XML 24 R57.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Fair Value Measurements (Summary of Carrying and Fair Values of Long Term Debt) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
3.60% Senior Notes Due 2022    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Maturity 2022  
Stated interest rate 3.60%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
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3.60% Senior Notes Due 2022 | Carrying Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Senior notes 249,138wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_ThreePointSixZeroPercentageSeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyTwoMember
$ 249,108wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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3.60% Senior Notes Due 2022 | Fair Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Senior notes 253,240wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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248,630wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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6 1/2% Senior Notes Due 2029    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Maturity 2029  
Stated interest rate 6.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
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= wlk_GoZoneSixAndOneHalfPercentSeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyNineMember
 
6 1/2% Senior Notes Due 2029 | Carrying Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Senior notes 100,000wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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= wlk_GoZoneSixAndOneHalfPercentSeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyNineMember
100,000wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_GoZoneSixAndOneHalfPercentSeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyNineMember
6 1/2% Senior Notes Due 2029 | Fair Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Senior notes 118,493wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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= wlk_GoZoneSixAndOneHalfPercentSeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyNineMember
116,384wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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= wlk_GoZoneSixAndOneHalfPercentSeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyNineMember
6 3/4% Senior Notes Due 2032    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Maturity 2032  
Stated interest rate 6.75%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_GoZoneSixAndThreeQuartersPercentSeniorNotesDueTwentyThirtyTwoMember
 
6 3/4% Senior Notes Due 2032 | Carrying Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Senior notes 250,000wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_GoZoneSixAndThreeQuartersPercentSeniorNotesDueTwentyThirtyTwoMember
250,000wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_GoZoneSixAndThreeQuartersPercentSeniorNotesDueTwentyThirtyTwoMember
6 3/4% Senior Notes Due 2032 | Fair Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Senior notes 280,285wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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285,545wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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= wlk_GoZoneSixAndThreeQuartersPercentSeniorNotesDueTwentyThirtyTwoMember
2035 GO Zone 6 1/2% Notes    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Maturity 2035  
Stated interest rate 6.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
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= wlk_GoZoneSixPointFivePercentTaxExemptRevenueBondsDueTwentyThirtyFiveMember
 
2035 GO Zone 6 1/2% Notes | Carrying Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Senior notes 89,000wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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89,000wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_GoZoneSixPointFivePercentTaxExemptRevenueBondsDueTwentyThirtyFiveMember
2035 GO Zone 6 1/2% Notes | Fair Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Senior notes 105,298wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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= wlk_GoZoneSixPointFivePercentTaxExemptRevenueBondsDueTwentyThirtyFiveMember
106,504wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_GoZoneSixPointFivePercentTaxExemptRevenueBondsDueTwentyThirtyFiveMember
2035 IKE Zone 6 1/2% Notes    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Maturity 2035  
Stated interest rate 6.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_IkeZoneSixPointFivePercentTaxExemptRevenueBondsDueTwentyThirtyFiveMember
 
2035 IKE Zone 6 1/2% Notes | Carrying Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Senior notes 65,000wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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65,000wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_IkeZoneSixPointFivePercentTaxExemptRevenueBondsDueTwentyThirtyFiveMember
2035 IKE Zone 6 1/2% Notes | Fair Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Senior notes 76,903wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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77,784wlk_SeniorNotesFairValueDisclosure
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= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
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= wlk_IkeZoneSixPointFivePercentTaxExemptRevenueBondsDueTwentyThirtyFiveMember
Loan related to tax-exempt waste disposal revenue bonds due 2027    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Maturity 2027  
Loan related to tax-exempt waste disposal revenue bonds due 2027 | Carrying Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Loans 10,889us-gaap_LoansPayableFairValueDisclosure
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= wlk_WasteDisposalRevenueBondsDueTwentyTwentySevenMember
10,889us-gaap_LoansPayableFairValueDisclosure
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= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_WasteDisposalRevenueBondsDueTwentyTwentySevenMember
Loan related to tax-exempt waste disposal revenue bonds due 2027 | Fair Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Loans 10,889us-gaap_LoansPayableFairValueDisclosure
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= wlk_WasteDisposalRevenueBondsDueTwentyTwentySevenMember
$ 10,889us-gaap_LoansPayableFairValueDisclosure
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