Debt (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 Repayment of Debt [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term 6.375% Notes due 2012		Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-term 6.375% Notes due 2012		Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term 1.75% Notes due 2012		Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-term 1.75% Notes due 2012		Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term 3.95% Notes due 2013	Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-term 3.95% Notes due 2013	Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term 2.125% Notes due 2013		Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-term 2.125% Notes due 2013		Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term 4.375% Notes due 2014		Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-term 4.375% Notes due 2014		Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term 5.25% Notes due 2014	Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-term 5.25% Notes due 2014	Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term 4.625% Notes due 2015	Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-term 4.625% Notes due 2015	Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term 3.25% Notes due 2015		Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-term 3.25% Notes due 2015		Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term 5.375% Notes due 2016	Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-term 5.375% Notes due 2016	Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term 5.20% Notes due 2017	Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-term 5.20% Notes due 2017	Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term 4.50% Notes due 2019		Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-term 4.50% Notes due 2019		Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term other	Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-term other	Mar. 31, 2012 Other International long-term debt borrowings	Dec. 31, 2011 Other International long-term debt borrowings	Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term 4.05% Notes due 2021		Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-term 4.05% Notes due 2021		Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-Term 3.00% Notes due 2021		Dec. 31, 2011 US Long-Term 3.00% Notes due 2021		Mar. 31, 2012 US Long-term 2.45% Notes due 2022
Additional information debt disclosure items [Abstract]
Long Term Debt including current portion	$ 6,600		$ 6,225
Current portion of long-term debt	(180)		(387)
Obligations under capital lease	11		11
Long-term debt	6,420		5,838
Total debt	6,856		6,562
Fair Value Increase	45		54
Commercial Paper and US bank borrowings	180		159
Other Bank Borrowings (Primarily International)	76		178
Total Short-term Debt	256		337
Long Term Debt Instrument Line Items
Senior Notes - Carrying Amount					500	[1],[2],[3]	501	[1],[2],[3]	403	[1],[2],[4]	405	[1],[2],[4]	350	350	511	[1],[4]	513	[1],[4]	299	[4]	299	[4]	400	400	500	500	430	[1],[4]	434	[1],[4]	400	400	325	325	597	[4]	597	[4]					496	[4]	496	[4]	498	[4]	498	[4]	598	[4],[5]
Other Debt - Carrying Amount																																							6	6	276	490
Interest Rate					6.375%		6.375%		1.75%		1.75%		3.95%	3.95%	2.125%		2.125%		4.375%		4.375%		5.25%	5.25%	4.625%	4.625%	3.25%		3.25%		5.375%	5.375%	5.20%	5.20%	4.50%		4.50%						4.05%		4.05%		3.00%		3.00%		2.45%
Face Value																																																			600
Long-term debt repayments	230	197
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Subsequent Event, Amount				$ 500

[1] (b) March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011 include a $45 million and $54 million fair value increase, respectively, related to hedge accounting. See Note 4 for additional information.

[2] (d) Classified as long-term because of the Company’s intent to refinance this debt on a long-term basis and the availability of such financing under the terms of existing agreement.

[3] (e) In April 2012, Praxair repaid $500 million of 6.375% notes that were due and increased other borrowings.

[4] a) Amounts are net of unamortized discounts.

[5] (c) In February 2012, Praxair issued $600 million of 2.45% notes due 2022. The proceeds were used for general corporate purposes.