Guarantee of Securities of Subsidiaries Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $)																9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Subsidiary Issuer [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Subsidiary Issuer [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Parent Company [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Parent Company [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 El Paso Corporation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 El Paso Corporation [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
subsidiary debt indemnified by parent																$ 4,100,000,000	$ 3,900,000,000
Liabilities and Equity	68,185,000,000	30,717,000,000		68,185,000,000	30,717,000,000	(55,196,000,000)	(14,190,000,000)	65,476,000,000	31,641,000,000	18,932,000,000	0	16,375,000,000	4,434,000,000	22,598,000,000	8,832,000,000
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	24,099,000,000	8,568,000,000		24,099,000,000	8,568,000,000	(42,530,000,000)	(9,361,000,000)	32,514,000,000	13,384,000,000	8,071,000,000	0	12,179,000,000	1,224,000,000	13,865,000,000	3,321,000,000
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	10,234,000,000	5,247,000,000		10,234,000,000	5,247,000,000	0	0	10,234,000,000	5,247,000,000	0	0	0	0	0	0
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	24,099,000,000	8,568,000,000	8,539,000,000	13,865,000,000	3,321,000,000	(42,530,000,000)	(9,361,000,000)	22,280,000,000	8,137,000,000	8,071,000,000	0	12,179,000,000	1,224,000,000	13,865,000,000	3,321,000,000
Other stockholder's equity				13,984,000,000	3,436,000,000	(42,476,000,000)	(9,367,000,000)	22,235,000,000	8,144,000,000	8,085,000,000	0	12,156,000,000	1,223,000,000	13,984,000,000	3,436,000,000
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(119,000,000)	(115,000,000)	(136,000,000)	(119,000,000)	(115,000,000)	(54,000,000)	6,000,000	45,000,000	(7,000,000)	(14,000,000)	0	23,000,000	1,000,000	(119,000,000)	(115,000,000)
Liabilities	44,086,000,000	22,149,000,000		44,086,000,000	22,149,000,000	(12,666,000,000)	(4,829,000,000)	32,962,000,000	18,257,000,000	10,861,000,000	0	4,196,000,000	3,210,000,000	8,733,000,000	5,511,000,000
Other long-term liabilities and deferred credits	2,711,000,000	1,026,000,000		2,844,000,000	1,065,000,000	0	0	1,510,000,000	896,000,000	171,000,000	0	553,000,000	0	610,000,000	169,000,000
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	4,033,000,000	2,199,000,000		4,033,000,000	2,199,000,000	(1,282,000,000)	0	3,220,000,000	1,744,000,000	0	0	0	43,000,000	2,095,000,000	412,000,000
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	32,000,000,000	14,356,000,000		32,000,000,000	14,356,000,000	(4,947,000,000)	(4,705,000,000)	24,467,000,000	12,440,000,000	4,413,000,000	0	3,235,000,000	3,121,000,000	4,832,000,000	3,500,000,000
Other Liabilities, Current				2,808,000,000	1,630,000,000	(6,437,000,000)	(124,000,000)	2,514,000,000	1,538,000,000	6,162,000,000	0	408,000,000	46,000,000	161,000,000	170,000,000
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	2,401,000,000	2,899,000,000		2,401,000,000	2,899,000,000	0	0	1,251,000,000	1,639,000,000	115,000,000	0	0	0	1,035,000,000	1,260,000,000
Assets	68,185,000,000	30,717,000,000		68,185,000,000	30,717,000,000	(55,196,000,000)	(14,190,000,000)	65,476,000,000	31,641,000,000	18,932,000,000	0	16,375,000,000	4,434,000,000	22,598,000,000	8,832,000,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value	714,000,000	411,000,000		714,000,000	411,000,000	0	0	666,000,000	409,000,000	45,000,000	0	0	0	3,000,000	2,000,000
Other current assets	821,000,000	94,000,000		2,960,000,000	1,252,000,000	(6,437,000,000)	(124,000,000)	8,505,000,000	1,203,000,000	0	0	82,000,000	120,000,000	810,000,000	53,000,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	30,996,000,000	17,926,000,000		30,996,000,000	17,926,000,000	0	0	30,957,000,000	17,907,000,000	0	0	31,000,000	17,000,000	8,000,000	2,000,000
Long-term Investments	5,804,000,000	3,744,000,000		5,804,000,000	3,744,000,000	(42,530,000,000)	(9,361,000,000)	5,565,000,000	3,435,000,000	9,683,000,000	0	13,067,000,000	1,113,000,000	20,019,000,000	8,557,000,000
Goodwill	23,572,000,000	5,074,000,000	4,831,000,000	23,572,000,000	5,074,000,000	0	0	15,572,000,000	5,074,000,000	8,000,000,000	0	0	0	0	0
Deferred charges and other assets	$ 2,183,000,000	$ 262,000,000		$ 4,139,000,000	$ 2,310,000,000	$ (6,229,000,000)	$ (4,705,000,000)	$ 4,211,000,000	$ 3,613,000,000	$ 1,204,000,000	$ 0	$ 3,195,000,000	$ 3,184,000,000	$ 1,758,000,000	$ 218,000,000