NONCONSOLIDATED AFFILIATES AND RELATED COMPANY TRANSACTIONS, Schedule of the Company's Direct or Indirect Ownership Interest in Principal Nonconsolidated Affiliates (Details) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) jointventures		Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) jointventures		Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)		Jun. 01, 2016 USD ($)		May 31, 2016	Dec. 23, 2015
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Investment in nonconsolidated affiliates		$ 3,747	[1]	$ 3,958		$ 4,201
Other noncurrent obligations		(1,030)		(148)
Net investment in principal nonconsolidated affiliates	[2]	2,717		3,810
Equity in earnings of nonconsolidated affiliates		$ 442		$ 674		$ 835
Dow Corning Corporation [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage				50.00%	[3]	50.00%	[3]	100.00%		50.00%
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%					42.50%
DC HSC Holdings LLC [Member] [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.00%	[4]					50.00%	[5]
Hemlock Semiconductor LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.10%	[4]					50.10%	[6]
Investment in nonconsolidated affiliates	[6]							$ (958)
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		42.50%		42.50%		42.50%
Map Ta Phut Olefins Company [Domain]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	[7]	32.77%		32.77%		32.77%
MEGlobal [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage				50.00%		50.00%	[8]
Sadara [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		35.00%		35.00%		35.00%
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	[9]					50.00%
Nonconsolidated Affiliates [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Number of Nonconsolidated Affiliates | jointventures		59		55
Principal Nonconsolidated Affiliates [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Investment in nonconsolidated affiliates		$ 3,029		$ 3,120	[10]
Other noncurrent obligations		(1,030)		(148)	[10]
Net investment in principal nonconsolidated affiliates		1,999		2,972	[10]
Equity in earnings of nonconsolidated affiliates		$ 449		$ 704		$ 845
Direct Ownership Interest [Domain] | Map Ta Phut Olefins Company [Domain]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		20.27%
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%

[1] Equity contributions to Sadara, which prior to 2016 were reflected in the Corporate segment, were reallocated to Performance Materials & Chemicals and Performance Plastics in 2016.

[2] The carrying amount of the Company’s investments in nonconsolidated affiliates was $62 million more than its share of the investees’ net assets, exclusive of additional differences for EQUATE and AFSI, which are discussed separately below.

[3] On June 1, 2016, Dow became the 100 percent owner of Dow Corning. See Note 4 for additional information.

[4] The HSC Group was previously part of the Dow Corning equity method investment and was added as principal nonconsolidated affiliates in the fourth quarter of 2016.

[5] DC HSC Holdings LLC holds an 80.5 percent indirect ownership interest in Hemlock Semiconductor Operations.

[6] Hemlock Semiconductor L.L.C. is a nonconsolidated variable interest entity. See Note 20 for additional information.

[7] 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.

[8] On December 23, 2015, the Company sold its 50 percent ownership interest in MEGlobal to EQUATE. MEGlobal is treated as a separate principal nonconsolidated affiliate through the date of divestiture. See Note 5 for additional information.

[9] 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.

[10] (1)Adjusted to conform to the current year presentation.