Stockholders' equity (Detail)
 12 Months Ended
Mar. 21, 2017
shares
Jan. 13, 2014
shares
Dec. 31, 2014
shares
Mar. 31, 2017
$ / shares
Dec. 31, 2016
$ / shares
Dec. 31, 2015
$ / shares
Apr. 12, 2010
Class_of_Stock
Shareholder
$ / shares
shares
Predecessor              
Equity [Line Items]              
Number of classes of common stock | Class_of_Stock             7
Common stock, par value | $ / shares             $ 0.01
Predecessor | Common Stock              
Equity [Line Items]              
Common stock shares issued or reserved for issuance 45,000,000            
Common Class G | Predecessor              
Equity [Line Items]              
Common stock, par value | $ / shares         $ 0.01 $ 0.01  
Common stock issued to existing stockholders             1
Number of common stockholders | Shareholder             2
Stock transfers [1]     (1)        
Common Class G | Predecessor | CHK Energy Holdings Inc.              
Equity [Line Items]              
Stock transfers   1          
Common Class E | Predecessor              
Equity [Line Items]              
Common stock, par value | $ / shares         0.01 0.01  
Common Class F | Predecessor              
Equity [Line Items]              
Common stock, par value | $ / shares         0.01 0.01  
Common Class C | Predecessor              
Equity [Line Items]              
Common stock, par value | $ / shares         0.01 0.01  
Class D Common Stock | Predecessor              
Equity [Line Items]              
Stock transfers [1]     (279,999)        
Class D Common Stock | Predecessor | CHK Energy Holdings Inc.              
Equity [Line Items]              
Stock transfers   279,999          
Common Class A              
Equity [Line Items]              
Common stock, par value | $ / shares       $ 0.01      
Common Class A | Predecessor              
Equity [Line Items]              
Common stock, par value | $ / shares         0.01 0.01  
Stock transfers [1]     293,023        
Common stock shares issued or reserved for issuance 37,125,000            
Common Class A | Predecessor | Chesapeake | Converted from Common Class D and Common Class G To Common Class A              
Equity [Line Items]              
Company Shares, Transactions Between Company Stockholders, Shares   280,000          
Common Class A | Predecessor | Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund              
Equity [Line Items]              
Company Shares, Transactions Between Company Stockholders, Shares   15,078          
Common Class A | Predecessor | Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund | Converted from Common Class B To Common Class A              
Equity [Line Items]              
Company Shares, Transactions Between Company Stockholders, Shares   13,023          
Common Class B              
Equity [Line Items]              
Common stock, par value | $ / shares       $ 0.01      
Common Class B | Predecessor              
Equity [Line Items]              
Common stock, par value | $ / shares         $ 0.01 $ 0.01  
Stock transfers [1]     (13,023)        
Common stock shares issued or reserved for issuance 7,875,000            
[1] In this transaction, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund ("HOOPP") purchased 280,000 shares of Class A common stock converted from Class D and Class G common stock held by CHK Energy Holdings, Inc. ("CHK Energy Holdings") on January 13, 2014. An additional 15,078 shares of Class A common stock was purchased by HOOPP from various other stockholders of which 13,023 shares were converted from Class B common stock.