NONCONSOLIDATED AFFILIATES AND RELATED COMPANY TRANSACTIONS, Balances Due To or Due From Nonconsolidated Affiliates (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 10, 2015	[3]	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Notes Payable, Balance Due To Nonconsolidated Affiliates		$ 171				$ 189
Equity Method Investee [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Accounts and notes receivable - other, Balance Due From Nonconsolidated Affiliates		389				511
Noncurrent receivables, Balance Due From Nonconsolidated Affiliates	[1]	473				212
Total assets, Balance Due From Nonconsolidated Affiliates		862				723
Notes Payable, Balance Due To Nonconsolidated Affiliates		171				189
Accounts Payable, Balance Due To Nonconsolidated Affiliates		230				274
Total current liabilities, Balance Due To Nonconsolidated Affiliates		$ 401				$ 463
Dow Corning Corporation [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.00%	[2]	100.00%		50.00%	[2]	50.00%	[2]
EQUATE Petrochemical Company K.S.C. [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		42.50%				42.50%		42.50%
The Kuwait Olefins Company K.S.C. [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		42.50%				42.50%		42.50%
The Kuwait Styrene Company KSC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	[4]	42.50%				42.50%
Map Ta Phut Olefins Company [Domain]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	[3]	32.77%				32.77%		32.77%
MEGlobal [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage						50.00%		50.00%
Sadara [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		35.00%				35.00%		35.00%
Sadara [Member] | Equity Method Investee [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Noncurrent receivables, Balance Due From Nonconsolidated Affiliates		$ 460				$ 193
Siam Polyethylene Company Limited [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.00%				50.00%		50.00%
Siam Polystyrene Company Limited [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.00%				50.00%		50.00%
Siam Styrene Monomer Co, Ltd [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.00%				50.00%		50.00%
Siam Synthetic Latex Company Limited [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.00%				50.00%		50.00%
Univation Technologies, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	[5]					50.00%		50.00%
Indirect Ownership Interest [Domain] [Domain] | Map Ta Phut Olefins Company [Domain]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		12.50%
Direct Ownership Interest [Domain] | Map Ta Phut Olefins Company [Domain]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		20.27%

[1] Included in "Noncurrent receivables" is a $473 million note receivable with Sadara at December 31, 2015, of which $460 million is expected to be converted to equity in the first quarter of 2016 ($193 million at December 31, 2014, which was converted to equity in the first quarter of 2015

[2] On December 10, 2015, the Company entered into a definitive agreement to restructure the ownership of Dow Corning. Under the terms of the agreements, Dow will become the 100 percent owner of Dow Corning, currently a 50:50 joint venture between Dow and Corning Incorporated ("Corning"). Dow and Corning will maintain their current equity stake in the Hemlock Semiconductor Group. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2016.

[3] The Company's effective ownership of Map Ta Phut Olefins Company Limited is 32.77 percent, of which the Company directly owns 20.27 percent and indirectly owns 12.5 percent through its equity interest in Siam Polyethylene Company Limited and Siam Synthetic Latex Company Limited.

[4] The Kuwait Styrene Company K.S.C. was added as a principal nonconsolidated affiliate in the fourth quarter of 2014.

[5] On May 5, 2015, Univation, previously a 50:50 joint venture between Dow and ExxonMobil, became a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow. See Note 4 for additional information on this transaction.