| **Property Transactions - Sales Transactions (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified** | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                            |
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| **Business Acquisition [Line Items]**                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Proceeds from Divestitures                                                                              | $ 321us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment                                                                                                                                               | $ 327us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment | $ 1,160us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment |
| Asset Retirement Obligations Associated with Assets Sold                                                | 101us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled                                                                                                                                                     | 41us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled |   |
| Gain on Divestitures                                                                                    | (73)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOilAndGasProperty                                                                                                                                                              | (36)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOilAndGasProperty | (154)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOilAndGasProperty |
| US Onshore Assets Sold [Member]                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Business Acquisition [Line Items]**                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Proceeds from Divestitures                                                                              | 135us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember  | 150us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember | 1,044us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember |
| Net Book Value of Assets Sold                                                                           | (150)nbl_NetBookValueOfAssetsSold/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember                           | (117)nbl_NetBookValueOfAssetsSold/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember | (836)nbl_NetBookValueOfAssetsSold/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember |
| Goodwill Allocated to Assets Sold                                                                       | (7)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember    | (8)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember | (61)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember |
| Asset Retirement Obligations Associated with Assets Sold                                                | 48us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember       | 8us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember | 20us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember |
| Other Closing Adjustments                                                                               | 10nbl_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationOtherLiabilities/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember | 3nbl_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationOtherLiabilities/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember | (13)nbl_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationOtherLiabilities/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember |
| Gain on Divestitures                                                                                    | 36us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOilAndGasProperty/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember                 | 36us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOilAndGasProperty/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember | 154us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOilAndGasProperty/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember |
| China [Member]                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Business Acquisition [Line Items]**                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Proceeds from Divestitures                                                                              | 186us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= country_CN                     |   |   |
| Net Book Value of Assets Sold                                                                           | (149)nbl_NetBookValueOfAssetsSold/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= country_CN                                              |   |   |
| Other Closing Adjustments                                                                               | (2)nbl_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationOtherLiabilities/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= country_CN                   |   |   |
| Gain on Divestitures                                                                                    | $ 35us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOilAndGasProperty/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= country_CN                                  |   |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
For the disposal group, obligations not otherwise itemized.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Write-off of the carrying amount (book value) associated with assets sold in the period.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of asset retirement obligations settled, or otherwise disposed of, during the period. This may include asset retirement obligations transferred to third parties associated with the sale of a long-lived asset.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849
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| X                                                                                                                                                                |
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of proven and unproven oil and gas properties.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of divestiture of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The cash inflow to dispose of long-lived, physical assets and mineral interests in oil and gas properties used for normal oil and gas operations.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Investing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3179-108585
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
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