| **Divestitures (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**                                                         | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
||
| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                      |   |
| Sales Proceeds                                                                                                                    | $ 119us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment                                                                                                                                              | $ 92us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment |
| Asset Retirement Obligations Associated with Assets Sold                                                                          | 8us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled                                                                                                                                                      | 14us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled |
| US Onshore Assets Sold [Member]                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                      |   |
| **Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                      |   |
| Sales Proceeds                                                                                                                    | 119us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember | 92us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember |
| Net Book Value of Assets Sold                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                      | (106)nbl_NetBookValueOfAssetsSold/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember |
| Goodwill Allocated to Assets Sold                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                      | (6)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember |
| Asset Retirement Obligations Associated with Assets Sold                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 20us-gaap_AssetRetirementObligationLiabilitiesSettled/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember |
| Other Closing Adjustments                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                      | (1)nbl_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationOtherLiabilities/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember |
| Gain on Divestitures                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                      | $ (1)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOilAndGasProperty/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis= nbl_UsOnshoreAssetsSoldMember |

| 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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - 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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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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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