Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Statement of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018		Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	$ 2,087	$ 2,424	[1]	$ 6,669	$ 7,237	[1]
Gains on sales of assets	13	(10)	[1]	33	27	[1],[2]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Production taxes	35	34	[1]	109	91	[1]
General and administrative	66	81	[1]	258	273	[1]
Restructuring and other termination costs	0	0	[1]	0	38	[1]
Provision for legal contingencies, net	0	8	[1]	3	17	[1]
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	573	405	[1]	1,672	1,335	[1],[2]
Impairments	9	58	[1]	11	122	[1],[2]
Other operating (income) expense	15	0	[1]	79	(1)	[1]
Total Operating Expenses	2,041	2,342	[1]	6,527	7,273	[1]
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS	46	82	[1]	142	(36)	[1]
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest expense	(177)	(165)	[1]	(513)	(482)	[1]
Gains (losses) on investments	(4)	0	[1]	(28)	139	[1]
Gains (losses) on purchases or exchanges of debt	70	(68)	[1]	70	(68)	[1]
Other income	3	6	[1]	30	62	[1]
Equity in net earnings of subsidiary	0	0		0	0
Total Other Expense	(108)	(227)	[1]	(441)	(349)	[1]
LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(62)	(145)	[1]	(299)	(385)	[1]
INCOME TAX (BENEFIT) EXPENSE	(1)	1	[1]	(315)	(8)	[1]
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(61)	(146)	[1],[3]	16	(377)	[1],[2],[3]
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	[1],[3]	0	(1)	[1],[3]
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	(61)	(146)	[1]	16	(378)	[1]
Other comprehensive income	8	8	[3]	26	25	[3]
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	(53)	(138)	[3]	42	(353)	[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
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	0	0		0	0
Impairments	0	0		0	0
Other operating (income) expense	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
Gains (losses) on purchases or exchanges of debt	0	0		0	0
Other income	0	0		0	0
Equity in net earnings of subsidiary	(27)	(86)		(41)	(162)
Total Other Expense	(27)	(86)		(41)	(162)
LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(27)	(86)		(41)	(162)
INCOME TAX (BENEFIT) EXPENSE	0	0		0	0
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(27)	(86)		(41)	(162)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0		0	0
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	(27)	(86)		(41)	(162)
Other comprehensive income	0	0		0	0
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	(27)	(86)		(41)	(162)
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
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	0	0		0	0
Impairments	0	0		0	0
Other operating (income) expense	0			0	0
Total Operating Expenses	0	0		0	0
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS	0	0		0	0
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest expense	(161)	(163)		(475)	(480)
Gains (losses) on investments	0			0	0
Gains (losses) on purchases or exchanges of debt	64	(68)		64	(68)
Other income	0	0		0	0
Equity in net earnings of subsidiary	25	86		129	162
Total Other Expense	(72)	(145)		(282)	(386)
LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(72)	(145)		(282)	(386)
INCOME TAX (BENEFIT) EXPENSE	(11)	1		(298)	(8)
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(61)	(146)		16	(378)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0		0	0
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	(61)	(146)		16	(378)
Other comprehensive income	0	0		0	0
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	(61)	(146)		16	(378)
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	1,849	2,419		6,116	7,223
Gains on sales of assets	13	(10)		33	27
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Production taxes	25	33		83	90
General and administrative	43	81		193	272
Restructuring and other termination costs					38
Provision for legal contingencies, net		8		3	17
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	421	403		1,295	1,330
Impairments	9	58		11	122
Other operating (income) expense	15			41	(1)
Total Operating Expenses	1,828	2,337		5,936	7,261
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS	21	82		180	(38)
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest expense	3	(2)		13	(2)
Gains (losses) on investments	(4)			(4)	139
Gains (losses) on purchases or exchanges of debt	0	0		0	0
Other income	3	6		28	62
Equity in net earnings of subsidiary	2	0		(88)	1
Total Other Expense	4	4		(51)	200
LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	25	86		129	162
INCOME TAX (BENEFIT) EXPENSE	0	0		0	0
NET INCOME (LOSS)	25	86		129	162
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0		0	(1)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	25	86		129	161
Other comprehensive income	8	8		26	25
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	33	94		155	186
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	238	5		553	14
Gains on sales of assets	0	0		0	0
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Production taxes	10	1		26	1
General and administrative	23	0		65	1
Restructuring and other termination costs					0
Provision for legal contingencies, net		0		0	0
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	152	2		377	5
Impairments	0	0		0	0
Other operating (income) expense	0			38	0
Total Operating Expenses	213	5		591	12
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS	25	0		(38)	2
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest expense	(19)	0		(51)	0
Gains (losses) on investments	0			(24)	0
Gains (losses) on purchases or exchanges of debt	6	0		6	0
Other income	0	0		2	0
Equity in net earnings of subsidiary	0	0		0	(1)
Total Other Expense	(13)	0		(67)	(1)
LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	12	0		(105)	1
INCOME TAX (BENEFIT) EXPENSE	10	0		(17)	0
NET INCOME (LOSS)	2	0		(88)	1
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0		0	0
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	2	0		(88)	1
Other comprehensive income	0	0		0	0
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHESAPEAKE	2	0		(88)	1
Oil, natural gas and NGL
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	1,170	1,199	[1]	3,553	3,424	[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	932	1,194		3,000	3,410
Oil, natural gas and NGL | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	238	5		553	14
Marketing
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	889	1,219	[1]	3,038	3,738	[1]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	901	1,238	[1]	3,071	3,798	[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	889	1,219		3,038	3,738
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	901	1,238		3,071	3,798
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	2,059	2,418	[1]	6,591	7,162	[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	1,821	2,413		6,038	7,148
Oil, natural gas and NGL and Marketing | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	238	5		553	14
Other
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	15	16	[1]	45	48	[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		45	48
Other | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
REVENUES AND OTHER:
Revenues	0	0		0	0
Oil, natural gas and NGL production
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	155	132	[1]	453	417	[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	129	132		384	417
Oil, natural gas and NGL production | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	26	0		69	0
Oil, natural gas and NGL gathering, processing and transportation
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	270	364	[1]	815	1,060	[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	268	362		802	1,055
Oil, natural gas and NGL gathering, processing and transportation | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	2	2		13	5
Exploration
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	17	22	[1]	56	123	[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	17	22		53	123
Exploration | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Expense	$ 0	$ 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.