| **Stock-Based and Other Compensation Plans (Details 4) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions** | 12 Months Ended |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
||
| **Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]**           |            |   |   |
| Deferred Compensation (Income) Expense                                                                | $ 11            | $ (12) | $ (25) |
| 401K Plan Employer Matching Contribution, Percent                                                     | 6.00%           |   |   |
| 401K Plan Employer Cash Contributions                                                                 | $ 32            | 35 | $ 26 |
| Mutual Fund Investments                                                                               | 62              | 63 |   |
| Noble Energy Common Stock (at Fair Value)                                                             | 26              | 35 |   |
| Total Rabbi Trust Assets                                                                              | 88              | 98 |   |
| Liability Under Related Deferred Compensation Plan                                                    | $ 88            | $ 98 |   |
| Number of Shares of Noble Energy Common Stock Held by Rabbi Trust                                     | 671,269         | 872,276.87 |   |
| Shares of common stock held by rabbi trust (in dollars per share)                                     | $ 16.72         |   |   |
| Deferred compensation arrangement most shares held by individual                                      | 600,000         |   |   |
| Deferred compensation arrangement, percent of the most shares held by individual                      | 89.00%          |   |   |
| Deferred compensation distribution timeline                                                           | 3 years         |   |   |
| Deferred compensation arrangement plan, distribution amount                                           | 200,000         | 200,000 |   |
| Deferred compensation arrangement shares sold                                                         | 1,009           | 1,009 | 19,049 |
| Deferred compensation arrangements trust plan, distribution amount                                    | $ 22            | $ 18 | $ 22 |
| Deferred compensation liabilities                                                                     | 121             | $ 119 |   |
| Phantom Share Units (PSUs)                                                                            |            |   |   |
| **Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]**           |            |   |   |
| Unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested awards                                            | $ 18            |   |   |
| The weighted-average period over which unrecognized compensation cost is to be recognized (in years)  | 2 years         |   |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of shares of company stock held in the rabbi trust attributable to a member of the board of directors.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Percentage of shares of company stock held in the rabbi trust attributable to a member of the board of directors.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Mutual fund investments held in a rabbi trust. These mutual funds may include equities, money market instruments, and other types of investments.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of distributions to rabbi trust participants.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The number of company shares sold by plan participants in the rabbi trust.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The decreases to net income related to deferred compensation gains on common stock held in a rabbi trust.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Period of time over which remaining shares held in deferred compensation plan are expected to be distributed.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Price per share of common stock held in a trust that has been set up specifically to accumulate stock for the sole purpose of distribution to participating employees but not yet earned.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of assets held in a Rabbi Trust related to deferred compensation agreements.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Value of common stock issued to a trust (for example, a 'rabbi trust') set up specifically to accumulate stock for the sole purpose of distribution to participating employees. This trust does not allow employees to immediately or after a holding period diversify into nonemployer securities. The deferred compensation plan for which this trust is set up must be settled by the delivery of a fixed number of shares of employer stock.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Number of common stock held in a trust that has been set up specifically to accumulate stock for the sole purpose of distribution to participating employees but not yet earned.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 40 -Section 25 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65888597&loc=d3e16701-113920
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The compensation expense recognized during the period pertaining to the deferred compensation arrangement.
+ References
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| 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.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for all deferred compensation arrangements. Represents currently earned compensation under compensation arrangements that is not actually paid until a later date.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of discretionary contributions made by an employer to a defined contribution plan.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Percentage of employees' gross pay for which the employer contributes a matching contribution to a defined contribution plan.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of the liabilities for deferred compensation arrangements classified as other.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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