| **Basis of Presentation - Narrative (Details) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions** | 3 Months Ended |        |        |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|--------|--------|
||
| **Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                        |           |   |   |
| Amortization expense                                                                                   | $ 5            |   |   |
| Stranded tax assets                                                                                    | $ 7            |   |   |
| Share purchase plan, authorized amount                                                                 |           | $ 750  |   |
| Shares repurchased and retired during period (in shares) | shares                                      | 2.2            |   |   |
| Repurchase price (in usd per share) | $ / shares                                                       | $ 30.21        |   |   |
| Minimum                                                                                                |           |   |   |
| **Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                        |           |   |   |
| Intangible asset, useful life                                                                          | 7 years        |   |   |
| Maximum                                                                                                |           |   |   |
| **Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                        |           |   |   |
| Intangible asset, useful life                                                                          | 13 years       |   |   |
| ASC 606 | Retained Earnings                                                                            |           |   |   |
| **Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                        |           |   |   |
| Cumulative effect of adoption                                                                          |           |   | $ 5    |
| West Africa                                                                                            |           |   |   |
| **Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                        |           |   |   |
| Contractual sales price (in usd per MMBtu) | $ / MMBTU                                                 | 0.25           |   |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Contractual Obligation, Long-term Contract, Sales Price Per Unit
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**nbl_ContractualObligationLongtermContractSalesPricePerUnit**Namespace Prefix:**nbl_**Data Type:**us-types:perUnitItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Of 2017, Stranded Tax Assets
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**nbl_TaxCutsAndJobsActOf2017StrandedTaxAssets**Namespace Prefix:**nbl_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The aggregate expense charged against earnings to allocate the cost of intangible assets (nonphysical assets not used in production) in a systematic and rational manner to the periods expected to benefit from such assets. As a noncash expense, this element is added back to net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388964&loc=d3e16225-109274Reference 2: 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=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16323-109275
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount after tax of increase (decrease) to equity or (increase) decrease to net assets, resulting from the cumulative effect adjustment of a new accounting principle applied in the period of adoption.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_CumulativeEffectOfNewAccountingPrincipleInPeriodOfAdoption**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Useful life of finite-lived intangible assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetUsefulLife**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:durationItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of stock repurchase plan authorized.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and have not been retired and are not held in treasury. Some state laws may govern the circumstances under which an entity may acquire its own stock and prescribe the accounting treatment therefore. This element is used when state law does not recognize treasury stock.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84159872&loc=d3e21463-112644
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:sharesItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Total cost of shares repurchased divided by the total number of shares repurchased.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**num:perShareItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_AdjustmentsForNewAccountingPronouncementsAxis=us-gaap_AccountingStandardsUpdate201409Member**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                            |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=nbl_WestAfricaMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |