Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Cash Flow Statements) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 862	$ 962	$ 762
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures on property, plant and equipment	(232)	(254)	(277)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(6)	(10)	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses and assets, net	4	0	13
Capital expenditures related to Kelsterbach plant relocation	0	0	(7)
Capital expenditures related to Fairway Methanol LLC	(288)	(424)	(93)
Return of capital from subsidiary	0	0	0
Contributions to subsidiary	0	0	0
Intercompany loan receipts (disbursements)	0	0	0
Other, net	(36)	(17)	(58)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(558)	(705)	(422)
Financing Activities
Short-term borrowings (repayments), net	350	(9)	(11)
Proceeds from short-term borrowings	80	62	177
Repayments of short-term borrowings	(83)	(91)	(123)
Proceeds from long-term debt	0	387	74
Repayments of long-term debt	(24)	(626)	(198)
Purchases of treasury stock, including related fees	(420)	(250)	(164)
Dividends to parent	0	0	0
Contributions from parent	0	0	0
Stock option exercises	3	5	9
Series A common stock dividends	(174)	(144)	(83)
Return of capital to parent	0	0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	214	264	0
Other, net	(12)	(13)	(7)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(66)	(415)	(326)
Exchange rate effects on cash and cash equivalents	(51)	(46)	11
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	187	(204)	25
Cash and cash equivalents as of beginning of period	780	984	959
Cash and cash equivalents as of end of period	967	780	984
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	591	389	228
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures on property, plant and equipment	0	0	0
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses and assets, net	0	0	0
Capital expenditures related to Kelsterbach plant relocation	0	0	0
Capital expenditures related to Fairway Methanol LLC	0	0	0
Return of capital from subsidiary	0	0	0
Contributions to subsidiary	0	0	0
Intercompany loan receipts (disbursements)	0	0	0
Other, net	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0	0
Financing Activities
Short-term borrowings (repayments), net	0	0	0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings	0	0	0
Repayments of short-term borrowings	0	0	0
Proceeds from long-term debt	0	0	0
Repayments of long-term debt	0	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock, including related fees	(420)	(250)	(164)
Dividends to parent	0	0	0
Contributions from parent	0	0	0
Stock option exercises	3	5	9
Series A common stock dividends	(174)	(144)	(83)
Return of capital to parent	0	0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Other, net	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(591)	(389)	(238)
Exchange rate effects on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	(10)
Cash and cash equivalents as of beginning of period	0	0	10
Cash and cash equivalents as of end of period	0	0	0
Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	536	498	105
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures on property, plant and equipment	0	0	0
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses and assets, net	0	0	0
Capital expenditures related to Kelsterbach plant relocation	0	0	0
Capital expenditures related to Fairway Methanol LLC	0	0	0
Return of capital from subsidiary	0	28	0
Contributions to subsidiary	0	0	0
Intercompany loan receipts (disbursements)	(333)	(70)	5
Other, net	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(333)	(42)	5
Financing Activities
Short-term borrowings (repayments), net	383	93	131
Proceeds from short-term borrowings	0	0	0
Repayments of short-term borrowings	0	0	0
Proceeds from long-term debt	15	462	24
Repayments of long-term debt	(9)	(611)	(34)
Purchases of treasury stock, including related fees	0	0	0
Dividends to parent	(592)	(390)	(229)
Contributions from parent	0	0	0
Stock option exercises	0	0	0
Series A common stock dividends	0	0	0
Return of capital to parent	0	0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Other, net	0	(10)	(2)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(203)	(456)	(110)
Exchange rate effects on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents as of beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents as of end of period	0	0	0
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	529	644	766
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures on property, plant and equipment	(128)	(183)	(156)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(3)	(10)	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses and assets, net	0	0	0
Capital expenditures related to Kelsterbach plant relocation	0	0	0
Capital expenditures related to Fairway Methanol LLC	(20)	(44)	(93)
Return of capital from subsidiary	0	51	0
Contributions to subsidiary	(120)	(213)	(20)
Intercompany loan receipts (disbursements)	(33)	(93)	(131)
Other, net	(12)	(9)	(45)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(316)	(501)	(445)
Financing Activities
Short-term borrowings (repayments), net	0	6	(8)
Proceeds from short-term borrowings	0	0	0
Repayments of short-term borrowings	0	0	0
Proceeds from long-term debt	406	75	50
Repayments of long-term debt	(74)	(5)	(121)
Purchases of treasury stock, including related fees	0	0	0
Dividends to parent	(624)	(390)	(229)
Contributions from parent	0	0	0
Stock option exercises	0	0	0
Series A common stock dividends	0	0	0
Return of capital to parent	0	0	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Other, net	(10)	(3)	(4)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(302)	(317)	(312)
Exchange rate effects on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(89)	(174)	9
Cash and cash equivalents as of beginning of period	110	284	275
Cash and cash equivalents as of end of period	21	110	284
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	422	433	154
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures on property, plant and equipment	(104)	(71)	(121)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(3)	0	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses and assets, net	4	0	13
Capital expenditures related to Kelsterbach plant relocation	0	0	(7)
Capital expenditures related to Fairway Methanol LLC	(268)	(380)	0
Return of capital from subsidiary	0	0	0
Contributions to subsidiary	0	0	0
Intercompany loan receipts (disbursements)	(15)	(75)	0
Other, net	(24)	(8)	(13)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(410)	(534)	(128)
Financing Activities
Short-term borrowings (repayments), net	0	(15)	(3)
Proceeds from short-term borrowings	80	62	177
Repayments of short-term borrowings	(83)	(91)	(123)
Proceeds from long-term debt	0	0	0
Repayments of long-term debt	(14)	(15)	(48)
Purchases of treasury stock, including related fees	0	0	0
Dividends to parent	0	(222)	(33)
Contributions from parent	120	213	20
Stock option exercises	0	0	0
Series A common stock dividends	0	0	0
Return of capital to parent	0	(79)	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	214	264	0
Other, net	(2)	0	(1)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	315	117	(11)
Exchange rate effects on cash and cash equivalents	(51)	(46)	11
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	276	(30)	26
Cash and cash equivalents as of beginning of period	670	700	674
Cash and cash equivalents as of end of period	946	670	700
Consolidation Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(1,216)	(1,002)	(491)
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures on property, plant and equipment	0	0	0
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses and assets, net	0	0	0
Capital expenditures related to Kelsterbach plant relocation	0	0	0
Capital expenditures related to Fairway Methanol LLC	0	0	0
Return of capital from subsidiary	0	(79)	0
Contributions to subsidiary	120	213	20
Intercompany loan receipts (disbursements)	381	238	126
Other, net	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	501	372	146
Financing Activities
Short-term borrowings (repayments), net	(33)	(93)	(131)
Proceeds from short-term borrowings	0	0	0
Repayments of short-term borrowings	0	0	0
Proceeds from long-term debt	(421)	(150)	0
Repayments of long-term debt	73	5	5
Purchases of treasury stock, including related fees	0	0	0
Dividends to parent	1,216	1,002	491
Contributions from parent	(120)	(213)	(20)
Stock option exercises	0	0	0
Series A common stock dividends	0	0	0
Return of capital to parent	0	79	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Other, net	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	715	630	345
Exchange rate effects on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents as of beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents as of end of period	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0