Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Debt - Material Debt Activities (Details)

v3.20.2
Debt - Material Debt Activities (Details) - USD ($)
3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Jun. 30, 2020
Jun. 30, 2019
Jun. 30, 2020
Jun. 30, 2019
Jul. 31, 2020
May 31, 2020
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Gains (Losses) on Modification or Extinguishment of Debt   $ (43,000,000) $ 0 $ (44,000,000) $ 0    
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Line Of Credit Facility, Original Borrowing Capacity   2,620,000,000   2,620,000,000      
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity   $ 2,620,000,000   $ 2,620,000,000      
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage       30.00%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | First Anniversary of Closing Date [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument Duration Fee       0.25%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | Second Anniversary of Closing Date [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument Duration Fee       0.50%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | Year 1 [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Minimum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       2.00%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | Year 1 [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Maximum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       2.75%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | Year 1 [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Minimum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       1.00%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | Year 1 [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Maximum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       1.75%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | Year 2 [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Minimum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       2.50%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | Year 2 [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Maximum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       3.25%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | Year 2 [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Minimum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       1.50%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | Year 2 [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Maximum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       2.25%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | Year 3 through maturity [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Minimum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       3.00%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | Year 3 through maturity [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Maximum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       3.75%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | Year 3 through maturity [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Minimum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       2.00%      
Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member] | Year 3 through maturity [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Maximum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       2.75%      
2030 SPL Senior Notes [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage   4.50%   4.50%      
2025 Convertible Senior Notes [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Repayments of Convertible Debt $ 300,000,000     $ 300,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Face Amount   $ 1,000,000,000   $ 1,000,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage   11.00%   11.00%      
2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Line Of Credit Facility, Original Borrowing Capacity   $ 1,200,000,000   $ 1,200,000,000      
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity   1,200,000,000   $ 1,200,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis       LIBOR or base rate      
2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Minimum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       1.125%      
2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Maximum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       1.75%      
2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Minimum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       0.125%      
2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Maximum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       0.75%      
SPL [Member] | 2030 SPL Senior Notes [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Face Amount             $ 2,000,000,000.0
Gains (Losses) on Modification or Extinguishment of Debt   $ 43,000,000   $ 43,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage   4.50%   4.50%      
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage       100.00%      
Debt Instrument Registration Period       360 days      
SPL [Member] | 2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity $ 1,200,000,000            
SPL [Member] | 2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | Minimum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage       0.10%      
Debt Instrument, Debt Service Reserve Ratio       1.25      
SPL [Member] | 2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | Maximum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage       0.30%      
Line of Credit Facility Additional Permitted Increase       $ 800,000,000      
SPL [Member] | 2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Minimum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       1.125%      
SPL [Member] | 2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Maximum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       1.75%      
SPL [Member] | 2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Minimum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       0.125%      
SPL [Member] | 2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Maximum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       0.75%      
SPL [Member] | 2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | Base Rate Determination Federal Funds Rate [Member] | Base Rate [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       0.50%      
SPL [Member] | 2020 SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | Base Rate Determination LIBOR [Member] | Base Rate [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate       1.00%      
SPL [Member] | 2020 SPL Working Capital Facility, Letter of Credit [Member] | Drawn Portion [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Long-term Line of Credit   $ 0   $ 0      
Subsequent Event [Member] | Cheniere Term Loan Facility [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity           $ 2,695,000,000  
Cash [Member] | Note Holders [Member] | 2025 Convertible Senior Notes [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Price   $ 1,080   $ 1,080