Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Statements of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2012	May 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales				$ 6,510	$ 6,418	$ 6,763
Cost of sales				(5,145)	(5,237)	(5,346)
Gross profit				1,365	1,181	1,417
Selling, general and administrative expenses				(311)	(830)	(805)
Amortization of intangible assets				(32)	(51)	(62)
Research and development expenses				(85)	(104)	(98)
Other (charges) gains, net				(158)	(14)	(48)
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net				(6)	(4)	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net				735	(3)	(2)
Operating profit (loss)				1,508	175	402
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates				180	242	192
Interest expense				(172)	(185)	(221)
Refinancing expense	(3)	(3)	(1)	(1)	(3)	(3)
Interest income				1	2	3
Dividend income - cost investments				93	85	80
Other income (expense), net				0	5	14
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax				1,609	321	467
Income tax (provision) benefit				(508)	55	(41)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations				1,101	376	426
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations				0	(6)	2
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations				0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations				0	2	(1)
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations				0	(4)	1
Net earnings (loss)				1,101	372	427
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests				0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation				1,101	372	427
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				1,096	369	425
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	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax				1,096	369	425
Income tax (provision) benefit				5	3	2
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations				1,101	372	427
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)				1,101	372	427
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests				0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation				1,101	372	427
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				1,180	473	590
Interest expense				(192)	(198)	(217)
Refinancing expense				(1)	(3)	(3)
Interest income				55	59	23
Dividend income - cost investments				0	0	0
Other income (expense), net				0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax				1,042	331	393
Income tax (provision) benefit				54	38	32
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations				1,096	369	425
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)				1,096	369	425
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests				0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation				1,096	369	425
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales				2,799	2,692	2,572
Cost of sales				(1,827)	(1,906)	(1,861)
Gross profit				972	786	711
Selling, general and administrative expenses				53	(440)	(402)
Amortization of intangible assets				(11)	(18)	(17)
Research and development expenses				(53)	(74)	(67)
Other (charges) gains, net				2	17	23
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net				0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net				(2)	(1)	(1)
Operating profit (loss)				961	270	247
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates				116	199	165
Interest expense				(34)	(42)	(41)
Refinancing expense				0	0	0
Interest income				65	65	48
Dividend income - cost investments				0	0	0
Other income (expense), net				(52)	(10)	(39)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax				1,056	482	380
Income tax (provision) benefit				(326)	(16)	(49)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations				730	466	331
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations				2	(5)	3
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations				0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations				(1)	2	(1)
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations				1	(3)	2
Net earnings (loss)				731	463	333
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests				0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation				731	463	333
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales				4,911	4,829	5,240
Cost of sales				(4,531)	(4,423)	(4,510)
Gross profit				380	406	730
Selling, general and administrative expenses				(364)	(390)	(403)
Amortization of intangible assets				(21)	(33)	(45)
Research and development expenses				(32)	(30)	(31)
Other (charges) gains, net				(156)	(22)	(71)
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net				(6)	(4)	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net				737	(2)	0
Operating profit (loss)				538	(75)	180
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates				158	201	166
Interest expense				(70)	(73)	(41)
Refinancing expense				0	0	0
Interest income				5	6	10
Dividend income - cost investments				93	85	80
Other income (expense), net				52	15	53
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax				776	159	448
Income tax (provision) benefit				(229)	15	(35)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations				547	174	413
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations				(2)	(1)	(1)
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations				0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations				1	0	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations				(1)	(1)	(1)
Net earnings (loss)				546	173	412
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests				0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation				546	173	412
Consolidation Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales				(1,200)	(1,103)	(1,049)
Cost of sales				1,213	1,092	1,025
Gross profit				13	(11)	(24)
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				(4)	(9)	0
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net				0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net				0	0	(1)
Operating profit (loss)				9	(20)	(25)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates				(2,370)	(1,000)	(1,154)
Interest expense				124	128	78
Refinancing expense				0	0	0
Interest income				(124)	(128)	(78)
Dividend income - cost investments				0	0	0
Other income (expense), net				0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax				(2,361)	(1,020)	(1,179)
Income tax (provision) benefit				(12)	15	9
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations				(2,373)	(1,005)	(1,170)
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)				(2,373)	(1,005)	(1,170)
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests				0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation				$ (2,373)	$ (1,005)	$ (1,170)