Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Schedule I - Condensed Financial Information of Registrant - Footnotes (Details)

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Schedule I - Condensed Financial Information of Registrant - Footnotes (Details) - USD ($)
$ / shares in Units, shares in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Dec. 31, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Jan. 01, 2019
Dec. 01, 2018
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]          
Unamortized premium, discount and debt issuance costs, net $ (692,000,000) $ (775,000,000)      
Long-Term Debt, Net 30,774,000,000 28,179,000,000      
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]          
2020 0        
2021 3,413,000,000        
2022 1,119,000,000        
2023 1,633,000,000        
2024 6,146,000,000        
Thereafter 19,155,000,000        
Total 31,466,000,000        
Right-of-use assets—Operating 439,000,000 0      
Current operating lease liabilities 236,000,000 0      
Non-current operating lease liabilities 189,000,000 0      
Operating Lease, Liability 425,000,000 [1] 2,329,000,000 [2]      
Variable lease cost 7,000,000        
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments          
Due Next Twelve Months 250,000,000 [1] 380,000,000 [2],[3]      
Due Year Two 56,000,000 [1] 184,000,000 [2]      
Due Year Three 22,000,000 [1] 238,000,000 [2]      
Due Year Four 21,000,000 [1] 264,000,000 [2]      
Due Year Five 21,000,000 [1] 264,000,000 [2]      
Thereafter 160,000,000 [1] 999,000,000 [2]      
Total lease payments 530,000,000 [1] 2,329,000,000 [2]      
Less: Interest (105,000,000) [1] 0 [2]      
Operating Lease, Lease Not yet Commenced, Payments Due $ 2,000,000,000.0 1,600,000,000      
Weighted-average remaining lease term 8 years 4 months 24 days        
Weighted-average discount rate [4] 5.20%        
Operating cash flows from operating leases $ 389,000,000        
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities $ 235,000,000        
Stock Repurchase Program, Period in Force 3 years        
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount $ 1,000,000,000.0        
Treasury Stock, Shares, Acquired 4.0        
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock $ 249,000,000 0 $ 0    
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share $ 62.27        
Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Authorized Repurchase Amount $ 751,000,000        
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract]          
Cash paid during the period for interest on debt, net of amounts capitalized 1,126,000,000 707,000,000 305,000,000    
Non-cash investing and financing activities:          
Additional interest in Cheniere Holdings acquired 0 702,000,000 2,000,000    
Total lease liabilities 484,000,000        
2021 Cheniere Convertible Unsecured Notes [Member]          
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]          
Long-term Debt, Gross $ 1,278,000,000 1,218,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 4.875%        
2045 Cheniere Convertible Senior Notes [Member]          
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]          
Long-term Debt, Gross $ 625,000,000 625,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 4.25%        
Cheniere Revolving Credit Facility [Member]          
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]          
Long-term Debt, Gross $ 0 0      
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity 1,250,000,000 1,250,000,000     $ 750,000,000
Letters of credit issued $ 585,000,000        
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 [Member]          
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]          
Right-of-use assets—Operating       $ 550,000,000  
Operating Lease, Liability       550,000,000  
Maximum [Member]          
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments          
Operating Leases, Lease Not yet Commenced, Term of Contract 7 years        
Operating lease assets, net [Member]          
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]          
Right-of-use assets—Operating $ 439,000,000        
Current operating lease liabilities [Member]          
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]          
Current operating lease liabilities 236,000,000        
Non-current operating lease liabilities [Member]          
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]          
Non-current operating lease liabilities 189,000,000        
Parent Company [Member]          
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]          
Unamortized premium, discount and debt issuance costs, net (369,000,000) (407,000,000)      
Long-Term Debt, Net 1,534,000,000 1,436,000,000      
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]          
2020 0        
2021 1,278,000,000        
2022 0        
2023 0        
2024 0        
Thereafter 625,000,000        
Total 1,903,000,000        
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure 542,000,000        
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value 0        
Right-of-use assets—Operating 24,000,000 0      
Current operating lease liabilities 5,000,000 0      
Non-current operating lease liabilities 33,000,000 0      
Operating Lease, Liability [5] 38,000,000        
Operating lease cost [6] 9,000,000        
Variable lease cost 3,000,000        
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments          
Due Next Twelve Months 7,000,000 [5] 8,000,000 [7]      
Due Year Two 7,000,000 [5] 6,000,000 [7]      
Due Year Three 7,000,000 [5] 6,000,000 [7]      
Due Year Four 7,000,000 [5] 6,000,000 [7]      
Due Year Five 7,000,000 [5] 7,000,000 [7]      
Thereafter 12,000,000 [5] 18,000,000 [7]      
Total lease payments 47,000,000 [5] 51,000,000 [7]      
Less: Interest [5] (9,000,000)        
Operating Lease, Lease Not yet Commenced, Payments Due $ 1,000,000        
Weighted-average remaining lease term 6 years 7 months 6 days        
Weighted-average discount rate 5.50%        
Operating cash flows from operating leases $ 7,000,000        
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities $ 1,000,000        
Stock Repurchase Program, Period in Force 3 years        
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount $ 1,000,000,000.0        
Treasury Stock, Shares, Acquired 4.0        
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock $ 249,000,000 0 0    
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share $ 62.27        
Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Authorized Repurchase Amount $ 751,000,000        
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract]          
Cash paid during the period for interest on debt, net of amounts capitalized 36,000,000 32,000,000 31,000,000    
Non-cash investing and financing activities:          
Non-cash capital distribution (contributions) [8] 490,000,000 607,000,000 (268,000,000)    
Additional interest in Cheniere Holdings acquired 0 702,000,000 $ 2,000,000    
Total lease liabilities 38,000,000        
Parent Company [Member] | 2021 Cheniere Convertible Unsecured Notes [Member]          
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]          
Long-term Debt, Gross $ 1,278,000,000 1,218,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 4.875%        
Parent Company [Member] | 2045 Cheniere Convertible Senior Notes [Member]          
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]          
Long-term Debt, Gross $ 625,000,000 625,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 4.25%        
Parent Company [Member] | Cheniere Revolving Credit Facility [Member]          
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]          
Long-term Debt, Gross $ 0 0      
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity 1,250,000,000 $ 1,250,000,000     $ 750,000,000
Letters of credit issued $ 585,000,000        
Parent Company [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 [Member]          
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]          
Right-of-use assets—Operating       3,000,000  
Operating Lease, Liability       $ 3,000,000  
Parent Company [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments          
Operating Leases, Lease Not yet Commenced, Term of Contract 2 years        
Parent Company [Member] | Operating lease assets, net [Member]          
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]          
Right-of-use assets—Operating $ 24,000,000        
Parent Company [Member] | Current operating lease liabilities [Member]          
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]          
Current operating lease liabilities 5,000,000        
Parent Company [Member] | Non-current operating lease liabilities [Member]          
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]          
Non-current operating lease liabilities $ 33,000,000        
[1]
Does not include $2.0 billion of legally binding minimum lease payments primarily for vessel charters which were executed as of December 31, 2019 but will commence primarily between 2020 and 2022 and have fixed minimum lease terms of up to seven years.
[2] Includes certain lease option renewals that are reasonably assured and payments for certain non-lease components. Also includes $79 million in payments for short-term leases and $1.6 billion in payments for LNG vessel charters which were previously executed but will commence primarily between 2020 and 2021.
[3] Does not include $43 million in aggregate payments we will receive from our LNG vessel subcharters.
[4]
The finance leases commenced prior to the adoption of ASC 842. In accordance with previous accounting guidance, the implied rate is based on the fair value of the underlying assets.
[5]
(1)
Does not include $1 million of legally binding minimum lease payments for an office space lease which was executed as of December 31, 2019 but will commence in 2020 and has a fixed minimum lease terms of up to two years.
[6]
(1)
Includes $3 million of variable lease costs paid to the lessor.
[7]
(1)
Includes payments for certain non-lease components.
[8]
(1)
Amounts represent equity income (losses) of affiliates.