Long-Term Debt (Details 2) (USD $)	9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended					3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013 Partnership's 6% senior notes due 2021 Exterran Partners, L.P.	Sep. 30, 2014 Partnership's 6% senior notes due 2021 Exterran Partners, L.P.	Dec. 31, 2013 Partnership's 6% senior notes due 2021 Exterran Partners, L.P.	Apr. 30, 2014 Partnership's 6% senior notes due October 2022 Exterran Partners, L.P.	Sep. 30, 2014 Partnership's 6% senior notes due October 2022 Exterran Partners, L.P.	Apr. 30, 2014 Partnership's 6% senior notes due October 2022 Exterran Partners, L.P. Prior to April 1, 2017 item	Apr. 30, 2014 Partnership's 6% senior notes due October 2022 Exterran Partners, L.P. Twelve month period beginning April 1, 2018	Apr. 30, 2014 Partnership's 6% senior notes due October 2022 Exterran Partners, L.P. Twelve month period beginning April 1, 2019	Apr. 30, 2014 Partnership's 6% senior notes due October 2022 Exterran Partners, L.P. Beginning April 1, 2020 and thereafter	Jun. 30, 2014 4.25% convertible senior notes due June 2014	Sep. 30, 2014 4.25% convertible senior notes due June 2014	Sep. 30, 2014 4.25% convertible senior notes due June 2014 D	Dec. 31, 2013 4.25% convertible senior notes due June 2014	Jun. 30, 2009 4.25% convertible senior notes due June 2014	Jan. 31, 2013 4.75% convertible senior notes	Mar. 31, 2013 4.75% convertible senior notes	Sep. 30, 2014 Revolving credit facility due July 2016	Mar. 31, 2013 Partnership's revolving credit facility and term loan facility Exterran Partners, L.P.	Mar. 31, 2013 Partnership's revolving credit facility Exterran Partners, L.P.	Sep. 30, 2014 Partnership's revolving credit facility Exterran Partners, L.P.
Long-Term Debt
Outstanding borrowings																			$ 386,500,000
Outstanding letters of credit																			126,400,000
Undrawn capacity under revolving credit facility																			387,100,000			270,000,000
Available borrowings under revolving credit facility																			387,100,000			270,000,000
Reduction in borrowing capacity																					100,000,000
Revolving credit facility borrowing capacity																					650,000,000
Write-off of deferred financing costs																		900,000		700,000
Transaction costs			7,600,000			6,900,000														4,300,000
Principle amount of senior notes			350,000,000			350,000,000										355,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)				6.00%	6.00%	6.00%	6.00%						4.25%	4.25%	4.25%		4.75%
Proceeds from borrowings of long-term debt	1,849,799,000	1,778,037,000	336,900,000			337,400,000
Amount of unamortized discount of notes			5,500,000	4,600,000	5,000,000	5,700,000	5,400,000								11,300,000
Effective interest rate (as a percent)				6.25%		6.25%
Maximum registration period						365 days
Maximum percentage of the aggregate principal amount of debt instruments that may be redeemed								35.00%
Minimum number of equity offerings								1
Redemption price as percentage of principal amount								106.00%	103.00%	101.50%	100.00%
Minimum notes remaining outstanding if notes redeemed prior to 2017 (as a percent)								65.00%
Maximum number of days within which the entity may redeem a percentage of the note following the date of the closing of equity offering								180 days
Conversion rate of debt instrument (Shares per USD)														0.0435084
Conversion price per common stock shares (in dollars per share)													$ 22.98	$ 22.98
Price per share of common stock for call options purchased (in dollars per share)													$ 22.98	$ 22.98
Warrant exercise price (in dollars per share)													$ 32.33	$ 32.33
Effective conversion price (in dollars per share)													$ 32.33	$ 32.33
Debt instrument face amount for effective conversion price													325,000,000	325,000,000
Number of trading days over which counterparties have the right to exercise the warrants														80
Repayment of long term debt												370,000,000					143,800,000
Number of shares of common stock issued upon redemption of debt												6,800,000
Number of shares acquired upon exercise of call options												6,500,000
Value of shares acquired upon exercise of call options	$ 89,407,000											$ 89,400,000
Common shares issued pursuant to warrants exercised													498,254
Redemption price as percentage of principal amount of debt redeemed																	100.00%