Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,100	$ 959	$ 928	$ 682
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	949	827
Non-trade receivables, net	293	209
Inventories, net	753	711
Deferred income taxes	50	49
Marketable securities, at fair value	44	53
Other assets	39	31
Total current assets	3,228	2,839
Investments in affiliates	857	800
Property, plant and equipment, net	3,391	3,350
Deferred income taxes	604	606
Other assets	498	463
Goodwill	787	777
Intangible assets, net	147	165
Total assets	9,512	9,000
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	224	168
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	739	649
Other liabilities	457	475
Deferred income taxes	25	25
Income taxes payable	152	38
Total current liabilities	1,597	1,355
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt	2,870	2,930
Deferred income taxes	61	50
Uncertain tax positions	203	181
Benefit obligations	1,546	1,602
Other liabilities	1,151	1,152
Total noncurrent liabilities	5,831	5,915
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,084	1,730
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	2,084	1,730
Total liabilities and equity	9,512	9,000
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	10	26	0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	0	0
Non-trade receivables, net	32	31
Inventories, net	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Marketable securities, at fair value	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Total current assets	32	41
Investments in affiliates	2,052	1,692
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	2,084	1,733
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	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Uncertain tax positions	0	3
Benefit obligations	0	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Total noncurrent liabilities	0	3
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,084	1,730
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	2,084	1,730
Total liabilities and equity	2,084	1,733
Issuer [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	0	0
Non-trade receivables, net	455	444
Inventories, net	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Marketable securities, at fair value	0	0
Other assets	7	5
Total current assets	462	449
Investments in affiliates	3,846	3,437
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Deferred income taxes	3	5
Other assets	1,938	1,927
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Total assets	6,249	5,818
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	1,636	1,584
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	0	0
Other liabilities	65	40
Deferred income taxes	21	21
Income taxes payable	0	0
Total current liabilities	1,722	1,645
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt	2,466	2,467
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Uncertain tax positions	6	6
Benefit obligations	0	0
Other liabilities	3	8
Total noncurrent liabilities	2,475	2,481
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,052	1,692
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	2,052	1,692
Total liabilities and equity	6,249	5,818
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	398	275	225	133
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	158	340
Non-trade receivables, net	2,032	1,754
Inventories, net	217	196
Deferred income taxes	64	62
Marketable securities, at fair value	44	52
Other assets	19	15
Total current assets	2,932	2,694
Investments in affiliates	1,728	1,579
Property, plant and equipment, net	890	813
Deferred income taxes	508	509
Other assets	132	132
Goodwill	305	305
Intangible assets, net	66	69
Total assets	6,561	6,101
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	125	208
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	297	269
Other liabilities	377	267
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Income taxes payable	541	419
Total current liabilities	1,340	1,163
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt	812	872
Deferred income taxes	13	0
Uncertain tax positions	26	23
Benefit obligations	1,311	1,362
Other liabilities	93	101
Total noncurrent liabilities	2,255	2,358
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,966	2,580
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	2,966	2,580
Total liabilities and equity	6,561	6,101
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	702	674	677	549
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	962	653
Non-trade receivables, net	550	484
Inventories, net	608	589
Deferred income taxes	7	8
Marketable securities, at fair value	0	1
Other assets	35	27
Total current assets	2,864	2,436
Investments in affiliates	588	570
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,501	2,537
Deferred income taxes	93	92
Other assets	452	414
Goodwill	482	472
Intangible assets, net	81	96
Total assets	7,061	6,617
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	402	159
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	613	546
Other liabilities	417	475
Deferred income taxes	25	25
Income taxes payable	87	73
Total current liabilities	1,544	1,278
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt	1,614	1,597
Deferred income taxes	48	50
Uncertain tax positions	171	149
Benefit obligations	235	240
Other liabilities	1,065	1,055
Total noncurrent liabilities	3,133	3,091
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,384	2,248
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	2,384	2,248
Total liabilities and equity	7,061	6,617
Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	(171)	(166)
Non-trade receivables, net	(2,776)	(2,504)
Inventories, net	(72)	(74)
Deferred income taxes	(21)	(21)
Marketable securities, at fair value	0	0
Other assets	(22)	(16)
Total current assets	(3,062)	(2,781)
Investments in affiliates	(7,357)	(6,478)
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other assets	(2,024)	(2,010)
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Total assets	(12,443)	(11,269)
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	(1,939)	(1,783)
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	(171)	(166)
Other liabilities	(402)	(307)
Deferred income taxes	(21)	(21)
Income taxes payable	(476)	(454)
Total current liabilities	(3,009)	(2,731)
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt	(2,022)	(2,006)
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Uncertain tax positions	0	0
Benefit obligations	0	0
Other liabilities	(10)	(12)
Total noncurrent liabilities	(2,032)	(2,018)
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	(7,402)	(6,520)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(7,402)	(6,520)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (12,443)	$ (11,269)