Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($)  shares in Millions, $ in Millions  | 
Total  | 
Common Stock  | 
Treasury Stock  | 
Additional Paid-in Capital  | 
Accumulated Deficit  | 
Non-controlling Interest  | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2017 | 
 
 | 
237.6
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2017 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
12.5
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2017 | 
$ 1,240
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (386)
 | 
$ 3,248
 | 
$ (4,627)
 | 
$ 3,004
 | 
| Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward] | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Vesting of restricted stock units, shares | 
 
 | 
0.3
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Vesting of restricted stock units | 
0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Share-based compensation | 
16
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
16
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost, shares, common stock | 
 
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost, treasury shares | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
0.1
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost | 
(6)
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ (6)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Net income attributable to non-controlling interest | 
243
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
243
 | 
| Distributions and dividends to non-controlling interest | 
(143)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
(143)
 | 
| Net income (loss) | 
357
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
0
 | 
357
 | 
0
 | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, End of Period at Mar. 31, 2018 | 
 
 | 
237.9
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, End of Period at Mar. 31, 2018 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
12.6
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, End of Period at Mar. 31, 2018 | 
1,707
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (392)
 | 
3,264
 | 
(4,270)
 | 
3,104
 | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2017 | 
 
 | 
237.6
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2017 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
12.5
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2017 | 
1,240
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (386)
 | 
3,248
 | 
(4,627)
 | 
3,004
 | 
| Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward] | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Issuance of stock to acquire additional interest in Cheniere Holdings | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
702
 | 
| Net income attributable to non-controlling interest | 
573
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Net income (loss) | 
404
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, End of Period at Sep. 30, 2018 | 
 
 | 
257.1
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, End of Period at Sep. 30, 2018 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
12.6
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, End of Period at Sep. 30, 2018 | 
1,831
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (396)
 | 
4,009
 | 
(4,223)
 | 
2,440
 | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, Beginning of Period at Mar. 31, 2018 | 
 
 | 
237.9
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, Beginning of Period at Mar. 31, 2018 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
12.6
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, Beginning of Period at Mar. 31, 2018 | 
1,707
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (392)
 | 
3,264
 | 
(4,270)
 | 
3,104
 | 
| Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward] | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Issuance of stock to acquire additional interest in Cheniere Holdings, Shares | 
 
 | 
10.3
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Issuance of stock to acquire additional interest in Cheniere Holdings | 
0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
376
 | 
0
 | 
 
 | 
| Issuance of stock to acquire additional interest in Cheniere Holdings, decrease of non-controlling interest | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(376)
 | 
| Share-based compensation | 
23
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
23
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost, shares, common stock | 
 
 | 
(0.1)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost, treasury shares | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost | 
(2)
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ (2)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Net income attributable to non-controlling interest | 
168
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
168
 | 
| Equity portion of convertible notes, net | 
1
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
1
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Distributions and dividends to non-controlling interest | 
(145)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
(145)
 | 
| Net income (loss) | 
(18)
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
0
 | 
(18)
 | 
0
 | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, End of Period at Jun. 30, 2018 | 
 
 | 
248.1
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, End of Period at Jun. 30, 2018 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
12.6
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, End of Period at Jun. 30, 2018 | 
1,734
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (394)
 | 
3,664
 | 
(4,288)
 | 
2,751
 | 
| Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward] | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Vesting of restricted stock units, shares | 
 
 | 
0.1
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Vesting of restricted stock units | 
0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Issuance of stock to acquire additional interest in Cheniere Holdings, Shares | 
 
 | 
8.9
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Issuance of stock to acquire additional interest in Cheniere Holdings | 
(8)
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
318
 | 
0
 | 
 
 | 
| Issuance of stock to acquire additional interest in Cheniere Holdings, decrease of non-controlling interest | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
(326)
 | 
| Share-based compensation | 
26
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
26
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost, shares, common stock | 
 
