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Employee Benefit Plans - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Maximum annual increase percentage to company contribution for retiree medical coverage	4.00%
Funded Status:
Amounts recognized on a before-tax bases in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" for the company's pension and other postretirement benefit plans	$ 7,278	$ 6,357
Other Benefit Assumptions:
Assumed health care cost-trend rates in the next fiscal year	6.10%	6.80%
Ultimate trend rate for health care cost	4.50%	4.50%
Primary Investment:
Company's US and UK pension plans as a percentage of total pension assets	91.00%
Benefit Plan Trusts:
Number of Chevron treasury stocks held in benefit plan trust for funding obligations	14,168,000	14,168,000	14,168,000	14,168,000
Various grantor trust assets invested primarily in interest earning accounts	$ 36	$ 35
Employee Incentive Plan
Charges to expense for cash bonuses	462	826	$ 1,048
Other Benefits
Funded Status:
Amounts recognized on a before-tax bases in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" for the company's pension and other postretirement benefit plans	$ 74	$ (154)
Discount Rate:
Discount rate for pension plans	2.60%	3.20%	4.40%
Cash Contributions and Benefit Payments:
Contributions to employee pension plans	$ 155	$ 168
Estimated contributions to employee pension plans for the next fiscal year	153
ESIP
Employee Savings Investment Plan:
Compensation expense	$ 281	$ 284	$ 270
U.S.
Expected Return on Plan Assets:
Estimated long-term rate of return on US pension plan assets	6.50%	6.75%	6.75%
Cash Contributions and Benefit Payments:
Contributions to employee pension plans	$ 950
Estimated contributions to employee pension plans for the next fiscal year	1,050
U.S. \| Pension Benefits
Funded Status:
Amounts recognized on a before-tax bases in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" for the company's pension and other postretirement benefit plans	5,717	$ 5,140
Accumulated benefit obligations pension plans	$ 13,608	$ 12,781
Expected Return on Plan Assets:
Estimated long-term rate of return on US pension plan assets	6.50%	6.80%	6.80%
Percentage of US pension plan assets relative to total pension plan assets	65.00%
Plan asset market valuation period, prior to year-end measurement date	3 months
Discount Rate:
Discount rate for pension plans	2.40%	3.10%	4.20%
Cash Contributions and Benefit Payments:
Contributions to employee pension plans	$ 950	$ 1,096
U.S. \| Pension Benefits \| Equities \| Minimum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	40.00%
U.S. \| Pension Benefits \| Equities \| Maximum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	65.00%
U.S. \| Pension Benefits \| Fixed Income and Cash \| Minimum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	20.00%
U.S. \| Pension Benefits \| Fixed Income and Cash \| Maximum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	40.00%
U.S. \| Pension Benefits \| Real Estate \| Minimum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	0.00%
U.S. \| Pension Benefits \| Real Estate \| Maximum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	15.00%
U.S. \| Pension Benefits \| Other \| Minimum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	0.00%
U.S. \| Pension Benefits \| Other \| Maximum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	5.00%
U.S. \| Pension Benefits \| Cash \| Minimum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	0.00%
U.S. \| Pension Benefits \| Cash \| Maximum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	25.00%
U.S. \| Other Benefits
Discount Rate:
Discount rate for pension plans	2.40%	3.10%	4.30%
Int’l.
Cash Contributions and Benefit Payments:
Contributions to employee pension plans	$ 263
Estimated contributions to employee pension plans for the next fiscal year	200
Int’l. \| Pension Benefits
Funded Status:
Amounts recognized on a before-tax bases in "Accumulated other comprehensive loss" for the company's pension and other postretirement benefit plans	1,487	$ 1,371
Accumulated benefit obligations pension plans	$ 5,758	$ 5,203
Expected Return on Plan Assets:
Estimated long-term rate of return on US pension plan assets	4.50%	5.60%	5.50%
Discount Rate:
Discount rate for pension plans	2.40%	3.20%	4.40%
Cash Contributions and Benefit Payments:
Contributions to employee pension plans	$ 263	$ 266
UNITED KINGDOM \| Pension Benefits \| Equities \| Minimum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	10.00%
UNITED KINGDOM \| Pension Benefits \| Equities \| Maximum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	30.00%
UNITED KINGDOM \| Pension Benefits \| Fixed Income and Cash \| Minimum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	55.00%
UNITED KINGDOM \| Pension Benefits \| Fixed Income and Cash \| Maximum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	85.00%
UNITED KINGDOM \| Pension Benefits \| Real Estate \| Minimum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	5.00%
UNITED KINGDOM \| Pension Benefits \| Real Estate \| Maximum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	15.00%
UNITED KINGDOM \| Pension Benefits \| Cash \| Minimum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	0.00%
UNITED KINGDOM \| Pension Benefits \| Cash \| Maximum
Primary Investment:
Pension Plan - Board of Trustees approved asset allocation	5.00%