Property, Plant and Equipment Table (details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
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12 Months Ended |
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Dec. 31, 2014
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Dec. 31, 2013
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Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |
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Property, plant and equipment |
5,424,699us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross |
$ 4,239,100us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross |
Accumulated depreciation |
1,040,328us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment |
855,845us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment |
Net property, plant and equipment |
4,384,371us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet |
3,383,255us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet |
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Land [Member] |
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Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |
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Property, plant and equipment |
2,839us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / dei_LegalEntityAxis = wgp_WesternGasPartnersMember / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_LandMember |
2,584us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / dei_LegalEntityAxis = wgp_WesternGasPartnersMember / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_LandMember |
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Gathering Systems [Member] |
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Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |
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Property, plant and equipment |
4,790,974us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / dei_LegalEntityAxis = wgp_WesternGasPartnersMember / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_GasGatheringAndProcessingEquipmentMember |
3,673,008us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / dei_LegalEntityAxis = wgp_WesternGasPartnersMember / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_GasGatheringAndProcessingEquipmentMember |
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Gathering Systems [Member] | Minimum [Member] |
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Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |
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Estimated useful life |
3 years |
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Western Gas Partners [Member] | Gathering Systems [Member] | Maximum [Member] |
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Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |
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Estimated useful life |
47 years |
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Western Gas Partners [Member] | Pipelines And Equipment [Member] |
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Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |
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Property, plant and equipment |
151,107us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / dei_LegalEntityAxis = wgp_WesternGasPartnersMember / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = wgp_PipelinesAndEquipmentMember |
146,008us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / dei_LegalEntityAxis = wgp_WesternGasPartnersMember / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = wgp_PipelinesAndEquipmentMember |
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Pipelines And Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member] |
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Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |
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Estimated useful life |
15 years |
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Western Gas Partners [Member] | Pipelines And Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member] |
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Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |
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Estimated useful life |
45 years |
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Western Gas Partners [Member] | Assets Under Construction [Member] |
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Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |
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Property, plant and equipment |
464,507us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / dei_LegalEntityAxis = wgp_WesternGasPartnersMember / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_AssetUnderConstructionMember |
405,633us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / dei_LegalEntityAxis = wgp_WesternGasPartnersMember / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_AssetUnderConstructionMember |
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Other [Member] |
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Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |
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Property, plant and equipment |
15,272us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / dei_LegalEntityAxis = wgp_WesternGasPartnersMember / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember |
$ 11,867us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross / dei_LegalEntityAxis = wgp_WesternGasPartnersMember / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember |
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Other [Member] | Minimum [Member] |
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Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |
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Estimated useful life |
3 years |
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Western Gas Partners [Member] | Other [Member] | Maximum [Member] |
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Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |
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Estimated useful life |
40 years |
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