Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Statements of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 6,418	$ 6,763	$ 5,918
Cost of sales		(5,226)	(5,329)	(4,738)
Gross profit		1,192	1,434	1,180
Selling, general and administrative expenses		(507)	(536)	(505)
Amortization of intangible assets		(51)	(62)	(61)
Research and development expenses		(102)	(96)	(70)
Other (charges) gains, net		(14)	(48)	(46)
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net		(4)	0	(3)
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net		(3)	(2)	8
Operating profit (loss)		511	690	503
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		242	192	168
Interest expense		(185)	(221)	(204)
Refinancing expense	(3)	(3)	(3)	(16)
Interest income		2	3	7
Dividend income - cost investments		85	80	73
Other income (expense), net		5	14	7
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax		657	755	538
Income tax (provision) benefit		(48)	(149)	(112)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations		609	606	426
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations		(6)	2	(80)
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations		0	0	2
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations		2	(1)	29
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations		(4)	1	(49)
Net earnings (loss)		605	607	377
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation		605	607	377
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales		0	0	0
Cost of sales		0	0	0
Gross profit		0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses		0	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets		0	0	0
Research and development expenses		0	0	0
Other (charges) gains, net		0	0	0
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net		0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net		0	0	0
Operating profit (loss)		0	0	0
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		602	605	407
Interest expense		0	0	0
Refinancing expense		0	0	0
Interest income		0	0	0
Dividend income - cost investments		0	0	0
Other income (expense), net		0	0	(27)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax		602	605	380
Income tax (provision) benefit		3	2	(3)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations		605	607	377
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations		0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations		0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations		0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations		0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)		605	607	377
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation		605	607	377
Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales		0	0	0
Cost of sales		0	0	0
Gross profit		0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses		0	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets		0	0	0
Research and development expenses		0	0	0
Other (charges) gains, net		0	0	0
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net		0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net		0	0	0
Operating profit (loss)		0	0	0
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		706	770	551
Interest expense		(198)	(217)	(173)
Refinancing expense		(3)	(3)	(16)
Interest income		59	23	21
Dividend income - cost investments		0	0	0
Other income (expense), net		0	0	2
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax		564	573	385
Income tax (provision) benefit		38	32	22
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations		602	605	407
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations		0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations		0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations		0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations		0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)		602	605	407
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation		602	605	407
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales		2,692	2,572	2,277
Cost of sales		(1,899)	(1,847)	(1,704)
Gross profit		793	725	573
Selling, general and administrative expenses		(222)	(168)	(183)
Amortization of intangible assets		(18)	(17)	(14)
Research and development expenses		(73)	(64)	(42)
Other (charges) gains, net		17	23	68
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net		0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net		(1)	(1)	3
Operating profit (loss)		496	498	405
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		204	165	153
Interest expense		(42)	(41)	(38)
Refinancing expense		0	0	0
Interest income		65	48	30
Dividend income - cost investments		0	0	0
Other income (expense), net		(10)	(39)	(52)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax		713	631	498
Income tax (provision) benefit		(87)	(149)	(91)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations		626	482	407
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations		(5)	3	(78)
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations		0	0	2
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations		2	(1)	28
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations		(3)	2	(48)
Net earnings (loss)		623	484	359
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation		623	484	359
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales		4,829	5,240	4,570
Cost of sales		(4,419)	(4,507)	(3,976)
Gross profit		410	733	594
Selling, general and administrative expenses		(285)	(368)	(322)
Amortization of intangible assets		(33)	(45)	(47)
Research and development expenses		(29)	(32)	(28)
Other (charges) gains, net		(22)	(71)	(114)
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net		(4)	0	(3)
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net		(2)	0	5
Operating profit (loss)		35	217	85
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		201	166	126
Interest expense		(73)	(41)	(46)
Refinancing expense		0	0	0
Interest income		6	10	9
Dividend income - cost investments		85	80	73
Other income (expense), net		15	53	84
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax		269	485	331
Income tax (provision) benefit		(17)	(43)	(38)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations		252	442	293
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations		(1)	(1)	(2)
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations		0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations		0	0	1
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations		(1)	(1)	(1)
Net earnings (loss)		251	441	292
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation		251	441	292
Consolidation Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales		(1,103)	(1,049)	(929)
Cost of sales		1,092	1,025	942
Gross profit		(11)	(24)	13
Selling, general and administrative expenses		0	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets		0	0	0
Research and development expenses		0	0	0
Other (charges) gains, net		(9)	0	0
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net		0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net		0	(1)	0
Operating profit (loss)		(20)	(25)	13
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates		(1,471)	(1,514)	(1,069)
Interest expense		128	78	53
Refinancing expense		0	0	0
Interest income		(128)	(78)	(53)
Dividend income - cost investments		0	0	0
Other income (expense), net		0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax		(1,491)	(1,539)	(1,056)
Income tax (provision) benefit		15	9	(2)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations		(1,476)	(1,530)	(1,058)
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations		0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations		0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations		0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations		0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)		(1,476)	(1,530)	(1,058)
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation		$ (1,476)	$ (1,530)	$ (1,058)