| **Segment Information - Schedule of Revenue by Geographic Location (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified** | 3 Months Ended                 | 12 Months Ended                |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
||
| **Revenue from geographic segments**                                                                                          |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Revenue                                                                                                                       | $ 6,635us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet | $ 6,250us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet | $ 5,935us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet | $ 5,731us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet | $ 5,860us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet | $ 5,787us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet | $ 5,487us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet | $ 5,230us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet | $ 24,551us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet | $ 22,364us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet | $ 21,361us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet |
| UNITED STATES                                                                                                                 |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenue from geographic segments**                                                                                          |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Revenue                                                                                                                       |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   | 11,499us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= country_US | 10,133us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= country_US | 9,903us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= country_US |
| Canada and other                                                                                                              |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenue from geographic segments**                                                                                          |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Revenue                                                                                                                       |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   | 1,336us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= country_CA | 1,446us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= country_CA | 1,598us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= country_CA |
| North America                                                                                                                 |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenue from geographic segments**                                                                                          |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Revenue                                                                                                                       |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   | 12,835us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= us-gaap_NorthAmericaMember | 11,579us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= us-gaap_NorthAmericaMember | 11,501us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= us-gaap_NorthAmericaMember |
| Latin America                                                                                                                 |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenue from geographic segments**                                                                                          |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Revenue                                                                                                                       |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   | 2,300us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember | 2,368us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember | 2,436us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember |
| Europe/Africa/Russia Caspian                                                                                                  |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenue from geographic segments**                                                                                          |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Revenue                                                                                                                       |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   | 4,705us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= bhi_EuropeAfricaRussiaCaspianMember | 4,359us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= bhi_EuropeAfricaRussiaCaspianMember | 4,166us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= bhi_EuropeAfricaRussiaCaspianMember |
| Middle East/Asia Pacific                                                                                                      |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenue from geographic segments**                                                                                          |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Revenue                                                                                                                       |                           |                           |   |   |   |   |   |   | $ 4,711us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= bhi_MiddleEastAsiaPacificMember | $ 4,058us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= bhi_MiddleEastAsiaPacificMember | $ 3,258us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= bhi_MiddleEastAsiaPacificMember |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_RevenuesFromExternalCustomersAndLongLivedAssetsLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 1 -Article 5
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                             |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=bhi_MiddleEastAsiaPacificMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_CA**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                    |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_US**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=us-gaap_LatinAmericaMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                    |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=us-gaap_NorthAmericaMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |