Equity-based Awards (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended											12 Months Ended						1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended						1 Months Ended		8 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	11 Months Ended		12 Months Ended																														1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011 EPE Unit I [Member] Y	Dec. 31, 2011 EPE Unit II [Member] Y	Dec. 31, 2011 EPE Unit III [Member] Y	Dec. 31, 2011 Enterprise Unit [Member] Y	Dec. 31, 2011 EPCO Unit [Member] Y	Dec. 31, 2009 TEPPCO Merger [Member] Common units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Holdings Merger [Member] Common units [Member]	Nov. 22, 2010 Holdings [Member] Common units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member]		Dec. 31, 2010 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member]		Dec. 31, 2009 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member]		Feb. 28, 2011 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Enterprise [Member]	Feb. 28, 2010 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Enterprise [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Enterprise [Member]		Dec. 31, 2010 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Enterprise [Member]		Dec. 31, 2009 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Enterprise [Member]		Feb. 28, 2011 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Duncan Energy Partners [Member]	Feb. 28, 2010 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Duncan Energy Partners [Member]	Sep. 06, 2011 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Duncan Energy Partners [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Duncan Energy Partners [Member]		Dec. 31, 2010 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Duncan Energy Partners [Member]		Feb. 28, 2010 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Holdings [Member]	Nov. 21, 2010 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Holdings [Member]		Dec. 31, 2010 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Holdings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Unit Option Awards [Member] Y		Dec. 31, 2010 Unit Option Awards [Member] Y		Dec. 31, 2009 Unit Option Awards [Member] Y		Dec. 31, 2011 Unit Option Awards [Member] Enterprise [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other Equity-based Awards [Member]		Dec. 31, 2010 Other Equity-based Awards [Member]		Dec. 31, 2009 Other Equity-based Awards [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member]		Dec. 31, 2009 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member] Enterprise [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member] Enterprise [Member]		Dec. 31, 2009 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member] Enterprise [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member] TEPPCO [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member] TEPPCO [Member]		Dec. 31, 2009 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member] TEPPCO [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member] Holdings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member] Holdings [Member]		Dec. 31, 2009 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member] Holdings [Member]	Aug. 31, 2010 Employee Partnerships [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Employee Partnerships [Member]		Dec. 31, 2009 Employee Partnerships [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan (1998) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan (2008) [Member]
Equity-based compensation expense [Abstract]
Total compensation expense	$ 50.9	$ 70.4	$ 25.0									$ 47.5	[1]	$ 31.5	[1]	$ 13.6	[1]																					$ 3.1		$ 3.4		$ 2.0			$ 0.3	[2]	$ 35.5	[2]	$ 9.4	[2]	$ (0.4)	$ 3.1																$ 31.3		$ 9.2
Maximum number of common units that may be issued as awards (in units)																																																																								7,000,000	10,000,000
Remaining number of common units available to be issued as awards (in units)																																						3,753,420		3,753,420																																1,484,801	4,760,524
Summary of awards activity, equity instruments other than options [Roll Forward]
Beginning of period (in units)																				3,561,614		2,720,882		2,080,600				0		0		0			0		0														170,104	232,196		611,377	170,104	142,196		0	0	0		431,377	0	90,000		180,000
Granted (in units)																				1,414,630	[3],[4]	1,393,925	[5],[6]	1,025,650	[7]			3,666	[3],[8]			6,348	[5],[9]		3,424	[10],[5]
Vested (in units)																				(924,108)	[3]	(383,628)	[5]	(281,500)				(3,666)	[3]			(6,348)	[5]		(3,424)	[5]															(17,776)				(17,776)				0				0
Forfeited (in units)																				(183,920)		(169,565)		(411,884)
Settled, forfeited or cancelled (in units)																																																			(45,000)	(197,092)	[11]	(442,831)	(45,000)	(107,092)	[11]	(186,614)	0	0	[11]	(166,217)	0	(90,000)	[11]	(90,000)
Awards assumed by Enterprise in connection with the TEPPCO Merger (in units)																								308,016																														63,650				328,810				(265,160)				0
Awards assumed by Enterprise in connection with the Holdings Merger (in units)																																																				135,000	[12]			135,000	[12]			0	[12]			0	[12]
End of period (in units)																				3,868,216		3,561,614		2,720,882				0				0			0																107,328	170,104		232,196	107,328	170,104		142,196	0	0		0	0	0		90,000
Accrued liability for UARs																																																			0.5	1.0
Summary of awards activity, equity instruments other than options, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Weighted-average grant date fair value per unit, beginning of period (in dollars per unit)																				$ 29.78	[13]	$ 27.70	[13]	$ 29.09	[13]			$ 0	[13]	$ 0	[13]
Weighted-average grant date fair value per unit, granted (in dollars per unit)																				$ 43.66	[13],[3],[4]	$ 32.60	[13],[5],[6]	$ 24.89	[13],[7]			$ 32.56	[13],[3],[8]			$ 25.26	[13],[5],[9]		$ 41.47	[10],[13],[5]
Weighted-average grant date fair value per unit, vested (in dollars per unit)																				$ 31.54	[13],[3]	$ 25.51	[13],[5]	$ 26.70	[13]			$ 32.56	[13],[3]			$ 25.26	[13],[5]		$ 41.47	[13],[5]
Weighted-average grant date fair value per unit, forfeited (in dollars per unit)																				$ 34.27	[13]	$ 29.87	[13]	$ 28.37	[13]
Weighted-average grant date fair value per unit, awards assumed in connection with TEPPCO Merger (in dollars per unit)																								$ 27.64	[13]
Weighted-average grant date fair value per unit, end of period (in dollars per unit)																				$ 34.22	[13]	$ 29.78	[13]	$ 27.70	[13]			$ 0	[13]			$ 0	[13]		$ 0	[13]
Aggregate grant date fair value																				61.8		45.4		25.5						0.1		0.2					0.1			2.3		8.1
