CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Preferred stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Additional Paid-in Capital Contingent convertible senior notes exchanged for shares of common stock	Additional Paid-in Capital Senior notes exchanged for shares of common stock	Additional Paid-in Capital Preferred stock, exchanged for shares of common stock	Retained earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Treasury Stock - Common	Parent	Noncontrolling Interest
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2016		$ 1,771	$ 9	$ 14,486				$ (13,625)	$ (96)	$ (27)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange/conversions of 40,000, 0 and 236,048 shares of preferred stock for common stock		(100)
Common shares issued for WildHorse Merger			0	0
Exchange of senior notes and convertible notes			0
Stock-based compensation				54
Convertible notes exchanged, value					$ 0	$ 0
Exchange of preferred stock for 10,367,950, 0, and 9,965,835 shares of common stock							$ 100
Equity component of contingent convertible notes repurchased				(20)
Dividends on preferred stock				(183)
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake	$ (505)							(505)
Reclassification of losses on settled derivative instruments, net of income tax expense of $0, $0 and $0	34								39
Purchase of 2,878,234, 1,510,022, and 1,206,419 shares for company benefit plans										(7)
Release of 879,795, 503,863 and 186,529 shares from company benefit plans										3
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Dec. 31, 2017		1,671	9	14,437				(14,130)	(57)	(31)	$ 1,899
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2016												$ 49
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS	(3)											3
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners												(8)
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period at Dec. 31, 2017												44
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
TOTAL EQUITY	1,943
Exchange/conversions of 40,000, 0 and 236,048 shares of preferred stock for common stock		0
Common shares issued for WildHorse Merger			0	0
Exchange of senior notes and convertible notes			0
Stock-based compensation				33
Convertible notes exchanged, value					0	0
Exchange of preferred stock for 10,367,950, 0, and 9,965,835 shares of common stock							0
Equity component of contingent convertible notes repurchased				0
Dividends on preferred stock				(92)
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake	226							226
Reclassification of losses on settled derivative instruments, net of income tax expense of $0, $0 and $0	34								34
Purchase of 2,878,234, 1,510,022, and 1,206,419 shares for company benefit plans										(4)
Release of 879,795, 503,863 and 186,529 shares from company benefit plans										4
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Dec. 31, 2018	2,092	1,671	9	14,378				(13,912)	(23)	(31)	2,092
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS	(2)											2
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners												(5)
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period at Dec. 31, 2018	41											41
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
TOTAL EQUITY	2,133
Exchange/conversions of 40,000, 0 and 236,048 shares of preferred stock for common stock		(40)
Common shares issued for WildHorse Merger			7	2,030
Exchange of senior notes and convertible notes			3
Stock-based compensation				27
Convertible notes exchanged, value					$ 134	$ 438
Exchange of preferred stock for 10,367,950, 0, and 9,965,835 shares of common stock							$ 40
Equity component of contingent convertible notes repurchased				(2)
Dividends on preferred stock				(91)
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake	(308)							(308)
Hedging activity	35								35
Purchase of 2,878,234, 1,510,022, and 1,206,419 shares for company benefit plans										(7)
Release of 879,795, 503,863 and 186,529 shares from company benefit plans										6
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Dec. 31, 2019	4,364	$ 1,631	$ 19	$ 16,954				$ (14,220)	$ 12	$ (32)	$ 4,364
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS	0											0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners												(4)
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period at Dec. 31, 2019	37											$ 37
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
TOTAL EQUITY	$ 4,401