Percentage of face value at which senior notes are sold.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_SeniorNotesPublicOfferingPrice
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119993939&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow for a long-term debt where the holder has highest claim on the entity's asset in case of bankruptcy or liquidation during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RepaymentsOfSeniorDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of units or percentage investment held in the subsidiary by the limited liability company or limited partnership.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsidiaryOfLimitedLiabilityCompanyOrLimitedPartnershipOwnershipInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=paa_SeniorNotesDueInSeptember2030At380PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=paa_SeniorNotesDueInDecember2029At355PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=paa_SeniorNotesDueInFebruary2021At500PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=paa_SeniorNotesDueInDecember2019At260PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=paa_SeniorNotesDueInJanuary2020At575PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_OwnershipAxis=paa_ConsolidatedFinanceSubsidiaryIssuerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Debt - Senior Notes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Debt - Senior Notes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of senior notes	$ 617	$ 1,000	$ 0
Senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face value	$ 9,100	$ 9,000
Senior notes \| 3.80% senior notes due September 2030
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate (as a percent)	3.80%
Offering price percentage	99.794%
Debt instrument face value	$ 750
Senior notes \| 3.55% senior notes due December 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate (as a percent)	3.55%	3.55%
Offering price percentage		99.801%
Debt instrument face value		$ 1,000
Senior notes \| 5.00% senior notes due February 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate (as a percent)	5.00%
Repayments of senior notes	$ 600
Senior notes \| 2.60% senior notes due December 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate (as a percent)		2.60%
Repayments of senior notes		$ 500
Senior notes \| 5.75% senior notes due January 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate (as a percent)		5.75%
Repayments of senior notes		$ 500
Consolidated finance subsidiary co-issuer
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated subsidiary, ownership interest held by the parent (as a percent)	100.00%