3]	$ 9	$ 9	[3]
Exchange of senior notes and convertible senior notes		3	0	[3]	3	0	[3]
Exchange of preferred stock		0			0
Common shares issued for WildHorse Merger		0	0	[3]	7	0	[3]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		19	9	[3]	19	9	[3]
ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		16,380	14,408	[3]	14,378	14,437	[3]
Common shares issued for WildHorse Merger		0	0	[3]	2,030	0	[3]
Equity component of convertible notes repurchases		(2)	0	[3]	(2)	0	[3]
Stock-based compensation		8	9	[3]	26	26	[3]
Dividends on preferred stock		(23)	(23)	[3]	(69)	(69)	[3]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		16,975	14,394	[3]	16,975	14,394	[3]
ACCUMULATED DEFICIT
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		(13,835)	(14,370)	[3]	(13,912)	(14,130)	[3]
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake		(61)	(146)	[3]	16	(378)	[3]
Cumulative effect of accounting change								$ 0		$ (8)	[3]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period	[3]	(13,896)	(14,516)		(13,896)	(14,516)
ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS):
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		(5)	(40)	[3]	(23)	(57)	[3]
Hedging activity		8	8	[3]	26	25	[3]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		3	(32)	[3]	3	(32)	[3]
TREASURY STOCK – COMMON:
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		(36)	(31)	[3]	(31)	(31)	[3]
Purchase of 53,337, 30,509, 2,673,903, and 1,499,033 shares for company benefit plans		0	0	[3]	(7)	(4)	[3]
Release of 37,301, 41,617, 296,864 and 431,474 shares from company benefit plans		0	0	[3]	2	4	[3]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		$ (36)	$ (31)	[3]	$ (36)	$ (31)	[3]
Purchase of shares for company benefit plans (in shares)		53,337	30,509		2,673,903	1,499,033
Release of shares from company benefit plans (in shares)		37,301	41,617		296,864	431,474
TOTAL CHESAPEAKE STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		$ 4,696	$ 1,495	[3]	$ 4,696	$ 1,495	[3]
NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS:
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, beginning of period		39	42	[3]	41	44	[3]
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	0	[3]	0	1	[3]
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners		0	(2)	[3]	(2)	(5)	[3]
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period		39	40	[3]	39	40	[3]
Under Full Cost
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake			84		633	360
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	(1)		(1)	(3)
TOTAL EQUITY		3,687	(40)		3,687	(40)
Under Full Cost | PREFERRED STOCK
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		1,671	1,671		1,671	1,671
Exchange of 40,000, 0, 40,000 and 0 shares of preferred stock for common stock		(40)			(40)
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		1,631	1,671		1,631	1,671
Under Full Cost | COMMON STOCK
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		16	9		9	9
Exchange of senior notes and convertible senior notes		3			3
Exchange of preferred stock		0			0
Common shares issued for WildHorse Merger					7
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		19	9		19	9
Under Full Cost | ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		16,380	14,408		14,378	14,437
Common shares issued for WildHorse Merger					2,030
Equity component of convertible notes repurchases		(2)			(2)
Stock-based compensation		8	9		26	26
Dividends on preferred stock		(23)	(23)		(69)	(69)
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		16,975	14,394		16,975	14,394
Under Full Cost | ACCUMULATED DEFICIT
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		(15,171)	(16,257)		(15,660)	(16,525)
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake		144	84			360
Cumulative effect of accounting change										(8)
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		(15,027)	(16,173)		(15,027)	(16,173)
Under Full Cost | ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS):
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		(5)	(40)		(23)	(57)
Hedging activity		8	8		26	25
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		3	(32)		3	(32)
Under Full Cost | TREASURY STOCK – COMMON:
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		(36)	(31)		(31)	(31)
Purchase of 53,337, 30,509, 2,673,903, and 1,499,033 shares for company benefit plans		0	0		(7)	(4)
Release of 37,301, 41,617, 296,864 and 431,474 shares from company benefit plans		0	0		2	4
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		(36)	(31)		(36)	(31)
Under Full Cost | TOTAL CHESAPEAKE STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		3,565	(162)		3,565	(162)
Under Full Cost | NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS:
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, beginning of period		122	123		123	124
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	1		1	3
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners		0	(2)		(2)	(5)
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period		122	122		122	122
