Leases Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Leases - Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract]
Operating Lease, Payments	$ 10
Finance Lease, Interest Payment on Liability	5
Finance Lease, Principal Payments	6
Right-of-Use Asset Obtained in Exchange for Finance Lease Liability	0
Right-of-Use Asset Obtained in Exchange for Operating Lease Liability	$ 0

Leases - Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract]

No definition available.

Name:	ce_LeasesSupplementalCashFlowInformationAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ce_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of interest paid on finance lease liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (g)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888426&loc=SL77918686-209980

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918643-209977

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseInterestPaymentOnLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash outflow for principal payment on finance lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918643-209977

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (g)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888426&loc=SL77918686-209980

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeasePrincipalPayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash outflow from operating lease, excluding payments to bring another asset to condition and location necessary for its intended use.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918643-209977

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (g)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888426&loc=SL77918686-209980

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasePayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in right-of-use asset obtained in exchange for finance lease liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 53
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888399&loc=SL77918982-209971

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (g)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888426&loc=SL77918686-209980

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in right-of-use asset obtained in exchange for operating lease liability.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RightOfUseAssetObtainedInExchangeForOperatingLeaseLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration