Employee Benefit Plans (Details Textual) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Maximum annual increase percentage to company contribution for retiree medical coverage	4.00%
Funded Status:
Amounts recognized on a before-tax bases in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" for the company's pension and other postretirement benefit plans	$ 5,511	$ 6,478
Net Actuarial Loss:
The percentage of the higher of the projected benefit obligation or market-related value of plan assets in excess of which net actuarial losses are amortized	10.00%
Other Benefit Assumptions:
Assumed health care cost-trend rates in the next fiscal year	6.90%	7.10%
Ultimate trend rate for health care cost	4.50%	4.50%
Year when the ultimate health care cost trend rate is expected to be reached	2025	2025
Maximum annual increase in contribution rate in post retirement benefit	4.00%
Primary Investment:
Company's US and UK pension plans as a percentage of total pension assets	90.00%
Benefit Plan Trusts:
Number of Chevron treasury stocks held in benefit plan trust for funding obligations	14.2
Various grantor trust assets invested primarily in interest earning accounts	$ 35	$ 36
Employee Incentive Plan
Charges to expense for cash bonuses	662	690	$ 965
U.S. [Member]
Funded Status:
Amounts recognized on a before-tax bases in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" for the company's pension and other postretirement benefit plans	4,657	4,804
Accumulated benefit obligations pension plans	$ 11,954	$ 12,032
Net Actuarial Loss:
Number of years net actuarial losses recorded in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" at December 31 for the company's US pension plans are being amortized for, over a straight-line basis	10 years
Actuarial gain (loss) that will be amortized from Accumulated other comprehensive loss	$ 340
Company's estimated amount that will be recognized from "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" during the next year related to lump-sum settlement costs from U.S. pension plans	$ 408
Weighted average amortization period (in years) for recognizing prior service costs (credits) recorded in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" at December 31 for US pension plan	4 years
Amortization of prior service (credits) costs during the next year	$ (5)
Expected Return on Plan Assets:
Estimated long-term rate of return on US pension plan assets	7.25%	7.50%	7.50%
Percentage of US pension plan assets relative to total pension plan assets	69.00%
Plan asset market valuation period, prior to year-end measurement date	3 months
Discount Rate:
Discount rate for pension plans	3.90%	4.00%	3.70%
Cash Contributions and Benefit Payments:
Contributions to employee pension plans	$ 406	$ 641
Estimated contributions to employee pension plans for the next fiscal year	$ 200
U.S. [Member] | Equities [Member]
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, minimum	30.00%
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, maximum	60.00%
U.S. [Member] | Fixed Income and Cash [Member]
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, minimum	20.00%
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, maximum	65.00%
U.S. [Member] | Real Estate [Member]
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, minimum	0.00%
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, maximum	15.00%
U.S. [Member] | Other [Member]
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, minimum	0.00%
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, maximum	15.00%
International [Member]
Funded Status:
Amounts recognized on a before-tax bases in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" for the company's pension and other postretirement benefit plans	$ 1,251	1,263
Accumulated benefit obligations pension plans	$ 4,676	$ 4,684
Net Actuarial Loss:
Number of years net actuarial losses recorded in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" at December 31 for the company's international pension plans are being amortized for, over a straight-line basis	12 years
Actuarial gain (loss) that will be amortized from Accumulated other comprehensive loss	$ 41
Weighted average amortization period (in years) for recognizing prior service costs (credits) recorded in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" at December 31 for international pension plan	10 years
Amortization of prior service (credits) costs during the next year	$ 12
Expected Return on Plan Assets:
Estimated long-term rate of return on US pension plan assets	6.30%	6.30%	6.60%
Discount Rate:
Discount rate for pension plans	4.30%	5.30%	5.00%
Cash Contributions and Benefit Payments:
Contributions to employee pension plans	$ 464	$ 227
Estimated contributions to employee pension plans for the next fiscal year	250
International [Member] | Including Portion Funded by Third Party [Member]
Cash Contributions and Benefit Payments:
Contributions to employee pension plans	$ 464
International [Member] | Equities [Member] | UNITED KINGDOM [Member]
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, minimum	30.00%
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, maximum	50.00%
International [Member] | Fixed Income and Cash [Member] | UNITED KINGDOM [Member]
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, minimum	35.00%
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, maximum	70.00%
International [Member] | Real Estate [Member] | UNITED KINGDOM [Member]
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, minimum	5.00%
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation, maximum	15.00%
United States Postretirement Benefit Plan of US Entity [Member]
Discount Rate:
Discount rate for pension plans	4.10%	4.50%	4.10%
Other Benefits [Member]
Funded Status:
Amounts recognized on a before-tax bases in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" for the company's pension and other postretirement benefit plans	$ (397)	$ 411
Net Actuarial Loss:
Number of years net actuarial losses recorded in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" at December 31 for the company's OPEB plans are being amortized for, over a straight-line basis	11 years
Actuarial gain (loss) that will be amortized from Accumulated other comprehensive loss	$ (5)
Weighted average amortization period (in years) for recognizing prior service costs (credits) recorded in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" at December 31 for other postretirement benefit plan	11 years
Amortization of prior service (credits) costs during the next year	$ (28)
Discount Rate:
Discount rate for pension plans	4.30%	4.60%	4.30%
Cash Contributions and Benefit Payments:
Contributions to employee pension plans	$ 189	$ 196
Estimated contributions to employee pension plans for the next fiscal year	163
ESIP [Member]
Employee Savings Investment Plan:
Compensation expense	$ 281	$ 316	$ 316