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Guarantor Disclosures (Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2017 | Mar. 31, 2016
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |
Net income | $ 144,710 | $ 128,936
Depreciation and amortization | 150,269 | 65,714
Deferred income taxes | (6,273) | 58,637
Net changes in working capital and other | (131,312) | (124,352)
Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities | (157,394) | (128,935)
Additions to property, plant and equipment | (134,285) | (136,328)
Additions to cost method investment | (15,000) | 0
Proceeds from disposition of assets | 66 | 104
Proceeds from involuntary conversion of assets | 1,555 | 0
Proceeds from sales and maturities of securities | 0 | 26,859
Purchase of securities | 0 | (36,637)
Settlements of derivative instruments | (355) | (1,219)
Net cash used for investing activities | (148,019) | (147,221)
Intercompany financing | 0 | 0
Debt issuance costs | (319) | 0
Dividends paid | (24,656) | (23,700)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests | (4,463) | (3,985)
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable | 1,874 | 2,050
Proceeds from drawdown of revolver | 50,000 | 0
Restricted cash associated with term loan | 154,000 | 0
Repayment of term loan | (150,000) | 0
Repayment of notes payable | (2,469) | (7,095)
Repayment of revolver | (125,000) | 0
Other | 1,354 | 288
Repurchase of common stock for treasury | 0 | (679)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities | 99,679 | 33,121
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | 3,442 | 3,858
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | 86,862 | 47,549
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period | 459,453 | 662,525
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period | 372,591 | 614,976
Eliminations [Member] |  |
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |
Net income | (134,529) | (129,112)
Depreciation and amortization | 0 | 0
Deferred income taxes | 0 | 0
Net changes in working capital and other | 134,529 | 129,112
Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities | 0 | 0
Additions to property, plant and equipment | 0 | 0
Additions to cost method investment | 0 |
Proceeds from disposition of assets | 0 | 0
Proceeds from involuntary conversion of assets | 0 |
Proceeds from sales and maturities of securities |  | 0
Purchase of securities |  | 0
Settlements of derivative instruments | 0 | 0
Net cash used for investing activities | 0 | 0
Intercompany financing | 0 | 0
Debt issuance costs | 0 |
Dividends paid | 0 | 0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests | 0 | 0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable | 0 | 0
Proceeds from drawdown of revolver | 0 |
Restricted cash associated with term loan | 0 |
Repayment of term loan | 0 |
Repayment of notes payable | 0 | 0
Repayment of revolver | 0 |
Other | 0 | 0
Repurchase of common stock for treasury |  | 0
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities | 0 | 0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period | 0 | 0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period | 0 | 0
Westlake Chemical Corporation [Member] |  |
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |
Net income | 138,190 | 123,128
Depreciation and amortization | 0 | 0
Deferred income taxes | (585) | (2,724)
Net changes in working capital and other | (213,242) | (120,345)
Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities | 75,637 | (59)
Additions to property, plant and equipment | 0 | 0
Additions to cost method investment | 0 |
Proceeds from disposition of assets | 0 | 0
Proceeds from involuntary conversion of assets | 0 |
Proceeds from sales and maturities of securities |  | 26,859
Purchase of securities |  | (29,045)
Settlements of derivative instruments | 0 | 0
Net cash used for investing activities | 0 | (2,186)
Intercompany financing | 78,234 | (13,763)
Debt issuance costs | (319) |
Dividends paid | (24,656) | (23,700)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests | 0 | 0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable | 0 | 0
Proceeds from drawdown of revolver | 50,000 |
Restricted cash associated with term loan | 154,000 |
Repayment of term loan | (150,000) |
Repayment of notes payable | 0 | 0
Repayment of revolver | (125,000) |
Other | 1,354 | 288
Repurchase of common stock for treasury |  | (679)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities | 16,387 | 37,854
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | 92,024 | 39,981
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period | 146,990 | 303,131
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period | 54,966 | 263,150
100% Owned Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] |  |
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |
Net income | 20,754 | 14,135
Depreciation and amortization | 98,578 | 32,687
Deferred income taxes | (2,905) | 55,473
Net changes in working capital and other | (28,009) | (94,115)
Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities | (88,418) | (8,180)
Additions to property, plant and equipment | (120,719) | (50,568)
Additions to cost method investment | (15,000) |
Proceeds from disposition of assets | 66 | 6
Proceeds from involuntary conversion of assets | 1,555 |
Proceeds from sales and maturities of securities |  | 0
Purchase of securities |  | 0
Settlements of derivative instruments | (355) | (1,219)
Net cash used for investing activities | (134,453) | (51,781)
Intercompany financing | (95,698) | (42,072)
Debt issuance costs | 0 |
Dividends paid | 0 | 0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests | 94,631 | 79,999
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable | 0 | 0
Proceeds from drawdown of revolver | 0 |
Restricted cash associated with term loan | 0 |
Repayment of term loan | 0 |
Repayment of notes payable | (257) | 0
Repayment of revolver | 0 |
Other | 0 | 0
Repurchase of common stock for treasury |  | 0
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities | 1,324 | (37,927)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | 47,359 | 5,674
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period | 53,006 | 6,828
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period | 5,647 | 1,154
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] |  |
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |
Net income | 120,295 | 120,785
Depreciation and amortization | 51,691 | 33,027
Deferred income taxes | (2,783) | 5,888
Net changes in working capital and other | (24,590) | (39,004)
Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities | (144,613) | (120,696)
Additions to property, plant and equipment | (13,566) | (85,760)
Additions to cost method investment | 0 |
Proceeds from disposition of assets | 0 | 98
Proceeds from involuntary conversion of assets | 0 |
Proceeds from sales and maturities of securities |  | 0
Purchase of securities |  | (7,592)
Settlements of derivative instruments | 0 | 0
Net cash used for investing activities | (13,566) | (93,254)
Intercompany financing | 17,464 | 55,835
Debt issuance costs | 0 |
Dividends paid | 0 | 0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests | (99,094) | (83,984)
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable | 1,874 | 2,050
Proceeds from drawdown of revolver | 0 |
Restricted cash associated with term loan | 0 |
Repayment of term loan | 0 |
Repayment of notes payable | (2,212) | (7,095)
Repayment of revolver | 0 |
Other | 0 | 0
Repurchase of common stock for treasury |  | 0
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities | 81,968 | 33,194
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | 3,442 | 3,858
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | (52,521) | 1,894
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period | 259,457 | 352,566
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period | $ 311,978 | $ 350,672

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