Consolidated Statements of Equity (USD $) In Millions, except Share data	Total	Preferred stock	Series A common stock	Treasury stock	Additional paid-in capital	Retained earnings	Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net	Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	Noncontrolling interests
Balance as of the beginning of the period at Dec. 31, 2008		$ 0	$ 0	$ (781)	$ 495	$ 1,040	$ (580)		$ 2
Balance as of the beginning of the period, shares at Dec. 31, 2008		9,600,000	143,505,708	20,601,686
Issuance of preferred stock, shares		0
Issuance of preferred stock		0
Conversion of preferred stock, shares			0
Conversion of preferred stock			0
Redemption of preferred stock, shares			0
Redemption of preferred stock			0
Stock-based compensation, net of tax					13
Stock option exercises, shares			806,580
Stock option exercises, net of tax	9		0		14
Purchases of treasury stock, shares	0		0	0
Purchases of treasury stock, including related fees	0		0	0
Stock awards, shares			81,781
Stock awards			0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	498					498
Series A common stock dividends						(23)
Preferred stock dividends	(10)					(10)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(80)						(80)
Divestiture of noncontrolling interests									(2)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0								0
Balance as of the end of the period at Dec. 31, 2009	586	0	0	(781)	522	1,505	(660)		0
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity at Dec. 31, 2009								586
Balance as of the end of the period, shares at Dec. 31, 2009		9,600,000	144,394,069	20,601,686
Issuance of preferred stock, shares		(9,600,000)
Issuance of preferred stock		0
Conversion of preferred stock, shares			12,084,942
Conversion of preferred stock			0
Redemption of preferred stock, shares			7,437
Redemption of preferred stock			0
Stock-based compensation, net of tax					19
Stock option exercises, shares			800,347
Stock option exercises, net of tax	13		0		33
Purchases of treasury stock, shares	1,667,592		(1,667,592)	1,667,592
Purchases of treasury stock, including related fees	(48)		0	48
Stock awards, shares			140,090
Stock awards			0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	377					377
Series A common stock dividends						(28)
Preferred stock dividends	(3)					(3)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(10)						(10)
Divestiture of noncontrolling interests									0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0								0
Balance as of the end of the period at Dec. 31, 2010	926	0	0	(829)	574	1,851	(670)		0
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity at Dec. 31, 2010	926							926
Balance as of the end of the period, shares at Dec. 31, 2010		0	155,759,293	22,269,278
Issuance of preferred stock, shares		0
Issuance of preferred stock		0
Conversion of preferred stock, shares			0
Conversion of preferred stock			0
Redemption of preferred stock, shares			0
Redemption of preferred stock			0
Stock-based compensation, net of tax					17
Stock option exercises, shares	900,000		842,342
Stock option exercises, net of tax	20		0		36
Purchases of treasury stock, shares	652,016		(652,016)	652,016
Purchases of treasury stock, including related fees	(31)		0	31
Stock awards, shares			514,192
Stock awards			0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	607					607
Series A common stock dividends						(34)
Preferred stock dividends	0					0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(180)
Divestiture of noncontrolling interests									0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0								0
Balance as of the end of the period at Dec. 31, 2011	1,341	0	0	(860)	627	2,424	(850)		0
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 1,341							$ 1,341
Balance as of the end of the period, shares at Dec. 31, 2011		0	156,463,811	22,921,294