Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Balance Sheets) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 928	$ 682	$ 704	$ 740
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	932	871
Non-trade receivables, net	188	235
Inventories, net	711	712
Deferred income taxes	106	104
Marketable securities, at fair value	56	64
Other assets	47	35
Total current assets	2,968	2,703
Investments in affiliates	775	824
Property, plant and equipment, net	3,295	3,269
Deferred income taxes	539	421
Other assets	446	344
Goodwill	768	760
Intangible assets, net	174	197
Total assets	8,965	8,518
Current liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	141	144
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	685	673
Other liabilities	507	539
Deferred income taxes	19	17
Income taxes payable	43	12
Total current liabilities	1,395	1,385
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	2,839	2,873
Deferred income taxes	131	92
Uncertain tax positions	189	182
Benefit obligations	1,354	1,492
Other liabilities	1,142	1,153
Total noncurrent liabilities	5,655	5,792
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	1,915	1,341
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,915	1,341
Total liabilities and equity	8,965	8,518
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	26	0	0	0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	0	0
Non-trade receivables, net	0	0
Inventories, net	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Marketable securities, at fair value	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Total current assets	26	0
Investments in affiliates	1,862	1,315
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Total assets	1,888	1,315
Current liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	0	0
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	0	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Income taxes payable	(30)	(29)
Total current liabilities	(30)	(29)
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Uncertain tax positions	3	3
Benefit obligations	0	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Total noncurrent liabilities	3	3
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	1,915	1,341
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,915	1,341
Total liabilities and equity	1,888	1,315
Issuer [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	0	0
Non-trade receivables, net	33	10
Inventories, net	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Marketable securities, at fair value	0	0
Other assets	5	6
Total current assets	38	16
Investments in affiliates	3,594	2,978
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Deferred income taxes	18	17
Other assets	1,895	1,903
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Total assets	5,545	4,914
Current liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	1,625	1,492
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	0	0
Other liabilities	57	63
Deferred income taxes	16	16
Income taxes payable	(390)	(373)
Total current liabilities	1,308	1,198
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	2,361	2,372
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Uncertain tax positions	2	16
Benefit obligations	0	0
Other liabilities	12	13
Total noncurrent liabilities	2,375	2,401
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	1,862	1,315
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,862	1,315
Total liabilities and equity	5,545	4,914
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	225	133	143	128
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	323	297
Non-trade receivables, net	1,777	1,651
Inventories, net	189	187
Deferred income taxes	88	87
Marketable securities, at fair value	56	64
Other assets	19	18
Total current assets	2,677	2,437
Investments in affiliates	1,583	1,530
Property, plant and equipment, net	782	735
Deferred income taxes	494	382
Other assets	134	132
Goodwill	305	298
Intangible assets, net	71	69
Total assets	6,046	5,583
Current liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	177	176
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	256	258
Other liabilities	324	353
Deferred income taxes	(16)	(16)
Income taxes payable	447	384
Total current liabilities	1,188	1,155
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	820	834
Deferred income taxes	36	0
Uncertain tax positions	28	27
Benefit obligations	1,215	1,346
Other liabilities	103	99
Total noncurrent liabilities	2,202	2,306
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,656	2,122
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	2,656	2,122
Total liabilities and equity	6,046	5,583
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	677	549	561	612
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	723	694
Non-trade receivables, net	489	562
Inventories, net	584	590
Deferred income taxes	18	17
Marketable securities, at fair value	0	0
Other assets	45	45
Total current assets	2,536	2,457
Investments in affiliates	534	535
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,513	2,534
Deferred income taxes	27	22
Other assets	399	296
Goodwill	463	462
Intangible assets, net	103	128
Total assets	6,575	6,434
Current liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	121	131
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	543	535
Other liabilities	493	506
Deferred income taxes	19	17
Income taxes payable	20	35
Total current liabilities	1,196	1,224
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	1,636	1,650
Deferred income taxes	95	92
Uncertain tax positions	156	136
Benefit obligations	139	146
Other liabilities	1,039	1,055
Total noncurrent liabilities	3,065	3,079
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,314	2,131
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	2,314	2,131
Total liabilities and equity	6,575	6,434
Eliminations [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	(114)	(120)
Non-trade receivables, net	(2,111)	(1,988)
Inventories, net	(62)	(65)
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Marketable securities, at fair value	0	0
Other assets	(22)	(34)
Total current assets	(2,309)	(2,207)
Investments in affiliates	(6,798)	(5,534)
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other assets	(1,982)	(1,987)
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Total assets	(11,089)	(9,728)
Current liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	(1,782)	(1,655)
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	(114)	(120)
Other liabilities	(367)	(383)
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Income taxes payable	(4)	(5)
Total current liabilities	(2,267)	(2,163)
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	(1,978)	(1,983)
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Uncertain tax positions	0	0
Benefit obligations	0	0
Other liabilities	(12)	(14)
Total noncurrent liabilities	(1,990)	(1,997)
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	(6,832)	(5,568)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(6,832)	(5,568)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (11,089)	$ (9,728)