Retirement Plans (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Value of trusts established for certain supplemental plans	$ 25,000,000us-gaap_CompensationAndBenefitsTrust	$ 27,000,000us-gaap_CompensationAndBenefitsTrust
Increase in benefit obligations as a result of discount rate decrease	135,000,000
Increase in benefit obligations as a result of the mortality rate assumption update	61,000,000
Effect on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation of 1% change in assumed health care cost rates	1,000,000
Effect on service cost and interest costs of 1% change in assumed health care cost rates	1,000,000
Pension benefits to be funded from the trust	10,000,000dvn_PensionBenefitsToBeFundedFromTrust
Postretirement benefits expected to be funded from cash and cash equivalents	3,000,000
Pension Benefits [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated benefit obligation	1,200,000,000	1,100,000,000
Employer contributions transferred from trusts	$ 10,000,000	$ 11,000,000
Assumed compensation increase percentage	4.49%	4.48%	4.48%
Postretirement Benefits [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined benefit plan health care cost trend rate assumed for next fiscal year	7.70%
Defined benefit plan ultimate health care cost trend rate	5.00%

Defined Benefit Plan Benefit Obligation Period Increase Due To Discount Rate Decrease

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- Definition

Defined Benefit Plan Benefit Obligation Period Increase Due To Mortality Rate Assumption Update

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Employer Contributions Transferred From Trusts

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Pension Benefits To Be Funded From Trust

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Postretirement Benefits Expected To Be Funded From Cash And Cash Equivalents

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The value of a trust established to hold the stock of an employee compensation and benefits plan as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

For defined benefit pension plans, the actuarial present value of benefits (whether vested or nonvested) attributed by the pension benefit formula to employee service rendered before a specified date and based on employee service and compensation (if applicable) before that date. The accumulated benefit obligation differs from the projected benefit obligation in that it includes no assumption about future compensation levels. For plans with flat-benefit or nonpay-related pension benefit formulas, the accumulated benefit obligation and the projected benefit obligation are the same.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Accumulated Benefit Obligation

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6503844

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

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- Definition

Expected rate of compensation increases (for pay-related plans).

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

The effect of a one-percentage-point increase in the assumed health care cost trend rates on the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation for health care benefits.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

The effect of a one-percentage-point increase in the assumed health care cost trend rates on the aggregate of the service and interest cost components of net periodic postretirement health care benefit costs.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

The assumed health care cost trend rate for the next year used to measure the expected cost of benefits covered by the plan (gross eligible charges). This is based upon the annual rate of change in the cost of health care benefits currently provided by the postretirement benefit plan, due to factors other than changes in the composition of the plan population by age and dependency status.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (l)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Health Care Cost Trend Rate

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6514820

+ Details

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- Definition

The ultimate trend rate for health care costs.

+ References

+ Details

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