Supplemental Information On Oil And Gas Operations (Proved Natural Gas Liquids Reserves) (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014 MMBbls	Dec. 31, 2013 MMBbls	Dec. 31, 2012 MMBbls	Dec. 31, 2011 MMBbls
Reserve Quantities [Line Items]
Conversion rate of gas reserves from barrels of oil to Boe	6
Natural Gas Liquids [Member]
Reserve Quantities [Line Items]
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, beginning balance	575	591	552
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, revisions due to prices	8	11	(24)
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, revisions other than price	2	(47)	(13)
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, extensions and discoveries	47	65	116
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, purchase of reserves	57
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, production	(51)	(45)	(40)
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, sale of reserves	(60)
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, ending balance	578	575	591
Proved developed reserves	486	491	451	428
Proved developed producing reserves	467	463	425	396
Proved undeveloped reserve	92	84	140	124
Natural Gas Liquids [Member] \| United States [Member]
Reserve Quantities [Line Items]
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, beginning balance	552	571	525
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, revisions due to prices	7	8	(19)
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, revisions other than price	2	(50)	(13)
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, extensions and discoveries	47	64	114
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, purchase of reserves	57
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, production	(50)	(41)	(36)
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, sale of reserves	(37)
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, ending balance	578	552	571
Proved developed reserves	486	468	431	402
Proved developed producing reserves	467	442	406	372
Proved undeveloped reserve	92	84	140	123
Natural Gas Liquids [Member] \| Canada [Member]
Reserve Quantities [Line Items]
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, beginning balance	23	20	27
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, revisions due to prices	1	3	(5)
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, revisions other than price		3
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, extensions and discoveries		1	2
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, production	(1)	(4)	(4)
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, sale of reserves	(23)
Proved developed and undeveloped reserves, ending balance		23	20
Proved developed reserves		23	20	26
Proved developed producing reserves		21	19	24
Proved undeveloped reserve				1

Conversion Rate Of Gas Reserves From Mcf To Boe

No definition available.

Name:	dvn_ConversionRateOfGasReservesFromMcfToBoe
Namespace Prefix:	dvn_
Data Type:	num:volumeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Proved Developed And Undeveloped Reserves Revisions Due To Prices

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dvn_ProvedDevelopedAndUndevelopedReservesRevisionsDueToPrices1
Namespace Prefix:	dvn_
Data Type:	num:volumeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Proved Developed Producing Reserves Volume

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dvn_ProvedDevelopedProducingReservesVolume
Namespace Prefix:	dvn_
Data Type:	num:volumeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Additions to proved reserves that result from (1) extension of the proved acreage of previously discovered (old) reservoirs through additional drilling in periods after discovery and (2) discovery of new fields with proved reserves or of new reservoirs of proved reserves in old fields.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 932

-SubTopic 235

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8451039&loc=d3e61831-109447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProvedDevelopedAndUndevelopedReservesExtensionsDiscoveriesAndAdditions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:volumeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net quantity of proved reserves as of the balance sheet date. Proved oil reserves are the estimated quantities of crude oil and natural gas liquids which geological and engineering data demonstrate with reasonable certainty to be recoverable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 932

-SubTopic 235

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8451039&loc=d3e61831-109447

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 932

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-10.(a)(2))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27015464&loc=d3e511914-122862

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 10

-Paragraph a

-Subparagraph 2

-Article 4

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProvedDevelopedAndUndevelopedReservesNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:volumeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Production 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 5

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8451039&loc=d3e61831-109447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProvedDevelopedAndUndevelopedReservesProduction
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:volumeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Purchase of minerals in place.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 932

-SubTopic 235

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8451039&loc=d3e61831-109447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProvedDevelopedAndUndevelopedReservesPurchasesOfMineralsInPlace
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:volumeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Revisions represent changes in previous estimates of proved reserves, either upward or downward, resulting from new information (except for an increase in proved acreage) normally obtained from development drilling and production history or resulting from change in economic factors.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 932

-SubTopic 235

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8451039&loc=d3e61831-109447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProvedDevelopedAndUndevelopedReservesRevisionsOfPreviousEstimatesIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:volumeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sales of minerals in place.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 932

-SubTopic 235

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (f)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8451039&loc=d3e61831-109447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProvedDevelopedAndUndevelopedReservesSalesOfMineralsInPlace
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:volumeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Net quantities of an enterprise's interests in proved developed reserves of either crude oil (including condensate and natural gas liquids), natural gas, synthetic oil and gas, or other nonrenewable natural resource that is intended to be upgraded into synthetic oil and gas as of the beginning and the end of the year. "Net" quantities of reserves include those relating to the enterprise's operating and nonoperating interests in properties. Quantities of reserves relating to royalty interests owned are included in "net" quantities if the necessary information is available to the enterprise. "Net" quantities does not include reserves relating to interests of others in properties owned by the enterprise. The unit of measure for reserve quantities is defined as "barrels" for oil and synthetic oil reserves or "cubic feet" or "cubic meters" for natural gas and synthetic gas reserves.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 932

-SubTopic 235

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8451039&loc=d3e61797-109447

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 932

-SubTopic 235

-Section 50

-Paragraph 9

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8451039&loc=d3e61884-109447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProvedDevelopedReservesVolume
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:volumeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Net quantities of an enterprise's interests in proved undeveloped reserves of either crude oil (including condensate and natural gas liquids), natural gas, synthetic oil and gas, or other renewable natural resource that is intended to be upgraded into synthetic oil and gas as of the beginning and the end of the year. "Net" quantities of reserves include those relating to the enterprise's operating and nonoperating interests in properties. Quantities of reserves relating to royalty interests owned are included in "net" quantities if the necessary information is available to the enterprise. "Net" quantities does not include reserves relating to interests of others in properties owned by the enterprise. The unit of measure for reserve quantities is defined as "barrels" for oil and synthetic oil reserves or "cubic feet" or "cubic meters" for natural gas and synthetic gas reserves.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProvedUndevelopedReserveVolume
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:volumeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReserveQuantitiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReserveQuantitiesByTypeOfReserveAxis=us-gaap_NaturalGasLiquidsReservesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: