Segment Reporting - Operating Segment (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 451,582	$ 507,997	$ 1,413,755	$ 1,527,198
Surfactants [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	299,719	346,884	962,749	1,062,708
Polymers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	135,089	141,646	395,904	404,446
Specialty Products [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 16,774	$ 19,467	$ 55,102	$ 60,044

Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118956577&loc=SL49130543-203045

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118956577&loc=SL49130545-203045

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