Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Statement of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,450	$ 1,705
Cost of sales	(1,069)	(1,327)
Gross profit	381	378
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(98)	(104)
Amortization of intangible assets	(3)	(6)
Research and development expenses	(20)	(22)
Other (charges) gains, net	(5)	(1)
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net	3	(1)
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net	(1)	(1)
Operating profit (loss)	257	243
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	48	40
Interest expense	(27)	(39)
Interest income	0	0
Dividend income - cost investments	28	29
Other income (expense), net	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	306	273
Income tax (provision) benefit	(72)	(78)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	234	195
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations	0	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	234	195
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	2	1
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	236	196
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0
Gross profit	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0
Other (charges) gains, net	0	0
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net	0	0
Operating profit (loss)	0	0
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	235	195
Interest expense	0	0
Interest income	0	0
Dividend income - cost investments	0	0
Other income (expense), net	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	235	195
Income tax (provision) benefit	1	1
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	236	196
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations	0	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	236	196
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	236	196
Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0
Gross profit	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0
Other (charges) gains, net	0	0
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net	0	0
Operating profit (loss)	0	0
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	279	228
Interest expense	(43)	(46)
Interest income	8	14
Dividend income - cost investments	0	0
Other income (expense), net	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	244	196
Income tax (provision) benefit	(9)	(1)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	235	195
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations	0	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	235	195
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	235	195
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	658	707
Cost of sales	(431)	(461)
Gross profit	227	246
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(24)	(9)
Amortization of intangible assets	(1)	(2)
Research and development expenses	(10)	(13)
Other (charges) gains, net	(3)	0
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net	(2)	(3)
Operating profit (loss)	187	219
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	92	30
Interest expense	(5)	(6)
Interest income	19	17
Dividend income - cost investments	0	0
Other income (expense), net	0	3
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	293	263
Income tax (provision) benefit	(53)	(70)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	240	193
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations	0	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	240	193
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	240	193
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	1,133	1,300
Cost of sales	(984)	(1,151)
Gross profit	149	149
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(74)	(95)
Amortization of intangible assets	(2)	(4)
Research and development expenses	(10)	(9)
Other (charges) gains, net	(2)	(1)
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net	3	(1)
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net	1	2
Operating profit (loss)	65	41
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	40	36
Interest expense	(12)	(19)
Interest income	6	1
Dividend income - cost investments	28	29
Other income (expense), net	0	(3)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	127	85
Income tax (provision) benefit	(10)	(11)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	117	74
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations	0	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	117	74
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	2	1
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	119	75
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	(341)	(302)
Cost of sales	346	285
Gross profit	5	(17)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0
Other (charges) gains, net	0	0
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net	0	0
Operating profit (loss)	5	(17)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	(598)	(449)
Interest expense	33	32
Interest income	(33)	(32)
Dividend income - cost investments	0	0
Other income (expense), net	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	(593)	(466)
Income tax (provision) benefit	(1)	3
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(594)	(463)
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations	0	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(594)	(463)
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	$ (594)	$ (463)