Successful Efforts Adjustment
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake		(205)	(230)		(617)	(738)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	1		1	2
TOTAL EQUITY		1,048	1,575		1,048	1,575
Successful Efforts Adjustment | PREFERRED STOCK
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		0	0		0	0
Exchange of 40,000, 0, 40,000 and 0 shares of preferred stock for common stock		0			0
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		0	0		0	0
Successful Efforts Adjustment | COMMON STOCK
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		0	0		0	0
Exchange of senior notes and convertible senior notes		0			0
Exchange of preferred stock		0			0
Common shares issued for WildHorse Merger					0
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		0	0		0	0
Successful Efforts Adjustment | ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		0	0		0	0
Common shares issued for WildHorse Merger					0
Equity component of convertible notes repurchases		0			0
Stock-based compensation		0	0		0	0
Dividends on preferred stock		0	0		0	0
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		0	0		0	0
Successful Efforts Adjustment | ACCUMULATED DEFICIT
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		1,336	1,887		1,748	2,395
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake		(205)	(230)			(738)
Cumulative effect of accounting change										$ 0
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		1,131	1,657		1,131	1,657
Successful Efforts Adjustment | ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS):
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		0	0		0	0
Hedging activity		0	0		0	0
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		0	0		0	0
Successful Efforts Adjustment | TREASURY STOCK – COMMON:
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period		0	0		0	0
Purchase of 53,337, 30,509, 2,673,903, and 1,499,033 shares for company benefit plans		0	0		0	0
Release of 37,301, 41,617, 296,864 and 431,474 shares from company benefit plans		0	0		0	0
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		0	0		0	0
Successful Efforts Adjustment | TOTAL CHESAPEAKE STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period		1,131	1,657		1,131	1,657
Successful Efforts Adjustment | NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS:
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, beginning of period		(83)	(81)		(82)	(80)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	(1)		(1)	(2)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners		0	0		0	0
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period		$ (83)	$ (82)		$ (83)	$ (82)
Exchange of preferred stock for shares of common stock | COMMON STOCK
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Preferred stock exchanges (in shares)		10,367,950	0		10,368,000	0
Exchange of preferred stock for shares of common stock | ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange of preferred stock		$ 40	$ 0	[3]	$ 40	$ 0	[3]
Preferred stock exchanges (in shares)		10,367,950	0		10,367,950	0
Exchange of preferred stock for shares of common stock | Under Full Cost | ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange of preferred stock		$ 40			$ 40
Exchange of preferred stock for shares of common stock | Successful Efforts Adjustment | ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange of preferred stock		$ 0			$ 0
Exchange of senior notes for shares of common stock | COMMON STOCK
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Preferred stock exchanges (in shares)		235,564,000	0		235,564,000	0
Exchange of senior notes for shares of common stock | ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange of notes		$ 438	$ 0	[3]	$ 438	$ 0	[3]
Preferred stock exchanges (in shares)		235,563,519	0		235,563,519	0
Exchange of senior notes for shares of common stock | Under Full Cost | ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange of notes		$ 438			$ 438
Exchange of senior notes for shares of common stock | Successful Efforts Adjustment | ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange of notes		$ 0			$ 0
Exchange of convertible senior notes for common stock | COMMON STOCK
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Preferred stock exchanges (in shares)		73,389,000	0		73,389,000	0
Exchange of convertible senior notes for common stock | ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange of notes		$ 134	$ 0	[3]	$ 134	$ 0	[3]
Preferred stock exchanges (in shares)		73,389,094	0		73,389,094	0
Exchange of convertible senior notes for common stock | Under Full Cost | ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange of notes		$ 134			$ 134
Exchange of convertible senior notes for common stock | Successful Efforts Adjustment | ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange of notes		$ 0			$ 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 prior periods has been recast to reflect the retrospective application of the successful efforts method of accounting. See Note 1.