| **Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs and Undeveloped Leasehold Costs (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions** | 3 Months Ended |        |        |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|--------|--------|
||
| **Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs [Roll Forward]**                                                    |           |   |   |
| Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs, Beginning of Period                                                  | $ 768          |   |   |
| Additions to Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs Pending Determination of Proved Reserves                 | 6              |   |   |
| Reclassified to Proved Oil and Gas Properties Based on Determination of Proved Reserves (1)              | (203)          |   |   |
| Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs, End of Period                                                        | 571            |   |   |
| Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for a Period of One Year or Less                                      |           | $ 58   | $ 69   |
| Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for a Period Greater Than One Year Since Commencement of Drilling (1) |           | 513    | 699    |
| Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs, End of Period                                                        | 768            | $ 571  | $ 768  |
| Percentage of divestiture farmed out                                                                     |           | 35.00% | 35.00% |
| Capitalized undeveloped leasehold cost                                                                   | 2,300          |   |   |
| Onshore US [Member]                                                                                      |           |   |   |
| **Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs [Roll Forward]**                                                    |           |   |   |
| Capitalized undeveloped leasehold cost                                                                   | 2,200          |   |   |
| International [Member]                                                                                   |           |   |   |
| **Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs [Roll Forward]**                                                    |           |   |   |
| Capitalized undeveloped leasehold cost                                                                   | 52             |   |   |
| Deepwater Gulf of Mexico [Member]                                                                        |           |   |   |
| **Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs [Roll Forward]**                                                    |           |   |   |
| Capitalized undeveloped leasehold cost                                                                   | 86             |   |   |
| Gulf of Mexico and Falkland Island [Member]                                                              |           |   |   |
| **Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs [Roll Forward]**                                                    |           |   |   |
| Capitalized undeveloped leasehold cost                                                                   | $ 18           |   |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs [Roll Forward]
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**nbl_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCostsRollForward**Namespace Prefix:**nbl_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Capitalized Undeveloped Leasehold Cost
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**nbl_CapitalizedUndevelopedLeaseholdCost**Namespace Prefix:**nbl_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Percentage Sold
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**nbl_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationPercentageSold**Namespace Prefix:**nbl_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Additions to capitalized exploratory well costs that were added during the reporting period pending the determination of proved reserves.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 932 -SubTopic 235 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1B -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064819&loc=SL6806780-109447
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCostAdditionsPendingDeterminationOfProvedReserves**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of capitalized exploratory well costs that is pending the determination of proved reserves. This does not include amounts that were capitalized and subsequently expensed in the same annual period.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 932 -SubTopic 235 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1B -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064819&loc=SL6806780-109447
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCosts**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of exploratory well costs that have been capitalized for a period of greater than one year after the completion of drilling.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 932 -SubTopic 235 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1B -Subparagraph b -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064819&loc=SL6806780-109447
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCostsThatHaveBeenCapitalizedForPeriodGreaterThanOneYear**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of exploratory well costs that have been capitalized for a period of one year or less after the completion of drilling.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCostsThatHaveBeenCapitalizedForPeriodOfOneYearOrLess**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Previously capitalized costs of the drilling of wells that were reclassified as part of the costs of the enterprise's wells and related equipment and facilities at the time that proved reserves were found.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 932 -SubTopic 235 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1B -Subparagraph (a)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064819&loc=SL6806780-109447
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ReclassificationToWellFacilitiesAndEquipmentBasedOnDeterminationOfProvedReserves**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_CapitalizedCostsOfUnprovedPropertiesExcludedFromAmortizationByPropertyOrProjectAxis=nbl_OnshoreUSMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_CapitalizedCostsOfUnprovedPropertiesExcludedFromAmortizationByPropertyOrProjectAxis=nbl_InternationalMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_CapitalizedCostsOfUnprovedPropertiesExcludedFromAmortizationByPropertyOrProjectAxis=nbl_DeepwaterGulfOfMexicoMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=nbl_GulfofMexicoandFalklandIslandMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |