|**Income Taxes (Tables)**                                                                                                      | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
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|**Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]**                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Components of Income Before Income Taxes Table                                                                                 | Components of income (loss) from operations before income taxes are as follows:Year Ended December 31,(millions)201620152014Domestic$(1,859)$(2,338)$282Foreign871191,428Total$(1,772)$(2,219)$1,710                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
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|(millions)                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Domestic                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Foreign                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Total                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Components of Income Tax Provision Table                                                                                       | The income tax provision (benefit) consists of the following:Year Ended December 31,(millions)201620152014Current TaxesFederal$(4)$(1)$19State5—1Foreign196107208Total Current$197$106$228Deferred TaxesFederal$(784)$216$237State(24)(5)13Foreign(176)(95)18Total Deferred$(984)$116$268Total Income Tax Provision (Benefit) Attributable to Noble Energy$(787)$222$496Effective Tax Rate44.4%(10.0)%29.0%                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
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|(millions)                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Current Taxes                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Federal                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|State                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Foreign                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Total Current                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Deferred Taxes                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Federal                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|State                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Foreign                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Total Deferred                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Total Income Tax Provision (Benefit) Attributable to Noble Energy                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Effective Tax Rate                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Tax Rate Reconciliation Table                                                                                                  | A reconciliation of the federal statutory tax rate to the effective tax rate is as follows:Year Ended December 31,(percentages)201620152014Federal Statutory Rate35.0%35.0%35.0%Effect ofEarnings of Equity Method Investees1.00.6(3.3)Noncontrolling Interests0.4——Foreign Rate Change1.6——State Taxes, Net of Federal Benefit1.30.30.8Difference Between US and Foreign Rates(0.1)2.6(14.2)Foreign Exploration Loss0.12.7—Change in Valuation Allowance(2.0)—1.9Oil Profits Tax - Israel—0.10.2Tax Contingency0.20.40.1Accumulated Undistributed Foreign Earnings7.2(37.7)8.2Goodwill Impairment—(12.3)—Other, Net(0.3)(1.7)0.3Effective Rate44.4%(10.0)%29.0%                             
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|(percentages)                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Federal Statutory Rate                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Effect of                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Earnings of Equity Method Investees                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Noncontrolling Interests                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Foreign Rate Change                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|State Taxes, Net of Federal Benefit                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Difference Between US and Foreign Rates                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Foreign Exploration Loss                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Change in Valuation Allowance                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Oil Profits Tax - Israel                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Tax Contingency                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Accumulated Undistributed Foreign Earnings                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Goodwill Impairment                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Other, Net                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Effective Rate                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities                                                                                            | Deferred tax assets and liabilities resulted from the following:December 31,(millions)20162015Deferred Tax AssetsLoss Carryforwards$474$468Employee Compensation and Benefits150151Other4981Total Deferred Tax Assets$673$700Valuation Allowance - Foreign Loss Carryforwards(242)(206)Net Deferred Tax Assets$431$494Deferred Tax LiabilitiesMark to Market of Commodity Derivative Instruments44(128)Accumulated Undistributed Foreign Earnings(240)(368)Property, Plant and Equipment, Principally Due to Differences in Depreciation, Amortization, Lease Impairment and Abandonments(2,054)(2,824)Total Deferred Tax Liability$(2,250)$(3,320)Net Deferred Tax Liability$(1,819)$(2,826)
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|(millions)                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Deferred Tax Assets                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Loss Carryforwards                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Employee Compensation and Benefits                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Other                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Total Deferred Tax Assets                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Valuation Allowance - Foreign Loss Carryforwards                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Net Deferred Tax Assets                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Deferred Tax Liabilities                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Mark to Market of Commodity Derivative Instruments                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Accumulated Undistributed Foreign Earnings                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Property, Plant and Equipment, Principally Due to Differences in Depreciation, Amortization, Lease Impairment and Abandonments |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Total Deferred Tax Liability                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Net Deferred Tax Liability                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Deferred Tax Liability Balance Sheet Classifcation                                                                             | Net deferred tax liabilities were classified in the consolidated balance sheets as follows:December 31,(millions)20162015Deferred Income Tax Liability - Current$—$—Deferred Income Tax Liability - Noncurrent(1,819)(2,826)Net Deferred Tax Liability$(1,819)$(2,826)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
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|(millions)                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Deferred Income Tax Liability - Current                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Deferred Income Tax Liability - Noncurrent                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Net Deferred Tax Liability                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits                                                                                          | A reconciliation of our beginning and ending amounts of unrecognized tax benefits follows:(millions)Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2016Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Beginning Balance$8Additions for Tax Positions Related to Current Year—Additions for Tax Positions of Prior Years—Reductions for Tax Positions of Prior Years(3)Settlements(2)Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Ending Balance$3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
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|(millions)                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Beginning Balance                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Additions for Tax Positions Related to Current Year                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Additions for Tax Positions of Prior Years                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Reductions for Tax Positions of Prior Years                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Settlements                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Ending Balance                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

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