Reportable Segments (Financial Information By Segments) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010
Revenues from external customers	$ 1,715,316	$ 1,290,644	$ 5,030,988	$ 4,430,331
Selling, general and administrative expenses not allocated to segments	543	2,682	1,095	(753)
Total operating income	272,343	208,147	905,897	751,669
Interest expense, net of interest capitalized	(124,000)	(101,241)	(347,706)	(309,217)
Equity in earnings of affiliates	6,713	595	13,386	10,848
Losses on non-hedged interest rate derivatives	(68,595)	(11,963)	(64,705)	(11,963)
Allowance for equity funds used during construction	636	12,432	705	18,039
Impairment of investments in affiliates	(5,355)	0	(5,355)	(52,620)
Other income, net	(1,653)	1,410	(1,935)	(3,929)
Income tax expense	(4,039)	(1,993)	(20,419)	(12,486)
Other items not allocated by segment, Total	(196,293)	(100,760)	(426,029)	(361,328)
NET INCOME	76,050	107,387	479,868	390,341
Assets	15,078,048		15,078,048		12,149,992
Intrastate Transportation And Storage [Member]
Revenues from external customers	617,244	529,507	1,849,575	1,662,037
Intersegment revenues	33,590	369,487	245,512	952,336
Segment revenues	650,834	898,994	2,095,087	2,614,373
Total operating income	128,542	133,750	408,287	395,772
Assets	4,766,877		4,766,877		4,894,352
Interstate Transportation [Member]
Revenues from external customers	120,065	74,659	330,016	213,007
Total operating income	67,186	34,576	169,114	98,338
Assets	3,652,595		3,652,595		3,390,588
Midstream [Member]
Revenues from external customers	565,246	458,381	1,492,025	1,484,211
Intersegment revenues	78,742	416,703	421,154	945,438
Segment revenues	643,988	875,084	1,913,179	2,429,649
Total operating income	74,131	52,793	191,065	154,990
Assets	2,500,630		2,500,630		1,842,370
NGL Transportation And Services [Member]
Revenues from external customers	131,284	0	224,970	0
Intersegment revenues	15,312	0	20,446	0
Segment revenues	146,596	0	245,416	0
Total operating income	30,935	0	59,077	0
Assets	2,183,885		2,183,885		0
Retail Propane [Member]
Revenues from external customers	236,781	205,833	1,037,969	987,114
Total operating income	(27,253)	(13,053)	83,795	107,285
Assets	1,724,395		1,724,395		1,791,254
All Other Segments [Member]
Revenues from external customers	44,696	22,264	96,433	83,962
Intersegment revenues	5,059	73,021	45,958	162,819
Segment revenues	49,755	95,285	142,391	246,781
Total operating income	(866)	9,009	2,822	23,695
Assets	249,666		249,666		231,428
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Segment revenues	(132,703)	(859,211)	(733,070)	(2,060,593)
Total operating income	$ (875)	$ (11,610)	$ (9,358)	$ (27,658)