| **Employee Benefit Plans - Schedule of Assumptions Used for Benefit Obligation (Details)**     | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------|---------------|
| U.S. Pension Benefits                                                                          |          |          |
| **Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]** |          |          |
| Discount rate                                                                                  | 4.00%         | 4.20%         |
| Rate of compensation increase                                                                  | 5.50%         | 5.90%         |
| Social security increase                                                                       | 2.80%         | 2.80%         |
| Non-U.S. Pension Benefits                                                                      |          |          |
| **Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]** |          |          |
| Discount rate                                                                                  | 2.60%         | 3.70%         |
| Rate of compensation increase                                                                  | 4.20%         | 4.10%         |
| Social security increase                                                                       | 2.00%         | 2.20%         |
| Other Postretirement Benefits                                                                  |          |          |
| **Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]** |          |          |
| Discount rate                                                                                  | 3.60%         | 3.70%         |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Expected rate of social security increases.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**bhi_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationSocialSecurity**Namespace Prefix:**bhi_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| 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=65897934&loc=d3e1928-114920
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| 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=65897934&loc=d3e1928-114920
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationRateOfCompensationIncrease**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansTableTextBlockLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis=us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis=us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis=us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |