| **Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $)In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | 12 Months Ended                                                                   |
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| **Earnings Per Share [Abstract]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                              |  |   |  |   |  |
| Income from Continuing Operations Used for Diluted Earnings Per Share Calculation                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | $ 1,214us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations                                 |  | $ 907us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations |  | $ 965us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperations |  |
| Dilutive Securities, Effect on Basic Earnings Per Share                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | (17)us-gaap_DilutiveSecurities                                                    | [1] | 0us-gaap_DilutiveSecurities | [1] | 0us-gaap_DilutiveSecurities | [1] |
| Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations available to common stockholders, diluted                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | $ 1,197nbl_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted |  | $ 907nbl_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted |  | $ 965nbl_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted |  |
| Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic (in shares)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | 361us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic                          |  | 359us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic |  | 356us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic |  |
| Incremental Shares From Assumed Conversion of Dilutive Stock Options and Restricted Stock (in shares)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 6us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberDilutedSharesOutstandingAdjustment                  |  | 4us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberDilutedSharesOutstandingAdjustment |  | 3us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberDilutedSharesOutstandingAdjustment |  |
| Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted (in shares)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 367us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding                        |  | 363us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding |  | 359us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding |  |
| Earnings from Continuing Operations Per Share, Basic (in dollars per share)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | $ 3.36us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerBasicShare                     |  | $ 2.53us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerBasicShare |  | $ 2.71us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerBasicShare |  |
| Earnings from Continuing Operations Per Share, Diluted (in dollars per share)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | $ 3.27us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerDilutedShare                   |  | $ 2.50us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerDilutedShare |  | $ 2.68us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerDilutedShare |  |
| Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount (in shares)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 3us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount    |  | 3us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount |  | 5us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount |  |
| Weighted average Exercise Price of antidilutive options (in dollars per share)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | $ 60.30nbl_WeightedAverageExercisePriceOfAntidilutiveOptions                      |  | $ 53.40nbl_WeightedAverageExercisePriceOfAntidilutiveOptions |  | $ 48.73nbl_WeightedAverageExercisePriceOfAntidilutiveOptions |  |
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| [1]Consistent with GAAP, when dilutive, deferred compensation gains or losses, net of tax, are excluded from net income while our common shares held in the rabbi trust are included in the diluted share count. For this reason, the diluted earnings per share calculations for the year ended December 31, 2014 excludes deferred compensation gains, net of tax. |

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| - Definition
Income or loss from continuing operations available to common stockholders plus adjustments resulting from the assumption that dilutive convertable securities were converted, options were exercised, or that other shares were issued upon the satisfaction of certain conditions.
+ References
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| - Definition
For shares excluded when calculating diluted earnings per share (antidilutive stock options), the weighted-average price as of the balance sheet date at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance on vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable under the stock option plan.
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| - Definition
Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.
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| - Definition
Amount of increase (decrease) to net income used for calculating diluted earnings per share (EPS), resulting from the assumed exercise stock options, restrictive stock units (RSUs), convertible preferred stock of an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), and other dilutive convertible securities.
+ References
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| - Definition
Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to the parent. Also defined as revenue less expenses and taxes from ongoing operations before extraordinary items but after deduction of those portions of income or loss from continuing operations that are allocable to noncontrolling interests.
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| - Definition
The amount of net income (loss) from continuing operations per each share of common stock or unit outstanding during the reporting period.
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| - Definition
The amount of net income (loss) derived from continuing operations during the period available to each share of common stock or common unit outstanding during the reporting period and to each share or unit that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares or units for all dilutive potential common shares or units outstanding during the reporting period.
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|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The sum of dilutive potential common shares or units used in the calculation of the diluted per-share or per-unit computation.
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| - Definition
The average number of shares or units issued and outstanding that are used in calculating diluted EPS or earnings per unit (EPU), determined based on the timing of issuance of shares or units in the period.
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| - Definition
Number of [basic] shares or units, after adjustment for contingently issuable shares or units and other shares or units not deemed outstanding, determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that common shares or units have been outstanding to the total time in that period.
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