Related Party Transactions (Sales To And Purchase From Enterprise) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Natural Gas Operations [Member]
Sales	$ 164,339	$ 126,992	$ 462,359	$ 402,238
Purchases	3,938	396	21,898	13,928
Propane Operations [Member]
Sales	395	262	10,613	11,228
Purchases	$ 86,673	$ 58,642	$ 328,830	$ 276,821

Revenues, net of returns and allowances, realized from sales and other transactions (excluding transactions that are eliminated in consolidated or combined financial statements) with related party during the period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 57

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph c

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 850

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionRevenuesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration