CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Millions		Total	TOTAL CHESAPEAKE STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)	PREFERRED STOCK:	COMMON STOCK:	ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL:		ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL: Exchange of preferred stock for shares of common stock	ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL: Exchange of senior notes for shares of common stock	ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL: Exchange of convertible senior notes for common stock	ACCUMULATED DEFICIT:	ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS):	TREASURY STOCK – COMMON:		NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS:
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018				$ 1,671	$ 0	$ 14,387	[1]				$ (13,912)	$ (23)	$ (31)	[1]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange of 0, 40,000, 0, and 40,000 shares of preferred stock for common stock				(40)
Common shares issued for WildHorse Merger					0	2,037	[1]
Exchange of preferred stock for 0, 51,839, 0 and 51,839 shares of common stock								$ 40
Exchange of notes									$ 440	$ 135
Equity component of convertible notes repurchases						(2)
Stock-based compensation	[1]					27
Dividends on preferred stock	[1]					(69)
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake		$ 16									16
Hedging activity												26
Purchase of 0, 267, 17,901 and 13,369 shares for company benefit plans	[1]												(7)
Release of 0, 187, 44,126 and 1,484 shares from company benefit plans	[1]												2
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Sep. 30, 2019			$ 4,697	1,631	0	16,995	[1]				(13,896)	3	(36)	[1]
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018															$ 41
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		0													0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners															(2)
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period at Sep. 30, 2019															39
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2019				1,671	0	16,396	[1]				(13,835)	(5)	(36)	[1]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange of 0, 40,000, 0, and 40,000 shares of preferred stock for common stock				(40)
Common shares issued for WildHorse Merger					0	0	[1]
Exchange of preferred stock for 0, 51,839, 0 and 51,839 shares of common stock								40
Exchange of notes									440	135
Equity component of convertible notes repurchases						(2)
Stock-based compensation	[1]					9
Dividends on preferred stock	[1]					(23)
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake		(61)									(61)
Hedging activity												8
Purchase of 0, 267, 17,901 and 13,369 shares for company benefit plans	[1]												0
Release of 0, 187, 44,126 and 1,484 shares from company benefit plans	[1]												0
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Sep. 30, 2019			4,697	1,631	0	16,995	[1]				(13,896)	3	(36)	[1]
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2019															39
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		0													0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners															0
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period at Sep. 30, 2019															39
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Total Equity (Deficit)		4,736
Total Equity (Deficit)		4,401
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019		4,364		1,631	0	16,973	[1]				(14,220)	12	(32)	[1]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange of 0, 40,000, 0, and 40,000 shares of preferred stock for common stock				0
Common shares issued for WildHorse Merger					0	0	[1]
Exchange of preferred stock for 0, 51,839, 0 and 51,839 shares of common stock								0
Exchange of notes									0	0
Equity component of convertible notes repurchases						0
Stock-based compensation	[1]					(20)
Dividends on preferred stock	[1]					(22)
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake		(9,318)									(9,318)
Hedging activity												24
Purchase of 0, 267, 17,901 and 13,369 shares for company benefit plans	[1]												(2)
Release of 0, 187, 44,126 and 1,484 shares from company benefit plans	[1]												34
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Sep. 30, 2020		(4,940)	(4,940)	1,631	0	16,931	[1]				(23,538)	36	0	[1]
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019		37													37
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		16													(16)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners															0
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period at Sep. 30, 2020		21													21
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2020				1,631	0	16,924	[1]				(22,793)	29	0	[1]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exchange of 0, 40,000, 0, and 40,000 shares of preferred stock for common stock				0
Common shares issued for WildHorse Merger					0	0	[1]
Exchange of preferred stock for 0, 51,839, 0 and 51,839 shares of common stock								$ 0
Exchange of notes									$ 0	$ 0
Equity component of convertible notes repurchases						0
Stock-based compensation	[1]					7
Dividends on preferred stock	[1]					0
Net income (loss) attributable to Chesapeake		(745)									(745)
Hedging activity												7
Purchase of 0, 267, 17,901 and 13,369 shares for company benefit plans	[1]												0
Release of 0, 187, 44,126 and 1,484 shares from company benefit plans	[1]												0
Chesapeake stockholders’ equity, end of period at Sep. 30, 2020		(4,940)	$ (4,940)	$ 1,631	$ 0	$ 16,931	[1]				$ (23,538)	$ 36	$ 0	[1]
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2020															21
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		0													0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners															0
Stockholders' equity attributable to noncontrolling interest, end of period at Sep. 30, 2020		21													$ 21
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Total Equity (Deficit)		$ (4,919)

[1] Amounts and shares have been retroactively adjusted to reflect a 1-for-200 (1:200) reverse stock split effective April 14, 2020. See Note 9 for additional information.