Property, Plant and Equipment (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Oct. 02, 2014
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	$ 38,046.7		$ 34,017.6
Less accumulated depreciation	8,165.1		7,071.0
Property, plant and equipment, net	29,881.6		26,946.6		24,846.4
Summary of depreciation expense and capitalized interest [Abstract]
Depreciation expense	1,114.1	[1]	1,012.4	[1]	900.5	[1]
Capitalized interest	77.9	[2]	133.0	[2]	116.8	[2]
Asset Retirement Obligations [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period	90.2		105.2		112.0
Liabilities incurred	0.1		1.7		1.7
Liabilities settled	(2.7)		(14.2)		(27.8)
Revisions in estimated cash flows	4.6		(8.6)		13.7
Accretion expense	6.1		6.1		5.6
Balance at end of period	98.3		90.2		105.2
Capitalized costs, asset retirement costs	31.3		37.4
Forecasted accretion expense [Abstract]
2015	6.2
2016	6.4
2017	6.9
2018	7.5
2019	7.6
Oiltanking Partners L.P. [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment, gross							1,080.1
Plants, pipelines and facilities [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	30,834.9	[3]	27,540.4	[3]
Plants, pipelines and facilities [Member] | Oiltanking Partners L.P. [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment, gross							395.6
Plants, pipelines and facilities [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	3 years	[3],[4]
Plants, pipelines and facilities [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	45 years	[3],[4]
Underground and other storage facilities [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	2,584.2	[5]	2,101.8	[5]
Underground and other storage facilities [Member] | Oiltanking Partners L.P. [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment, gross							407.3
Underground and other storage facilities [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	5 years	[5],[6]
Underground and other storage facilities [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	40 years	[5],[6]
Platforms and facilities [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	659.7	[7]	659.6	[7]
Platforms and facilities [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	20 years	[7]
Platforms and facilities [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	31 years	[7]
Transportation equipment [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	154.2	[8]	138.9	[8]
Transportation equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	3 years	[8]
Transportation equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	10 years	[8]
Marine vessels [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	796.4	[9]	744.8	[9]
Marine vessels [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	15 years	[9]
Marine vessels [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	30 years	[9]
Land [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	262.6		176.6
Land [Member] | Oiltanking Partners L.P. [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment, gross							76.3
Construction in progress [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment, gross	2,754.7		2,655.5
Construction in progress [Member] | Oiltanking Partners L.P. [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment, gross							$ 200.9
Processing plants [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	20 years
Processing plants [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	35 years
Pipelines and related equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	5 years
Pipelines and related equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	45 years
Terminal facilities [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	10 years
Terminal facilities [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	35 years
Office furniture and equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	3 years
Office furniture and equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	20 years
Buildings [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	20 years
Buildings [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	40 years
Laboratory and shop equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	5 years
Laboratory and shop equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	35 years
Underground storage facilities [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	5 years
Underground storage facilities [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	35 years
Storage tanks [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	10 years
Storage tanks [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	40 years
Water wells [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	5 years
Water wells [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, plant and equipment and accumulated depreciation [Abstract]
Estimated useful life	35 years

[1] Depreciation expense is a component of "Costs and expenses" as presented on our Statements of Consolidated Operations.

[2] Capitalized interest is a component of "Interest expense" as presented on our Statements of Consolidated Operations.

[3] Plants, pipelines and facilities include processing plants; NGL, natural gas, crude oil and petrochemical and refined products pipelines; terminal loading and unloading facilities; office furniture and equipment; buildings; laboratory and shop equipment and related assets

[4] In general, the estimated useful lives of major assets within this category are: processing plants, 20-35 years; pipelines and related equipment, 5-45 years; terminal facilities, 10-35 years; office furniture and equipment, 3-20 years; buildings, 20-40 years; and laboratory and shop equipment, 5-35 years.

[5] Underground and other storage facilities include underground product storage caverns; above ground storage tanks; water wells and related assets.

[6] In general, the estimated useful lives of assets within this category are: underground storage facilities, 5-35 years; storage tanks, 10-40 years; and water wells, 5-35 years.

[7] Platforms and facilities include offshore platforms and related facilities and other associated assets located in the Gulf of Mexico.

[8] Transportation equipment includes tractor-trailer tank trucks and other vehicles and similar assets used in our operations.

[9] Marine vessels include tow boats, barges and related equipment used in our marine transportation business.