Minimum grant date market price of common units (in dollars per unit)																				$ 40.54		$ 32.00		$ 20.08
Maximum grant date market price of common units (in dollars per unit)																				$ 44.67		$ 43.18		$ 28.73
Weighted-average grant date market price of common units (in dollars per unit)																														$ 32.56		$ 25.26					$ 41.47			$ 32.26		$ 23.46									$ 37.00
Estimated forfeiture rate (in hundredths)																				4.60%		4.60%		4.60%																4.60%		4.60%
Equity based awards issued to independent directors of the entities' general partner (in units)																		10,230	6,960							3,666	6,348							3,424
Cash distributions paid to restricted common unit holders												9.6		8.0		5.2
Total intrinsic value of restricted common unit awards vesting during year												39.1		13.9		7.8
Summary of awards activity, options [Roll Forward]
Beginning of period (in units)																																						3,753,420		3,825,920		2,963,500
Granted (in units)																																								785,000	[14]	1,460,000	[15]
Exercised (in units)																																								(857,500)		(261,000)
Forfeited (in units)																																										(930,540)
Awards assumed in connection with TEPPCO Merger (in units)																																										593,960
End of period (in units)																																						3,753,420	[16]	3,753,420		3,825,920
Summary of awards activity, options, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Weighted average strike price, beginning of period (in dollars per unit)																																						$ 28.08		$ 26.52		$ 27.56
Weighted average strike price, granted (in dollars per unit)																																								$ 32.26	[14]	$ 23.46	[15]
Weighted average strike price, exercised (in dollars per unit)																																								$ 24.98		$ 19.61
Weighted average strike price, forfeited (in dollars per unit)																																										$ 26.69
Weighted average strike price, awards assumed in connection with TEPPCO Merger (in dollars per unit)																																										$ 26.12
Weighted average strike price, end of period (in dollars per unit)																																						$ 28.08	[16]	$ 28.08		$ 26.52
Weighted average remaining contractual term (in years)																																						2.6	[16]
Aggregate intrinsic value																																						11.1	[16],[17]
Exercisable (in units)																																										447,500
Exercisable - Weighted average strike price (in dollars per unit)																																										$ 25.09
Exercisable - Weighted average remaining contractual term (in years)																																										4.8
Exercisable - Aggregate intrinsic value																																										2.8	[17]
Option awards vested during period (in units)																																						712,280
Awards exercisable in 2012 (in units)																																						712,280
Awards exercisable in 2013 (in units)																																						736,000
Awards exercisable in 2014 (in units)																																						1,520,140
Awards exercisable in 2015 (in units)																																						785,000
Total intrinsic value of unit option awards exercised during year																																						0		10.6		2.4
Cash received from EPCO in connection with the exercise of unit option awards																																						0		7.2		1.7
Unit option-related reimbursements to EPCO																																						0		10.6		2.4
Equity-based awards, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Unrecognized compensation cost												49.3								46.7																		3.7						3.3
Recognition period for total unrecognized compensation cost (in years)																				1.8																								1.5
Expected life (in years)																																								4.9		4.8
Weighted-average risk-free interest rate (in hundredths)																																								2.50%		2.10%
Weighted-average expected distribution yield (in hundredths)																																								6.90%		9.40%
Weighted-average expected unit price volatility (in hundredths)																																								23.30%		57.40%
Employee Partnerships [Abstract]
Costs recognized in connection with liquidation of Employee Partnerships																																																																			26.8
Cost recognized in connection with liquidation of Employee Partnerships attributable to noncontrolling interest																																																																			21.7
Non-cash portion of cost recognized in connection with liquidation of Employee Partnerships																																																																			18.9
Aggregate grant date fair value of the Employee Partnerships at the time of liquidation																																																																			51.3
Aggregate grant date fair value of the assets forecast to be distributed to the Class B limited partners upon dissolution of the Employee Partnerships																																																																			40.4
Changes in the aggregate grant date fair value of the Employee Partnerships [Roll Forward]
Aggregate grant date fair values at beginning of period																																																																				79.3		64.6
Modifications																																																																				0	[18]	19.5	[18]
Other, including forfeiture and regrant activity																																																																				(28.0)	[19],[20]	(4.8)	[19],[20]
Liquidation of partnerships																																																																				(51.3)		0
Aggregate grant date fair values at end of period																																																																				0		79.3
Mergers [Line Items]
Common unit exchange ratio in connection with merger									1.24	1.5
Cash paid to non-employee directors of DEP GP to settle UARs granted to them at the effective date of the Holdings Merger											$ 2.5
Employee Partnership, assumptions in determining Black-Scholes values [Abstract]
Minimum expected life of award (in years)				3	4	4	4	4
Maximum expected life of award (in years)				6	6	6	6	6
Minimum risk-free interest rate (in hundredths)				1.20%	1.60%	1.40%	1.40%	1.60%
Maximum risk-free interest rate (in hundredths)				5.00%	4.40%	4.90%	3.90%	2.40%
Expected distribution yield, range				3.0% to 6.7%	3.8% to 6.4%	4.0% to 6.4%	4.5% to 8.4%	8.1% to 11.1%
Minimum expected unit price volatility (in hundredths)				16.60%	18.70%	16.60%	15.30%	27.00%
Maximum expected unit price volatility (in hundredths)				35.00%	31.70%	32.20%	31.70%	50.00%