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost, treasury shares | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost | 
(2)
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ (2)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Net income attributable to non-controlling interest | 
162
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
162
 | 
| Equity portion of convertible notes, net | 
1
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
1
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Distributions and dividends to non-controlling interest | 
(147)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
(147)
 | 
| Net income (loss) | 
65
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
0
 | 
65
 | 
0
 | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, End of Period at Sep. 30, 2018 | 
 
 | 
257.1
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, End of Period at Sep. 30, 2018 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
12.6
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, End of Period at Sep. 30, 2018 | 
$ 1,831
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (396)
 | 
4,009
 | 
(4,223)
 | 
2,440
 | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2018 | 
257.0
 | 
257.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2018 | 
12.8
 | 
 
 | 
12.8
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2018 | 
$ 1,929
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (406)
 | 
4,035
 | 
(4,156)
 | 
2,455
 | 
| Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward] | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Vesting of restricted stock units, shares | 
 
 | 
0.6
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Vesting of restricted stock units | 
0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Share-based compensation | 
28
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
28
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost, shares, common stock | 
 
 | 
(0.2)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost, treasury shares | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
0.2
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost | 
(12)
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ (12)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Net income attributable to non-controlling interest | 
196
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
196
 | 
| Distributions and dividends to non-controlling interest | 
(144)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
(144)
 | 
| Net income (loss) | 
141
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
0
 | 
141
 | 
0
 | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, End of Period at Mar. 31, 2019 | 
 
 | 
257.4
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, End of Period at Mar. 31, 2019 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
13.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, End of Period at Mar. 31, 2019 | 
$ 2,138
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (418)
 | 
4,063
 | 
(4,015)
 | 
2,507
 | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2018 | 
257.0
 | 
257.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2018 | 
12.8
 | 
 
 | 
12.8
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, Beginning of Period at Dec. 31, 2018 | 
$ 1,929
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (406)
 | 
4,035
 | 
(4,156)
 | 
2,455
 | 
| Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward] | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Issuance of stock to acquire additional interest in Cheniere Holdings | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
0
 | 
| Shares repurchased, at cost, shares | 
(2.5)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Net income attributable to non-controlling interest | 
$ 370
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Net income (loss) | 
$ (291)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, End of Period at Sep. 30, 2019 | 
255.0
 | 
255.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, End of Period at Sep. 30, 2019 | 
15.6
 | 
 
 | 
15.6
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, End of Period at Sep. 30, 2019 | 
$ 1,486
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (584)
 | 
4,130
 | 
(4,447)
 | 
2,386
 | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, Beginning of Period at Mar. 31, 2019 | 
 
 | 
257.4
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, Beginning of Period at Mar. 31, 2019 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
13.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, Beginning of Period at Mar. 31, 2019 | 
2,138
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (418)
 | 
4,063
 | 
(4,015)
 | 
2,507
 | 
| Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward] | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Vesting of restricted stock units, shares | 
 
 | 
0.1
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Vesting of restricted stock units | 
0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Share-based compensation | 
33
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
33
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost, shares, common stock | 
 
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost, treasury shares | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost | 
(2)
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ (2)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Shares repurchased, at cost, shares | 
 
 | 
0.0
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares repurchased, at cost | 
(3)
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ (3)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Net income attributable to non-controlling interest | 
116
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
116
 | 
| Equity portion of convertible notes, net | 
1
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
1
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Distributions and dividends to non-controlling interest | 
(146)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
(146)
 | 
| Net income (loss) | 
(114)
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
0
 | 
(114)
 | 
0
 | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, End of Period at Jun. 30, 2019 | 
 
 | 
257.5
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, End of Period at Jun. 30, 2019 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
13.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, End of Period at Jun. 30, 2019 | 
2,023
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (423)
 | 
4,097
 | 
(4,129)
 | 
2,477
 | 
| Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward] | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Vesting of restricted stock units, shares | 
 
 | 
0.1
 | 
0.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Vesting of restricted stock units | 
0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Share-based compensation | 
33
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
33
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost, shares, common stock | 
 
 | 
(0.1)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost, treasury shares | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
0.1
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares withheld from employees related to share-based compensation, at cost | 
$ (5)
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ (5)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Shares repurchased, at cost, shares | 
(2.5)
 | 
(2.5)
 | 
(2.5)
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Shares repurchased, at cost | 
$ (156)
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ (156)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
| Net income attributable to non-controlling interest | 
58
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
58
 | 
| Distributions and dividends to non-controlling interest | 
(149)
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
0
 | 
(149)
 | 
| Net income (loss) | 
$ (318)
 | 
$ 0
 | 
$ 0
 | 
0
 | 
(318)
 | 
0
 | 
| Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, End of Period at Sep. 30, 2019 | 
255.0
 | 
255.0
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Treasury Stock, Shares, End of Period at Sep. 30, 2019 | 
15.6
 | 
 
 | 
15.6
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
| Stockholders' Equity, End of Period at Sep. 30, 2019 | 
$ 1,486
 | 
$ 1
 | 
$ (584)
 | 
$ 4,130
 | 
$ (4,447)
 | 
$ 2,386
 |