Partnership Distributions - Cash Distributions Tables (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016
Distribution Made to Limited Partner [Line Items]
Total quarterly distribution per unit	$ 0.49125	[1]	$ 0.46250	$ 0.44750	$ 0.43375	$ 0.42375
Total quarterly cash distribution	$ 107,549	[1]	$ 101,254	$ 97,968	$ 94,958	$ 92,767
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]
Distribution Made to Limited Partner [Line Items]
Total quarterly distribution per unit	$ 0.875	[2]	$ 0.860	$ 0.845	$ 0.830	$ 0.815
Total quarterly cash distribution	$ 188,753	[2]	$ 170,657	$ 166,742	$ 162,827	$ 158,905

[1] The Board of Directors declared a cash distribution to WGP unitholders for the first quarter of 2017 of $0.49125 per unit, or $107.5 million in aggregate. The cash distribution is payable on May 22, 2017, to WGP unitholders of record at the close of business on May 1, 2017.

[2] The Board of Directors of WES GP declared a cash distribution to WES unitholders for the first quarter of 2017 of $0.875 per unit, or $188.8 million in aggregate, including incentive distributions, but excluding distributions on WES Class C units (see WES Class C unit distributions below) and WES Series A Preferred units (see WES Series A Preferred unit distributions below). The cash distribution is payable on May 12, 2017, to WES unitholders of record at the close of business on May 1, 2017.