| **Asset Retirement Obligations (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified** | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                             |
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| Asset Retirement Obligations, Beginning Balance                                           | $ 586us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation                                                                                      | $ 402us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation |
| Liabilities Incurred                                                                      | 75us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred                                                                      | 90us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred |
| Liabilities Settled                                                                       | (101)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled                                                                    | (41)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled |
| Revision of Estimate                                                                      | 155us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate                                                                      | 156us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate |
| Accretion Expense                                                                         | 36us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense                                                                         | 28us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationAccretionExpense |
| Other                                                                                     | 0nbl_AssetRetirementObligationOther                                                                                         | (49)nbl_AssetRetirementObligationOther |
| Asset Retirement Obligations, Ending Balance                                              | 751us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation                                                                                        | 586us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligation |
| Deepwater Gulf of Mexico [Member]                                                         |                                                                                                                        |   |
| Liabilities Incurred                                                                      | 25us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_DeepwaterGulfOfMexicoMember  | 68us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_DeepwaterGulfOfMexicoMember |
| Liabilities Settled                                                                       | (62)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_DeepwaterGulfOfMexicoMember | (41)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_DeepwaterGulfOfMexicoMember |
| Revision of Estimate                                                                      | 29us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_DeepwaterGulfOfMexicoMember   | 36us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_DeepwaterGulfOfMexicoMember |
| CAMEROON                                                                                  |                                                                                                                        |   |
| Liabilities Incurred                                                                      | 2us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= country_CM                        |   |
| DJ Basin (Onshore US) [Member]                                                            |                                                                                                                        |   |
| Liabilities Settled                                                                       | (33)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_DJBasinOnshoreUSMember      |   |
| Revision of Estimate                                                                      | 33us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_DJBasinOnshoreUSMember        | 86us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_DJBasinOnshoreUSMember |
| Onshore US [Member]                                                                       |                                                                                                                        |   |
| Liabilities Incurred                                                                      | 20us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_OnshoreUSMember              | 15us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_OnshoreUSMember |
| Equatorial Guinea [Member]                                                                |                                                                                                                        |   |
| Liabilities Incurred                                                                      | 18us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= country_GQ                       |   |
| Revision of Estimate                                                                      | 16us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= country_GQ                        | 10us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= country_GQ |
| Eastern Mediterranean [Member]                                                            |                                                                                                                        |   |
| Liabilities Incurred                                                                      | 10us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_EasternMediterraneanMember   | 7us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesIncurred/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_EasternMediterraneanMember |
| Revision of Estimate                                                                      | 8us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_EasternMediterraneanMember     | 7us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_EasternMediterraneanMember |
| Non-Core Onshore US [Member]                                                              |                                                                                                                        |   |
| Liabilities Settled                                                                       | (28)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_OtherOnshoreUsMember        |   |
| Other                                                                                     |                                                                                                                        | 17nbl_AssetRetirementObligationOther/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_OtherOnshoreUsMember |
| Offshore China [Member]                                                                   |                                                                                                                        |   |
| Other                                                                                     | 1nbl_AssetRetirementObligationOther/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= country_CN                                          | 32nbl_AssetRetirementObligationOther/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= country_CN |
| North Sea [Member]                                                                        |                                                                                                                        |   |
| Liabilities Settled                                                                       | (23)us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_NorthSeaMember              |   |
| Revision of Estimate                                                                      | $ 69us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis= nbl_NorthSeaMember              |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
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| - Definition
Asset Retirement Obligation, Other
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**nbl_AssetRetirementObligationOther**Namespace Prefix:**nbl_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
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| - Definition
The carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees.
+ 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) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Asset Retirement Obligation -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505190
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of accretion expense recognized during the period that is associated with an asset retirement obligation. Accretion expense measures and incorporates changes due to the passage of time into the carrying amount of the liability.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392676&loc=d3e7480-110848Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of asset retirement obligations incurred during the period.
+ 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)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849
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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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of the Increase or Decrease in the amount of the asset retirement obligation during the current period for changes in the amount or timing of the estimated cash flows associated with the settlement of the obligation.
+ 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)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationRevisionOfEstimate**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
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