[1] The increase in expense for restricted unit awards between periods is primarily due to a change in vesting provisions beginning with restricted common unit awards granted in 2010 (see below).

[2] Primarily consists of unit appreciation rights ("UARs"), phantom units and similar awards. Also, the amounts presented for 2010 include awards related to limited partnership interests in the Employee Partnerships, which were liquidated in August 2010.

[3] Includes awards granted to the independent directors of the boards of directors of Enterprise GP and DEP GP as part of their annual compensation for 2011. A total of 10,230 and 3,666 restricted common unit awards were issued in February 2011 to the independent directors of Enterprise GP and DEP GP, respectively, that immediately vested upon issuance.

[4] Aggregate grant date fair value of restricted common unit awards issued during 2011 was $61.8 million based on a grant date market price of our common units ranging from $40.54 to $44.67 per unit. An estimated annual forfeiture rate of 4.6% was applied to these awards.

[5] Includes awards granted to the independent directors of the boards of directors of EPGP, DEP GP and Holdings GP as part of their annual compensation for 2010. A total of 6,960, 6,348 and 3,424 restricted common unit awards were issued in February 2010 to the independent directors of EPGP, DEP GP and Holdings GP, respectively, that immediately vested upon issuance.

[6] Aggregate grant date fair value of restricted common unit awards issued during 2010 was $45.4 million based on grant date market prices of our common units ranging from $32.00 to $43.18 per unit. An estimated annual forfeiture rate of 4.6% was applied to these awards.

