Debt - Credit Facilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Outstanding balance		$ 19,033,513	$ 14,920,427
Outstanding balance - current		1,781,511	1,673,379
2015 SPL Credit Facilities [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Original facility size		4,600,000
Outstanding balance		0	845,000
Commitments prepaid or terminated		2,643,867
Letters of credit issued		0
Available commitment		$ 1,956,133
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis		LIBOR or base rate
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date, Description		Earlier of December 31, 2020 or second anniversary of SPL Trains 1 through 5 completion date
2015 SPL Credit Facilities [Member] | Base Rate [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate		1.75%
2015 SPL Credit Facilities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate		1.30%
2015 SPL Credit Facilities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate		1.75%
SPL Working Capital Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Original facility size		$ 1,200,000
Outstanding balance - current		98,500	15,000
Commitments prepaid or terminated		0
Letters of credit issued		337,044
Available commitment		$ 764,456
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis		LIBOR or base rate
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date, Description		December 31, 2020, with various terms for underlying loans
SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate		1.75%
SPL Working Capital Facility [Member] | Base Rate [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate		0.75%
2016 CQP Credit Facilities [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Original facility size		$ 2,800,000
Outstanding balance		450,000	0
Commitments prepaid or terminated		0
Letters of credit issued		7,500
Available commitment		$ 2,342,500
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis	[1]	LIBOR or base rate
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date, Description		February 25, 2020, with principals due quarterly commencing on February 19, 2019
2016 CQP Credit Facilities [Member] | February 25, 2019 [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Increase		0.50%
2016 CQP Credit Facilities [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	[1]	2.25%
2016 CQP Credit Facilities [Member] | Base Rate [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	[1]	1.25%
2015 CCH Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Original facility size		$ 8,403,714
Outstanding balance		3,283,340	$ 2,713,000
Commitments prepaid or terminated		1,050,660
Letters of credit issued		0
Available commitment		$ 4,069,714
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis	[2]	LIBOR or base rate
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date, Description		Earlier of May 13, 2022 or second anniversary of CCL Trains 1 and 2 completion date
2015 CCH Credit Facility [Member] | Completion Of First Two Trains [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Increase		0.25%
2015 CCH Credit Facility [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	[2]	2.25%
2015 CCH Credit Facility [Member] | Base Rate [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	[2]	1.25%

[1] There is a 0.50% step-up for both LIBOR and base rate loans beginning on February 25, 2019.

[2] There is a 0.25% step-up for both LIBOR and base rate loans following completion of the first two Trains of the CCL Project.