Equity-based Awards (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended						3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended			12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Minimum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Maximum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Restricted Common Unit Awards [Member] Enterprise [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Unit Option Awards [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Unit Option Awards [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Unit Option Awards [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Unit Option Awards [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Unit Option Awards [Member]		Sep. 30, 2012 Unit Option Awards [Member] Enterprise [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Other Equity-based Awards [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Other Equity-based Awards [Member]		Sep. 30, 2012 Other Equity-based Awards [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Other Equity-based Awards [Member]		Sep. 30, 2012 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member]	May 01, 2012 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Unit Appreciation Rights [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Long-Term Incentive Plan (1998) [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Long-Term Incentive Plan (2008) [Member]
Equity-based compensation expense [Abstract]
Total compensation expense	$ 14.2	$ 12.8	$ 47.1	$ 37.8	$ 13.8		$ 11.9	$ 44.3		$ 35.4				$ 0.2		$ 0.7	$ 1.2		$ 2.4				$ 0.2	[1]	$ 0.2	[1]	$ 1.6	[1]	$ 0	[1]
Remaining number of common units available to be issued as awards (in units)																																		842,359	5,180,780
Summary of awards activity, equity instruments other than options [Roll Forward]
Beginning of period (in units)								3,868,216																							107,328
Granted (in units)								1,556,038	[2],[3]
Vested (in units)								(1,264,483)	[3]																						(107,328)
Forfeited (in units)								(225,390)
End of period (in units)					3,934,381			3,934,381																							0
Accrued liability for UARs																																1.4	0.5
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	[4]
Granted weighted-average grant date fair value per unit (in dollars per unit)								$ 51.94	[2],[3],[4]
Vested weighted-average grant date fair value per unit (in dollars per unit)								$ 34.76	[3],[4]
Forfeited weighted-average grant date fair value per unit (in dollars per unit)								$ 40.05	[4]
Weighted-average grant date fair value per unit, at end of period (in dollars per unit)					$ 40.72	[4]		$ 40.72	[4]
Summary of awards activity, equity instruments other than options, additional disclosures [Abstract]
Aggregate grant date fair value								80.8
Grant date market price of common units (in dollars per unit)											$ 51.92	$ 53.54
Estimated forfeiture rate (in hundredths)								3.25%
Cash distributions paid to restricted common unit holders					2.5		2.4	7.9		7.2
Total intrinsic value of our restricted common unit awards that vested during period					1.5		2.3	64.2		37.5
Summary of awards activity, options [Roll Forward]
Beginning of period (in units)																	3,753,420
Exercised (in units)																	(712,280)
Forfeited (in units)																	(250,000)
End of period (in units)														2,791,140			2,791,140			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, forfeited (in dollars per unit)																	$ 27.45
Weighted average strike price, end of period (in dollars per unit)														$ 27.45			$ 27.45			$ 28.08
Weighted average remaining contractual term																	2 years 2 months			2 years 7 months
Aggregate intrinsic value														16.1	[5]		16.1	[5]		11.1	[5]
Exercisable (in units)														0			0
Exercisable - Weighted average remaining contractual term (in years)														0			0
Exercisable - Aggregate intrinsic value														0	[5]		0	[5]
Total intrinsic value of unit option awards exercised during period														0		0	14.0		0
Cash received from EPCO in connection with the exercise of unit option awards														0		0	10.2		0
Unit option-related reimbursements to EPCO														0		0	14.0		0
Unrecognized Compensation Expense [Abstract]
Unrecognized compensation cost					$ 73.0			$ 73.0					$ 69.3	$ 1.5			$ 1.5					$ 1.4
Recognition period for total unrecognized compensation cost								1 year 11 months									0 years 11 months

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

[2] The aggregate grant date fair value of restricted common unit awards issued in 2012 was $80.8 million based on a grant date market price ranging from $51.92 to $53.54 per unit. An estimated annual forfeiture rate of 3.25% was applied to these awards.

[3] 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.

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

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