Equity-based Awards (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012 Y		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2011
Equity-based compensation expense [Abstract]
Total compensation expense	$ 16.4		$ 11.8
Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member]
Equity-based compensation expense [Abstract]
Total compensation expense	14.8		11.4
Summary of awards activity, equity instruments other than options, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Cash distributions paid to restricted common unit holders	2.4		2.1
Total intrinsic value of our restricted common unit awards vesting during period	32.6		14.7
Unrecognized Compensation Expense [Abstract]
Unrecognized compensation cost	107.5
Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] | Enterprise [Member]
Summary of awards activity, equity instruments other than options [Roll Forward]
Beginning of period (in units)	3,868,216
Granted (in units)	1,529,438	[1]
Vested (in units)	(632,298)	[2]
Forfeited (in units)	(24,800)
End of period (in units)	4,740,556
Restricted units outstanding, weighted-average grant date fair value [Roll Forward]
Weighted-average grant date fair value per unit, at beginning of period (in dollars per unit)	$ 34.22	[3]
Granted weighted-average grant date fair value per unit (in dollars per unit)	$ 51.92	[1],[3]
Vested weighted-average grant date fair value per unit (in dollars per unit)	$ 38.31	[2],[3]
Forfeited weighted-average grant date fair value per unit (in dollars per unit)	$ 36.33	[3]
Weighted-average grant date fair value per unit, at end of period (in dollars per unit)	$ 39.37	[3]
Summary of awards activity, equity instruments other than options, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Aggregate grant date fair value	79.4
Grant date market price of common units (in dollars per unit)	$ 51.92
Estimated forfeiture rate (in hundredths)	3.25%
Unrecognized Compensation Expense [Abstract]
Unrecognized compensation cost	102.2
Recognition period for total unrecognized compensation cost	2 years 2 months 12 days
Unit Option Awards [Member]
Equity-based compensation expense [Abstract]
Total compensation expense	0.7		0.9
Summary of awards activity, options [Roll Forward]
Beginning of period (in units)	3,753,420
Exercised (in units)	(712,280)
End of period (in units)	3,041,140				3,753,420
Options outstanding, weighted-average strike price [Roll Forward]
Weighted average strike price, beginning of period (in dollars per unit)	$ 28.08
Weighted average strike price, exercised (in dollars per unit)	$ 30.76
Weighted average strike price, end of period (in dollars per unit)	$ 27.45				$ 28.08
Weighted average remaining contractual term	2 years 9 months 18 days				2 years 7 months 6 days
Aggregate intrinsic value	0	[4]			11.1	[4]
Exercisable (in units)	0
Exercisable - Weighted average remaining contractual term (in years)	0
Exercisable - Aggregate intrinsic value	0	[4]
Total intrinsic value of unit option awards exercised during period	14.0		0
Cash received from EPCO in connection with the exercise of unit option awards	10.2		0
Unit option-related reimbursements to EPCO	14.0		0
Unrecognized Compensation Expense [Abstract]
Unrecognized compensation cost	3.0
Unit Option Awards [Member] | Enterprise [Member]
Unrecognized Compensation Expense [Abstract]
Unrecognized compensation cost	2.7
Recognition period for total unrecognized compensation cost	1 year 3 months 18 days
Other Equity-based Awards [Member]
Equity-based compensation expense [Abstract]
Total compensation expense	0.9	[5]	(0.5)	[5]
Unit Appreciation Rights [Member]
Summary of awards activity, equity instruments other than options [Roll Forward]
End of period (in units)	107,328				107,328
Accrued liability for UARs	$ 1.1				$ 0.5
Long-Term Incentive Plan (1998) [Member]
Equity-based compensation expense [Abstract]
Remaining number of common units available to be issued as awards (in units)	531,669
Long-Term Incentive Plan (2008) [Member]
Equity-based compensation expense [Abstract]
Remaining number of common units available to be issued as awards (in units)	4,885,394

[1] The aggregate grant date fair value of restricted common unit awards issued in 2012 was $79.4 million based on a grant date market price of $51.92 per unit. An estimated annual forfeiture rate of 3.25% was applied to these awards.

[2] Includes awards granted to the independent directors of the board of directors of Enterprise GP as part of their annual compensation for 2012. A total of 10,038 restricted common units were issued in February 2012 to the independent directors of Enterprise GP that immediately vested upon issuance.

[3] Determined by dividing the aggregate grant date fair value of awards (before an allowance for forfeitures) by the number of awards issued.

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

[5] Primarily consists of unit appreciation rights ("UARs"), phantom units and similar awards.