INCOME TAXES - Additional Information (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Deferred tax benefits	$ (26)	$ (1,257)	$ 66
Alternative fuel mixture credits	0	0	344
Cellulosic biofuel producer credits		240
Net operating loss carryforwards	169	162
Valuation allowance	(146)	(142)
Change in our valuation allowance	4
Foreign tax credits	(76)	0	0
Foreign undistributed earnings	22
Unrecognized tax benefits	251	180	170
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest	33	30
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest	33	27
Unrecognized tax benefits that would affect our effective tax rate	140	98
Unrecognized tax benefits, decrease estimate due to the lapse of applicable statutes of limitation	4
Foreign losses
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Change in our valuation allowance	7
State net operating loss carryforwards
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Change in our valuation allowance	(3)
Medicare Part D subsidy charge
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Deferred tax benefits		32
One-time deferred tax benefits or charges
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Deferred tax benefits			0
Alternative fuel mixture credits
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Provision related to alternative fuel mixtures			0.50
Volume of liquid (in gallons)			688,000,000
Non qualified black liquor
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Volume of liquid (in gallons)			238,000,000
Provision related to cellulosic biofuel (per gallon)		1.01
Cellulosic biofuel producer credit	0	(149)	0
Unrecognized tax benefits
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits	24	48
Unrecognized tax benefits, interest	33	27
Expire from | State and foreign
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards	815
Expire from | State and foreign | Minimum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration dates	December 31, 2012
Expire from | State and foreign | Maximum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration dates	12/31/2031
Without expiry date | State and foreign
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards	$ 133
Net operating loss carryforwards, expiration dates	0