Supplemental financial information - Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes (AOCI) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Supplemental Financial Information [Abstract]
Net actuarial loss	$ (394)	$ (542)
Prior service credit	10	17
Cash flow hedge derivative instruments	0	(1)
Total	$ (384)	$ (526)

Supplemental financial information.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Accumulated change, net of tax, in accumulated gains and losses from derivative instruments designated and qualifying as the effective portion of cash flow hedges. Includes an entity's share of an equity investee's Increase or Decrease in deferred hedging gains or losses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=SL7669646-108580

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=d3e637-108580

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=SL7669686-108580

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=d3e681-108580

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35736893&loc=d3e80784-113994

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- Definition

Accumulated change in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources, net of tax effect, at period end. Excludes Net Income (Loss), and accumulated changes in equity from transactions resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Includes foreign currency translation items, certain pension adjustments, unrealized gains and losses on certain investments in debt and equity securities, other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses related to factors other than credit losses on available-for-sale and held-to-maturity debt securities that an entity does not intend to sell and it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell before recovery of the amortized cost basis, as well as changes in the fair value of derivatives related to the effective portion of a designated cash flow hedge.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=d3e637-108580

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-Publisher FASB
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-Publisher FASB
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-Topic 220
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=SL7669686-108580

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- Definition

Amount, after tax, of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for gain (loss) of defined benefit plan, that has not been recognized in net periodic benefit (cost) credit.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=SL7669686-108580

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
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-Section 50
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920

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- Definition

Amount, after tax, of accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss for cost (credit) of benefit change attributable to participants' prior service from plan amendment or plan initiation of defined benefit plan, that has not been recognized in net periodic benefit cost (credit).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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