| **Halliburton Merger Agreement - (Notes)**         | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   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| **Business Combinations [Abstract]**               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   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| Mergers, acquisitions and dispositions disclosures | HALLIBURTON MERGER AGREEMENTOn November 16, 2014, Baker Hughes, Halliburton Company (“Halliburton”) and a wholly owned subsidiary of Halliburton (“Merger Sub”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), under which Halliburton will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Baker Hughes through a merger of Baker Hughes with and into Merger Sub (the "Merger").  Subject to certain specified exceptions, at the effective time of the Merger, each share of Baker Hughes common stock will be converted into the right to receive (i) 1.12 shares of Halliburton common stock and (ii) $19.00 in cash.On March 27, 2015, Halliburton's stockholders approved the proposal to issue shares of Halliburton common stock as contemplated by the Merger Agreement.  In addition, Baker Hughes’ stockholders adopted the Merger Agreement and thereby approved the proposed combination of the two companies.  The obligation of the parties to consummate the Merger is still subject to additional customary closing conditions, including: (i) applicable regulatory approvals; (ii) the absence of legal restraints and prohibitions; and (iii) other customary closing conditions.  Halliburton is required to take all actions necessary to obtain regulatory approvals (including agreeing to divestitures) unless the assets, businesses or product lines subject to such actions would account for more than $7.5 billion of 2013 revenue.Under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the "HSR Act") and the rules promulgated thereunder by the Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”), the Merger cannot be completed until each of Halliburton and Baker Hughes has filed a notification and report form with the FTC and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) under the HSR Act and the applicable waiting period has expired or been terminated.  Each of Halliburton and Baker Hughes filed an initial notification and report form on December 8, 2014.  Halliburton withdrew its filing on January 7, 2015 and refiled on January 9, 2015 in order to provide the FTC and the DOJ with an additional 30-day period to review the filings.  On February 9, 2015, the DOJ issued a request for additional information under the HSR Act (the “Second Request”).  On July 10, 2015, Halliburton and Baker Hughes entered into a timing agreement with the DOJ, and on September 28, 2015, Halliburton and Baker Hughes announced an amendment to the timing agreement which extended the period for the DOJ's review of the Merger to the later of December 15, 2015 or 30 days following the date on which both companies have certified final, substantial compliance with the Second Request.On December 16, 2015, Baker Hughes' and Halliburton's timing agreement with the DOJ expired without reaching a settlement or the DOJ initiating litigation to block the pending Merger.  The companies intend to continue their discussions with the DOJ and other competition agencies that have expressed an interest in the transaction, and remain focused on completing the Merger as early as possible in 2016.  In that regard, Baker Hughes and Halliburton have agreed to extend the period for the parties to obtain required competition approvals to April 30, 2016, as permitted under the Merger Agreement, though the parties would proceed with closing prior to such date if all relevant competition approvals have been obtained.  If review by the relevant competition authorities extends beyond April 30, 2016, the Merger Agreement does not terminate automatically; the parties may continue to seek relevant competition approvals or either of the parties may terminate the Merger Agreement.  Baker Hughes cannot predict with certainty when, or if, the Merger will be completed because completion of the Merger is subject to conditions beyond the control of Baker Hughes.Baker Hughes and Halliburton each made customary representations, warranties and covenants in the Merger Agreement, including, among others, covenants by each of Baker Hughes and Halliburton to, subject to certain exceptions, conduct its business in the ordinary course.  In particular, among other restrictions and subject to certain exceptions, Baker Hughes agreed to generally refrain from acquiring new businesses, incurring new indebtedness, repurchasing shares, issuing new common stock or equity awards (other than equity awards granted to employees, officers and directors materially consistent with historical long-term incentive awards granted), or entering into new material contracts or commitments outside the normal course of business, without the consent of Halliburton, during the period between the execution of the Merger Agreement and the consummation of the Merger.  With respect to equity awards granted after the Merger Agreement to officers and employees, such awards will not vest solely as a result of the Merger but will be converted to an equivalent Halliburton equity award.  However, they will vest entirely if an officer or employee is terminated within one year following the closing of the Merger with Halliburton.  Baker Hughes and Halliburton are each permitted to pay regular quarterly cash dividends during such period.  In addition, under the terms of the Merger Agreement, Halliburton and Baker Hughes have agreed to coordinate the declaration and payment of dividends in respect of each party's common stock including record dates and payment dates relating thereto, which we expect to be in the third month of each quarter.  Under the Merger Agreement, we have agreed not to increase the quarterly dividend while the Merger is pending.In the event the Merger Agreement is terminated by (i) either party as a result of the failure of the Merger to occur on or before the end date (as it may be extended) due to the failure to achieve certain specified antitrust-related approvals when all other closing conditions (other than receipt of antitrust and other specified regulatory approvals and conditions that by their nature cannot be satisfied until the closing but subject to such conditions being capable of being satisfied if the closing date were the date of termination) have been satisfied, (ii) either party as a result of any antitrust-related final, non-appealable order or injunction prohibiting the closing, or (iii) Baker Hughes as a result of Halliburton’s material breach of its obligations to obtain regulatory approval such that the antitrust-related condition to closing is incapable of being satisfied, then in each case Halliburton would be required to pay Baker Hughes a termination fee of $3.5 billion.Baker Hughes incurred costs related to the Merger of $295 million during 2015, including costs under our retention program and obligations for minimum incentive compensation costs, which, based on meeting eligibility criteria, have been treated as Merger related expenses.ACQUISITIONSIn September 2014, we completed the acquisition of the pipeline and specialty services business of Weatherford International Ltd. ("PSS") for total cash consideration of $248 million, subject to the finalization of the post-closing working capital adjustments.  PSS provides an expanded range of pre-commissioning, deepwater and in-line inspection services worldwide and is included in our Industrial Services segment.  The transaction has been accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting and accordingly, assets acquired and liabilities assumed were recorded at their fair values as of the acquisition date.  As a result of the acquisition, we recorded approximately $73 million of goodwill and approximately $37 million of intangible assets.  Pro forma results of operations for this acquisition have not been presented because the effect of this acquisition was not material to our consolidated financial statements. |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for business combinations, including leverage buyout transactions (as applicable), and divestitures.  This may include a description of a business combination or divestiture (or series of individually immaterial business combinations or divestitures) completed during the period, including background, timing, and assets and liabilities recognized and reclassified or sold. This element does not include fixed asset sales and plant closings.
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