| **Employee Benefit Plans - Schedule of Assumptions used for Benefit Obligation (Details)** | Dec. 31, 2014Rate                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Dec. 31, 2013Rate                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
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| United States Pension Plan of US Entity [Member]                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| **Weighted average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations**                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Discount rate                                                                              | 3.80%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember               | 4.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember               |
| Rate of compensation increase                                                              | 5.80%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationRateOfCompensationIncrease/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember | 5.60%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationRateOfCompensationIncrease/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember |
| Social security increase                                                                   | 2.80%bhi_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationSocialSecurity/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember                 | 2.80%bhi_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationSocialSecurity/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember                 |
| Foreign Pension Plan [Member]                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| **Weighted average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations**                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Discount rate                                                                              | 3.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember                              | 4.40%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember                              |
| Rate of compensation increase                                                              | 4.10%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationRateOfCompensationIncrease/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember                | 4.40%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationRateOfCompensationIncrease/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember                |
| Social security increase                                                                   | 2.10%bhi_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationSocialSecurity/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember                                | 2.40%bhi_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationSocialSecurity/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember                                |
| Other Postretirement Benefits                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| **Weighted average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations**                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Discount rate                                                                              | 3.40%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember                  | 4.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember                  |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
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| - Definition
Expected rate of social security increases.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The interest rate used to adjust for the time value of money for the plan.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (k)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Expected rate of compensation increases (for pay-related plans).
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (k)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis=us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis=us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis=us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |