OTHER FINANCIAL DATA - DUE TO DUE FROM AFFILIATES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - current	$ 8	$ 6	[1]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - noncurrent	195	186	[1]
Due to affiliaties, current	$ (9)	(14)	[1]
Joint venture with PEMEX [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Interest rate on due from affiliate, noncurrent	5.03%
Joint venture with PEMEX [Member] | LIBOR [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Spread on variable rate	4.50%
ESJ joint venture [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Interest rate on due from affiliate, noncurrent	6.91%
ESJ joint venture [Member] | LIBOR [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Spread on variable rate	6.375%
San Diego Gas and Electric Company [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - current	$ 88	1	[1]
Due to affiliaties, current	(10)	(55)	[1]
San Diego Gas and Electric Company [Member] | Due to/from Sempra Energy [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - current	88	0
Due to affiliaties, current	0	(34)
Income taxes due from Sempra Energy	$ 109	28
Interest rate on due from affiliate, noncurrent	0.60%
Loan to unconsolidated affiliate, principal	$ 107
San Diego Gas and Electric Company [Member] | Due to/from Other Affiliates [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - current	0	1
San Diego Gas and Electric Company [Member] | Due to/from SoCalGas [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due to affiliaties, current	(5)	(13)
San Diego Gas and Electric Company [Member] | Due to/from Other affiliates [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due to affiliaties, current	(5)	(8)
Southern California Gas Company [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - current	35	48	[1]
Southern California Gas Company [Member] | Due to/from Sempra Energy [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - current	30	35
Income taxes due from Sempra Energy	$ 16	$ 1
Interest rate on due from affiliate, noncurrent	0.57%	0.11%
Loan to unconsolidated affiliate, principal	$ 51	$ 50
Southern California Gas Company [Member] | Due to/from SDG&E [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - current	5	13
Sempra South American Utilities [Member] | Eletrans [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - noncurrent	$ 83	72
Interest rate on due from affiliate, noncurrent	4.00%
Sempra South American Utilities [Member] | Due to/from Other affiliates [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - noncurrent	$ 1	0
Sempra Mexico [Member] | PEMEX Three year loan A [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - noncurrent	3	3
Sempra Mexico [Member] | PEMEX Four year loan A [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - noncurrent	43	42
Sempra Mexico [Member] | PEMEX Four year loan B [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - noncurrent	35	34
Sempra Mexico [Member] | PEMEX Four year loan C [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - noncurrent	8	8
Sempra Mexico [Member] | ESJ joint venture [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - noncurrent	14	24
Sempra Natural Gas [Member] | Cameron LNG [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Due from unconsolidated affiliates - noncurrent	$ 8	$ 3

[1] Derived from audited financial statements.