Acquisitions and Divestitures - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands			3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
		Mar. 17, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Deferred purchase price obligation - Anadarko, present value	[1]		$ 37,346		$ 41,440
Affiliates [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Cash payment			0	$ 713,596
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Hugoton System [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Loss on sale of assets					12,000
Goodwill allocated to divestiture					1,600
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Delaware Basin JV Gathering LLC [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Percentage ownership interest		50.00%
Cash payment	[2]	$ 155,000
Net gain from property exchange			125,400
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Delaware Basin JV Gathering LLC [Member] | Deferred Purchase Price Obligation - Anadarko [Member] | Affiliates [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Deferred purchase price obligation - Anadarko, future value change			6,800
Deferred purchase price obligation - Anadarko, present value			$ 37,346		$ 41,440
Discount rate percentage			10.00%
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Non-Operated Marcellus Interest [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Percentage ownership interest		33.75%

[1] See Note 2.

[2] WES acquired the Additional DBJV System Interest from a third party. See Property exchange below.