pre_text: Interest Expense Interest expense includes interest on total long-term debt. The following table presents the amount of gross interest expense, net of capitalized interest:
table: Years Ended December 31,
table: 2019 2018 2017
table: (Dollars in millions)
table: Interest expense:
table: Gross interest expense $2,093 2,230 1,559
table: Capitalized interest (72) (53) (78)
table: Total interest expense $2,021 2,177 1,481
question: Analyse this data from a financial earnings document. What is the average total interest expense for 2017 to 2019?