| **Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs and Undeveloped Leasehold Costs - Exploratory Well Costs (Details) $ in Millions**                               | 12 Months Ended |         |         |        |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|---------|---------|--------|
||
| **Exploratory Wells Drilled [Line Items]**                                                                                                            |            |    |    |   |   |   |
| Ownership interest sold                                                                                                                               |            |    |    | 35.00% | 35.00% |   |
| **Increase (Decrease) in Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs that are Pending Determination of Proved Reserves [Roll Forward]**                        |            |    |    |   |   |   |
| Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs, Beginning of Period                                                                                               | $ 768           | $ 1,353 | $ 1,337 |   |   |   |
| Additions to Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs Pending Determination of Proved Reserves                                                              | 20              | 84      | 123     |   |   |   |
| Divestitures and Other                                                                                                                                | 0               | (143)   | 0       |   |   |   |
| Reclassified to Proved Oil and Gas Properties Based on Determination of Proved Reserves or to Assets Held for Sale                                    | (203)           | (1)     | (19)    |   |   |   |
| Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs Charged to Expense                                                                                                 | (65)            | (525)   | (88)    |   |   |   |
| Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs, End of Period                                                                                                     | 520             | 768     | 1,353   |   |   |   |
| Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for a Period of One Year or Less                                                                                   |            |    |    | $ 10   | $ 69 | $ 95 |
| Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for a Period Greater Than One Year Since Commencement of Drilling                                                  |            |    |    | 510    | 699 | 1,258 |
| Capitalized Exploratory Well Costs                                                                                                                    | $ 768           | $ 1,353 | $ 1,337 | $ 520  | $ 768 | $ 1,353 |
| Number of Projects with Exploratory Well Costs That Have Been Capitalized for a Period Greater Than One Year Since Commencement of Drilling | project |            |    |    | 8      | 10 | 14 |
| Cyprus Block 12                                                                                                                                       |            |    |    |   |   |   |
| **Exploratory Wells Drilled [Line Items]**                                                                                                            |            |    |    |   |   |   |
| Ownership interest sold                                                                                                                               |            |    |    | 35.00% |   |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Capitalized Exploratory Well Cost, Other
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**nbl_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCostOther**Namespace Prefix:**nbl_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**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
Amount of expense for capitalized exploratory well costs for which proved reserves were not found at the exploratory well.
+ 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)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68064819&loc=SL6806780-109447
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCostChargedToExpense1**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
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_ExploratoryWellsDrilledLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInCapitalizedExploratoryWellCostsThatArePendingDeterminationOfProvedReservesRollForward**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The number of projects for which exploratory well costs 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_ProjectsThatHaveExploratoryWellCostsThatHaveBeenCapitalizedForPeriodGreaterThanOneYear**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:integerItemType**Balance Type:**na**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_StatementGeographicalAxis=nbl_CyprusBlock12Member**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |