| **Segment Information - Schedule of summarized financial information for Assets (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified** | Dec. 31, 2014                                                                                          | Dec. 31, 2013                                                                                          | Dec. 31, 2012                                                                                          |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **Segment Reporting Information**                                                                                                          |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| Assets                                                                                                                                     | $ 28,827us-gaap_Assets                                                                                 | $ 27,934us-gaap_Assets                                                                                 | $ 26,689us-gaap_Assets                                                                                 |
| North America                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| **Segment Reporting Information**                                                                                                          |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| Assets                                                                                                                                     | 9,782us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= us-gaap_NorthAmericaMember                 | 9,672us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= us-gaap_NorthAmericaMember                 | 9,533us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= us-gaap_NorthAmericaMember                 |
| Latin America                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| **Segment Reporting Information**                                                                                                          |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| Assets                                                                                                                                     | 2,508us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember                 | 2,709us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember                 | 2,740us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember                 |
| Europe/Africa/Russia Caspian                                                                                                               |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| **Segment Reporting Information**                                                                                                          |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| Assets                                                                                                                                     | 4,106us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= bhi_EuropeAfricaRussiaCaspianMember        | 4,098us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= bhi_EuropeAfricaRussiaCaspianMember        | 3,767us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= bhi_EuropeAfricaRussiaCaspianMember        |
| Middle East/Asia Pacific                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| **Segment Reporting Information**                                                                                                          |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| Assets                                                                                                                                     | 4,029us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= bhi_MiddleEastAsiaPacificMember            | 3,705us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= bhi_MiddleEastAsiaPacificMember            | 3,387us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= bhi_MiddleEastAsiaPacificMember            |
| Industrial Services                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| **Segment Reporting Information**                                                                                                          |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| Assets                                                                                                                                     | 1,260us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= bhi_IndustrialServicesMember               | 980us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= bhi_IndustrialServicesMember                 | 978us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= bhi_IndustrialServicesMember                 |
| Shared assets                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| **Segment Reporting Information**                                                                                                          |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| Assets                                                                                                                                     | 5,423us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= bhi_SharedassetsMember                     | 5,110us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= bhi_SharedassetsMember                     | 5,044us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= bhi_SharedassetsMember                     |
| Total Operations                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| **Segment Reporting Information**                                                                                                          |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| Assets                                                                                                                                     | 27,108us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= us-gaap_SegmentContinuingOperationsMember | 26,274us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= us-gaap_SegmentContinuingOperationsMember | 25,449us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= us-gaap_SegmentContinuingOperationsMember |
| Corporate and other                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| **Segment Reporting Information**                                                                                                          |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |                                                                                                   |
| Assets                                                                                                                                     | $ 1,719us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember                 | $ 1,660us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember                 | $ 1,240us-gaap_Assets/ us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember                 |

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| - Definition
Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all assets that are recognized. Assets are probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.18) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 12 -Article 7Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 18 -Article 5
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_Assets**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                        |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                      |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=bhi_EuropeAfricaRussiaCaspianMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                          |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=bhi_IndustrialServicesMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                             |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=bhi_MiddleEastAsiaPacificMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                    |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=bhi_SharedassetsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                        |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                        |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_NorthAmericaMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                       |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_SegmentContinuingOperationsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |