| **Stock-based Compensation - Schedule of Employee Stock Purchase Plan Assumptions (Details) (Employee stock purchase plan, USD $)** | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                       |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
||
| Employee stock purchase plan                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                  |   |   |
| **Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Employee Stock Purchase Plan Assumptions [Line Items]**                                     |                                                                                                                                                                  |   |   |
| Expected life (years)                                                                                                               | 0 years 6 months                                                                                                                                                      | 0 years 6 months | 0 years 6 months |
| Risk-free interest rate                                                                                                             | 0.03%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember    | 0.10%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember | 0.10%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember |
| Volatility                                                                                                                          | 24.70%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember | 30.30%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember | 44.10%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember |
| Dividend yield                                                                                                                      | 1.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember    | 1.40%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember | 1.30%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember |
| Fair value per share of the 15% cash discount                                                                                       | $ 9.72bhi_FairValuePerShareOfCashDiscount/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember                                                                         | $ 6.45bhi_FairValuePerShareOfCashDiscount/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember | $ 6.71bhi_FairValuePerShareOfCashDiscount/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember |
| Fair value per share of the look-back provision                                                                                     | $ 4.39bhi_FairValuePerShareOfLookBackProvision/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember                                                                    | $ 3.58bhi_FairValuePerShareOfLookBackProvision/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember | $ 5.46bhi_FairValuePerShareOfLookBackProvision/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember |
| Total weighted average fair value per share at grant date                                                                           | $ 14.11bhi_WeightedAverageFairValuePerShareAtGrantDate/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember                                                            | $ 10.03bhi_WeightedAverageFairValuePerShareAtGrantDate/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember | $ 12.17bhi_WeightedAverageFairValuePerShareAtGrantDate/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The fair value per share of the cash discount from the fair market value, for shares purchased under ESPP.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**bhi_FairValuePerShareOfCashDiscount**Namespace Prefix:**bhi_**Data Type:**num:perShareItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The portion of fair value per share associated with the look back feature, for shares purchased under ESPP.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**bhi_FairValuePerShareOfLookBackProvision**Namespace Prefix:**bhi_**Data Type:**num:perShareItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**bhi_ScheduleofSharebasedCompensationEmployeeStockPurchasePlanAssumptionsLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**bhi_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The total fair value per share of ESPP shares purchased in the accounting period.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**bhi_WeightedAverageFairValuePerShareAtGrantDate**Namespace Prefix:**bhi_**Data Type:**num:perShareItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The estimated dividend rate (a percentage of the share price) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the option's term.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (f)(2)(iii) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Expected term of share-based compensation awards, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 14.D.2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27013229&loc=d3e301413-122809Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (f)(2)(i) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 14 -Section D -Subsection 2
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedTerm1**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:durationItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The estimated measure of the percentage by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (f)(2)(ii) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (f)(2)(iv) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |