RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Sales to and purchase from affiliates) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Natural Gas Operations [Member]
Sales	$ 654,129	$ 538,657	$ 414,333
Purchases	26,992	23,592	48,528
Propane Operations [Member]
Sales	10,613	15,527	19,961
Purchases	$ 471,046	$ 415,897	$ 343,540

Revenues, net of returns and allowances, realized from sales and other transactions (excluding transactions that are eliminated in consolidated or combined financial statements) with related party during the period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 57

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph c

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 850

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionRevenuesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration