Debt Obligations Schedule of Debt Obligations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Other Long-term Debt	$ 20,140	$ 10,434
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount (Premium), Net	(53,962)	(10,309)
Fair Value Adjustment Related To Interest Rate Swaps	203,738	11,647
Long-term Debt	18,140,086	11,371,024
Current maturities of long-term debt	(614,418)	(424,160)
LONG-TERM DEBT, less current maturities	17,525,668	10,946,864
ETE Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Outstanding	0
ETP [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	7,691,951	6,550,000
ETP [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Outstanding	491,900	314,400
Transwestern [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	870,000	870,000
Holp [Member] | Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	0	71,314
Regency [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	1,262,429	1,350,000
Regency [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Outstanding	695,000	332,000
Southern Union [Member] | Senior Notes 1 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	359,765	0
Southern Union [Member] | Senior Notes 2 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	300,000	0
Southern Union [Member] | First Mortgage Bonds 1 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	19,500	0
Southern Union [Member] | Junior Subordinated Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	600,000	0
Southern Union [Member] | Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	7,306	0
Southern Union [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Outstanding	251,000	0
Panhandle [Member] | Senior Notes 1 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	250,000	0
Panhandle [Member] | Senior Notes 2 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	300,000	0
Panhandle [Member] | Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	455,000	0
Panhandle [Member] | Senior Notes 3 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	400,000	0
Panhandle [Member] | Senior Notes 4 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	150,000	0
Panhandle [Member] | Senior Notes 5 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	66,305	0
Parent Company [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Current maturities of long-term debt	(3,021)	0
LONG-TERM DEBT, less current maturities	3,780,673	1,871,500
Parent Company [Member] | Senior Notes 1 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	1,800,000	1,800,000
Parent Company [Member] | ETE Senior Secured Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior Notes	2,000,000	0
Parent Company [Member] | ETE Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Outstanding		$ 71,500