Venezuela	6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Text Block [Abstract]
Venezuela	N. Venezuela Cabot owns 49% of an operating affiliate in Venezuela, which is accounted for as an equity affiliate, through wholly owned subsidiaries that carry the investment and receive its dividends. As of March 31, 2013, these subsidiaries carried the operating affiliate investment of $25 million and held 20 million bolivars ($3 million) in cash. In February 2013, the Venezuelan government announced a devaluation of the bolivar from 4.3 bolivars to the U.S. dollar (B/$) to 6.3 B/$. Accordingly, the Company remeasured the bolivar denominated monetary accounts in its wholly owned subsidiaries at the new rate, resulting in the recognition of a $2 million loss in the second quarter of fiscal 2013 through other income (expense) within the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company also recognized a tax benefit of $2 million from a reduction in the deferred tax liability due to the impact of the devaluation of the bolivar on unremitted earnings. The operating affiliate recognized a $1 million loss in the second quarter of fiscal 2013 as a result of the remeasurement of monetary assets and liabilities in bolivars and a charge of $1 million from the tax impact of the currency devaluation mainly on U.S. dollar and Euro denominated cash and receivable balances. Cabot’s share of these combined losses was approximately $1 million in the quarter ended March 31, 2013, which was included within the Equity in earnings of affiliated companies line of the Consolidated Statements of Operations. As a result of the currency devaluation, the Company performed an impairment analysis on its equity investment in Venezuela during the second quarter of fiscal 2013 using the discounted cash flow model to determine the fair value of its investment. The Company determined that there was no impairment to the carrying value of its equity investment. The Company continues to closely monitor developments in Venezuela and their potential impact on the recoverability of its equity affiliate investment. During the six months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, the operating affiliate declared dividends of 10 million bolivars ($2 million) and 11 million bolivars ($3 million), respectively, to the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries, which were paid in U.S. dollars. The Company repatriated $2 million from its wholly owned subsidiaries during the six months ended March 31, 2013 and did not repatriate any cash during the six months ended March 31, 2012. The Venezuelan bolivars held by the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries may only be exchanged for foreign currencies through certain Venezuelan government controlled channels. The channels available are the Venezuelan central bank (“CADIVI”), and Venezuelan government and government-backed bond offerings. The bond offerings use a bidding process, where companies and individuals requiring U.S. dollars place a request for a fixed sum, and CADIVI then determines how to allocate the pool of U.S. dollars in that issuance. The Company closely monitors its ability to convert its bolivar holdings into U.S. dollars, as the Company intends to convert substantially all bolivars held by its wholly owned subsidiaries in Venezuela to U.S. dollars as soon as practical. Any future change in the CADIVI official rate or opening of additional parallel markets could lead the Company to change the exchange rate and result in gains or losses on the bolivar denominated assets held by its wholly owned subsidiaries.

N. Venezuela

Cabot owns 49% of an operating affiliate in Venezuela, which is accounted for as an equity affiliate, through wholly owned subsidiaries that carry the investment and receive its dividends. As of March 31, 2013, these subsidiaries carried the operating affiliate investment of $25 million and held 20 million bolivars ($3 million) in cash.

In February 2013, the Venezuelan government announced a devaluation of the bolivar from 4.3 bolivars to the U.S. dollar (B/$) to 6.3 B/$. Accordingly, the Company remeasured the bolivar denominated monetary accounts in its wholly owned subsidiaries at the new rate, resulting in the recognition of a $2 million loss in the second quarter of fiscal 2013 through other income (expense) within the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company also recognized a tax benefit of $2 million from a reduction in the deferred tax liability due to the impact of the devaluation of the bolivar on unremitted earnings. The operating affiliate recognized a $1 million loss in the second quarter of fiscal 2013 as a result of the remeasurement of monetary assets and liabilities in bolivars and a charge of $1 million from the tax impact of the currency devaluation mainly on U.S. dollar and Euro denominated cash and receivable balances. Cabot’s share of these combined losses was approximately $1 million in the quarter ended March 31, 2013, which was included within the Equity in earnings of affiliated companies line of the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

As a result of the currency devaluation, the Company performed an impairment analysis on its equity investment in Venezuela during the second quarter of fiscal 2013 using the discounted cash flow model to determine the fair value of its investment. The Company determined that there was no impairment to the carrying value of its equity investment. The Company continues to closely monitor developments in Venezuela and their potential impact on the recoverability of its equity affiliate investment.

During the six months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, the operating affiliate declared dividends of 10 million bolivars ($2 million) and 11 million bolivars ($3 million), respectively, to the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries, which were paid in U.S. dollars. The Company repatriated $2 million from its wholly owned subsidiaries during the six months ended March 31, 2013 and did not repatriate any cash during the six months ended March 31, 2012.

The Venezuelan bolivars held by the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries may only be exchanged for foreign currencies through certain Venezuelan government controlled channels. The channels available are the Venezuelan central bank (“CADIVI”), and Venezuelan government and government-backed bond offerings. The bond offerings use a bidding process, where companies and individuals requiring U.S. dollars place a request for a fixed sum, and CADIVI then determines how to allocate the pool of U.S. dollars in that issuance. The Company closely monitors its ability to convert its bolivar holdings into U.S. dollars, as the Company intends to convert substantially all bolivars held by its wholly owned subsidiaries in Venezuela to U.S. dollars as soon as practical. Any future change in the CADIVI official rate or opening of additional parallel markets could lead the Company to change the exchange rate and result in gains or losses on the bolivar denominated assets held by its wholly owned subsidiaries.