| **Halliburton Merger Agreement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions** | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|----------------|
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| **Business Combinations [Abstract]**                               |           |           |   |   |
| Halliburton merger termination fee maximum                         | $ 3,500        |           | $ 3,500 |   |
| Merger and related costs                                           | $ 78           | $ 83           | $ 180 | $ 111 |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Halliburton merger termination fee maximum
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**bhi_Halliburtonmergerterminationfeemaximum**Namespace Prefix:**bhi_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This element represents acquisition-related costs incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 23 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34752592&loc=d3e1043-128460
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_BusinessCombinationAcquisitionRelatedCosts**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
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| - References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_BusinessCombinationsAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |