Segment Information (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Segment Reporting Information

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2012			2011			2012			2011
Net external sales
Olefins
Polyethylene	$	431,614		$	444,077		$	1,275,057		$	1,358,631
Ethylene, styrene and other	108,171			251,597			669,718			587,438
Total Olefins	539,785			695,674			1,944,775			1,946,069
Vinyls
PVC, caustic soda and other	191,310			198,046			569,316			583,214
Building products	90,080			74,652			255,909			231,390
Total Vinyls	281,390			272,698			825,225			814,604
	$	821,175		$	968,372		$	2,770,000		$	2,760,673
Intersegment sales
Olefins	$	76,771		$	109,140		$	247,671		$	327,584
Vinyls	391			376			1,167			1,100
	$	77,162		$	109,516		$	248,838		$	328,684
Income (loss) from operations
Olefins	$	124,452		$	105,353		$	409,550		$	383,376
Vinyls	24,059			16,123			67,724			23,565
Corporate and other	(5,994		)	(4,145		)	(18,154		)	(10,604		)
	$	142,517		$	117,331		$	459,120		$	396,337
Depreciation and amortization
Olefins	$	27,070		$	21,746		$	74,903		$	64,998
Vinyls	11,232			10,967			34,330			32,782
Corporate and other	122			148			368			464
	$	38,424		$	32,861		$	109,601		$	98,244

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2012			2011			2012			2011
Other income (expense), net
Olefins	$	806		$	949		$	2,764		$	2,033
Vinyls	146			(303		)	115			179
Corporate and other	270			811			797			2,084
	$	1,222		$	1,457		$	3,676		$	4,296
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes
Olefins	$	36,092		$	34,867		$	130,612		$	128,405
Vinyls	6,556			5,277			18,989			5,847
Corporate and other	(4,412		)	(2,013		)	(3,418		)	(4,591		)
	$	38,236		$	38,131		$	146,183		$	129,661
Capital expenditures
Olefins	$	46,867		$	26,570		$	92,168		$	59,969
Vinyls	47,001			15,447			139,836			50,454
Corporate and other	1,027			628			3,459			1,400
	$	94,895		$	42,645		$	235,463		$	111,823

Reconciliation Of Total Segment Income From Operations To Consolidated Income Before Income Taxes

A reconciliation of total segment income from operations to consolidated income before income taxes is as follows:

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2012			2011			2012			2011
Income from operations	$	142,517		$	117,331		$	459,120		$	396,337
Interest expense	(11,934		)	(12,727		)	(35,682		)	(38,449		)
Debt retirement costs	(7,082		)	—			(7,082		)	—
Gain from sales of equity securities	477			—			16,429			—
Other income, net	1,222			1,457			3,676			4,296
Income before income taxes	$	125,200		$	106,061		$	436,461		$	362,184

Total Assets

	September 30, 2012		December 31, 2011
Total assets
Olefins	$	1,355,157	$	1,441,752
Vinyls	956,665		824,825
Corporate and other	1,232,352		1,000,244
	$	3,544,174	$	3,266,821