Joint Venture and Consortium Arrangements - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Millions			3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 08, 2019 USD ($)	Nov. 08, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($) Train LNG	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Investment in unconsolidated affiliate related amortization			$ 2	$ 5
Chevron-Lummus Global [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Equity method investment, percentage			50.00%	50.00%
NET Power [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Equity method investment, percentage			32.20%	32.20%
McDermott/CTCI [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Equity method investment, percentage			50.00%	50.00%
io Oil and Gas [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Equity method investment, percentage			50.00%	50.00%
Qingdao McDermott Wuchuan Offshore Engineering Company Ltd. [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Equity method investment, percentage			50.00%	50.00%
Accrued Liabilities [Member] | McDermott/CTCI [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Advances to ventures			$ 95	$ 95	$ 95
Accrued Liabilities [Member] | Proportionately Consolidated Joint Ventures [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Advances to ventures			$ 39	$ 39	$ 53
CTCI [Member] | McDermott/CTCI [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Equity method investment, percentage			50.00%	50.00%
Exelon [Member] | NET Power [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Equity method investment, percentage			32.20%	32.20%
8 Rivers Capital [Member] | NET Power [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Equity method investment, percentage			32.20%	32.20%
Oxy Low Carbon Ventures LLC [Member] | NET Power [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Equity method investment, percentage	3.30%	10.00%	3.30%	3.30%
Equity method investment, amount sold		$ 60
Percentage of future ownership diluted		3.30%
Cash payment on equity method investment	$ 20
Baker Hughes [Member] | io Oil and Gas [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Equity method investment, percentage			50.00%	50.00%
Wuhan Wuchuan Investment Holding Co., Ltd. [Member] | Qingdao McDermott Wuchuan Offshore Engineering Company Ltd. [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Equity method investment, percentage			50.00%	50.00%
McDermott/Orano [Member] | McDermott [Member] | Variable Interest Entities ("VIEs") [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage in consolidated joint ventures				70.00%
McDermott/Orano [Member] | Orano [Member] | Variable Interest Entities ("VIEs") [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage in consolidated joint ventures				30.00%
Profit sharing percentage transfer to Orano				18.00%
Mc Dermott And Kentz
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Number of liquefied natural gas trains | LNG				3
Mc Dermott And Kentz | McDermott [Member] | Variable Interest Entities ("VIEs") [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage in consolidated joint ventures				65.00%
Mc Dermott And Kentz | Kentz [Member] | Variable Interest Entities ("VIEs") [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage in consolidated joint ventures				35.00%
McDermott/Zachry [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by parent			50.00%	50.00%
Number of liquefied natural gas trains | Train				2
McDermott/Zachry [Member] | Zachry [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners			50.00%	50.00%
McDermott/Zachry/Chiyoda [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by parent			33.30%	33.30%
McDermott/Zachry/Chiyoda [Member] | Zachry [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners			33.30%	33.30%
McDermott/Zachry/Chiyoda [Member] | Chiyoda [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners			33.30%	33.30%
McDermott/Chiyoda [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by parent			50.00%	50.00%
Number of Liquefied Natural Gas | LNG				3
McDermott/Chiyoda [Member] | Chiyoda [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners			50.00%	50.00%
McDermott/CTCI [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by parent			42.50%	42.50%
McDermott/CTCI [Member] | CTCI [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners			57.50%	57.50%
CCS JV [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by parent			24.983%	24.983%
Number of liquefied natural gas trains | LNG				2
CCS JV [Member] | Chiyoda [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners			0.068%	0.068%
CCS JV [Member] | Saipem [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments And Joint Ventures [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners			74.949%	74.949%