Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	$ 152	$ 210	$ (226)	$ 320
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	15	12	17	16
Net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Cameron	137	198	(243)	304
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes	3	23	432	28
Net income attributable to Cameron stockholders	$ 140	$ 221	$ 189	$ 332
Average shares outstanding (basic) (in shares)	191,000,000	204,000,000	192,000,000	209,000,000
Common stock equivalents (in shares)	1,000,000	1,000,000	0	2,000,000
Diluted shares (in shares)	192,000,000	205,000,000	192,000,000	211,000,000
Basic earnings (loss) per share [Abstract]
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.71	$ 0.97	$ (1.27)	$ 1.46
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.02	0.11	2.25	0.13
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	0.73	1.08	0.98	1.59
Diluted earnings (loss) per share [Abstract]
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	0.71	0.97	(1.27)	1.44
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.02	0.11	2.25	0.13
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.73	$ 1.08	$ 0.98	$ 1.57
Treasury Shares [Roll Forward]
Treasury shares at beginning of period (in shares)	71,543,192	56,109,636	68,139,027	41,683,164
Purchase of treasury shares (in shares)	278,700	4,516,668	4,225,234	19,673,771
Net change in treasury shares owned by participants in nonqualified deferred compensation plans (in shares)	(599)	(1,614)	(732)	38,148
Treasury shares issued in satisfaction of stock option exercises and vesting of restricted stock units (in shares)	(150,047)	(597,340)	(692,283)	(1,367,733)
Treasury shares at end of period (in shares)	71,671,246	60,027,350	71,671,246	60,027,350
Average cost per share (in dollars per share)	$ 46.35	$ 63.00	$ 45.38	$ 61.37
Remaining authority for future stock purchase	$ 285		$ 285