[7] Aggregate grant date fair value of restricted common unit awards issued during 2009 was $25.5 million based on grant date market prices of our common units ranging from $20.08 to $28.73 per unit. An estimated annual forfeiture rate of 4.6% was applied to these awards.

[8] Aggregate grant date fair value of restricted common unit awards issued during 2011 denominated in Duncan Energy Partners' common units was $0.1 million based on a grant date market price of Duncan Energy Partners' common units of $32.56 per unit.

[9] Aggregate grant date fair value of restricted common unit awards issued during 2010 denominated in Duncan Energy Partners' common units was $0.2 million based on a grant date market price of Duncan Energy Partners' common units of $25.26 per unit.

[10] Aggregate grant date fair value of restricted common unit awards issued during 2010 denominated in Holdings' units was $0.1 million based on a grant date market price of Holdings' units of $41.47 per unit.

[11] Prior to the Holdings Merger, the non-employee directors of DEP GP, the general partner of Duncan Energy Partners, were granted 90,000 UARs denominated in Holdings units in connection with certain letter agreements. The compensation expense and associated liability for these UARs was recognized by Enterprise since it owned DEP GP. At the effective date of the Holdings Merger in November 2010, these UARs were settled and $2.5 million in cash was paid to award recipients.

[12] At the effective date of the Holdings Merger, Enterprise assumed 90,000 UARs that had been issued by Holdings GP to its non-employee directors. Since these UARs were denominated in Holdings units, they converted into 135,000 Enterprise UARs based on the 1.5:1 merger exchange ratio.

[13] Determined by dividing the aggregate grant date fair value of awards before an allowance for forfeitures by the number of awards issued. With respect to restricted common unit awards assumed in connection with the TEPPCO Merger, the weighted-average grant date fair value per unit was determined by dividing the aggregate grant date fair value of the assumed awards before an allowance for forfeitures by the number of awards assumed.

[14] Aggregate grant date fair value of these unit options issued during 2010 was $2.3 million based on the following assumptions: (i) a weighted-average grant date market price of our common units of $32.26 per unit; (ii) weighted-average expected life of options of 4.9 years; (iii) weighted-average risk-free interest rate of 2.5%; (iv) weighted-average expected distribution yield on our common units of 6.9%; and (v) weighted-average expected unit price volatility on our common units of 23.3%. An estimated annual forfeiture rate of 4.6% was applied to awards granted during 2010.

[15] Aggregate grant date fair value of these unit options issued during 2009 was $8.1 million based on the following assumptions: (i) a weighted-average grant date market price of our common units of $23.46 per unit; (ii) weighted-average expected life of options of 4.8 years; (iii) weighted-average risk-free interest rate of 2.1%; (iv) weighted-average expected distribution yield on our common units of 9.4% and (v) weighted-average expected unit price volatility on our common units of 57.4%. An estimated annual forfeiture rate of 4.6% was applied to awards granted during 2009.

[16] At December 31, 2011 and 2010, we were committed to issue 3,753,420 of our common units if all outstanding unit options awarded were exercised. Option awards outstanding at December 31, 2011 include 712,280 awards that vested during 2011 and became exercisable beginning in February 2012. Of the remaining outstanding option awards at December 31, 2011, 736,000, 1,520,140 and 785,000 will vest in 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively. These unit option awards become exercisable in the calendar year following the year in which they vest.

[17] Aggregate intrinsic value reflects fully vested unit options at the date indicated.

[18] In December 2009, the expected liquidation date for each Employee Partnership was extended to February 2016. These modifications were intended to align the interests of the Class B partners with the long-term interests of EPCO and other unitholders in the relevant underlying publicly traded partnerships.

[19] Amount presented for 2009 primarily reflects adjustments due to the dissolution of TEPPCO Unit L.P. and TEPPCO Unit II L.P.

[20] Amount presented for 2010 reflects the decrease in fair value attributable to changes in the service period from February 2016 to August 2010 (the liquidation date) for all of the Employee Partnerships. The reduction is attributable to the cash distributions that the Class B limited partners would not receive from each Employee Partnership as a result of the August 2010 liquidations.