Corporate Structure	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract]
Corporate Structure	1. Corporate Structure The Company was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in 1932. The Company owns and operates assets in the regulated and unregulated natural gas industry and is primarily engaged in the gathering, processing, transportation, storage and distribution of natural gas in the United States. Through Panhandle, the Company owns and operates approximately 10,000 miles of interstate pipelines that transport up to 5.5 Bcf/d of natural gas from the Gulf of Mexico, South Texas and the Panhandle regions of Texas and Oklahoma to major U.S. markets in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. Panhandle also owns and operates an LNG import terminal located on Louisiana's Gulf Coast. Through its investment in Citrus, the Company has an interest in and operates Florida Gas, an interstate pipeline company that transports natural gas from producing areas in South Texas through the Gulf Coast region to Florida. Through SUGS, the Company owns approximately 5,600 miles of natural gas and NGL pipelines, five cryogenic plants with a combined capacity of 475 MMcf/d and five natural gas treating plants with combined capacities of 585 MMcf/d. SUGS is primarily engaged in connecting producing wells of exploration and production (E&P) companies to its gathering system, treating natural gas to remove impurities to meet pipeline quality specifications, processing natural gas for the removal of NGL, and redelivering natural gas and NGL to a variety of markets. Its operations are located in West Texas and Southeast New Mexico. Through Southern Union's regulated utility operations, Missouri Gas Energy and New England Gas Company, the Company serves natural gas end-user customers in Missouri and Massachusetts, respectively. See Note 3 – ETE Merger for information related to the Company's intent to merge with ETE.

Corporate Structure

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract]

1. Corporate Structure

The Company was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in 1932. The Company owns and operates assets in the regulated and unregulated natural gas industry and is primarily engaged in the gathering, processing, transportation, storage and distribution of natural gas in the United States. Through Panhandle, the Company owns and operates approximately 10,000 miles of interstate pipelines that transport up to 5.5 Bcf/d of natural gas from the Gulf of Mexico, South Texas and the Panhandle regions of Texas and Oklahoma to major U.S. markets in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. Panhandle also owns and operates an LNG import terminal located on Louisiana's Gulf Coast. Through its investment in Citrus, the Company has an interest in and operates Florida Gas, an interstate pipeline company that transports natural gas from producing areas in South Texas through the Gulf Coast region to Florida. Through SUGS, the Company owns approximately 5,600 miles of natural gas and NGL pipelines, five cryogenic plants with a combined capacity of 475 MMcf/d and five natural gas treating plants with combined capacities of 585 MMcf/d. SUGS is primarily engaged in connecting producing wells of exploration and production (E&P) companies to its gathering system, treating natural gas to remove impurities to meet pipeline quality specifications, processing natural gas for the removal of NGL, and redelivering natural gas and NGL to a variety of markets. Its operations are located in West Texas and Southeast New Mexico. Through Southern Union's regulated utility operations, Missouri Gas Energy and New England Gas Company, the Company serves natural gas end-user customers in Missouri and Massachusetts, respectively.

See Note 3 – ETE Merger for information related to the Company's intent to merge with ETE.