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

Price per unit of partnership interest sold during the period.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_PartnersCapitalAccountSaleOfUnitsPricePerUnit
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

Name:	paa_PartnersCapitalAndDistributionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Redemption price as a percentage of the liquidation preference.

No definition available.

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

The percentage of the volume-weighted average price of the partnership's common units for a specified trading period, at which such common units are valued if given in exchange for the redemption of the preferred units.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_PreferredUnitRedemptionPercentageOfCommonUnitAveragePrice
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The annualized distributions per unit to which holders of the preferred units are entitled.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_PreferredUnitsAnnualizedDistributionsPerUnit
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Ratio applied to the conversion of preferred units into common units.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_PreferredUnitsConversionRatio
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Threshold period of specified consecutive trading days for which the closing price of the partnership's common units must be above a specified level to trigger the conversion option by the entity.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_PreferredUnitsConvertibleThresholdConsecutiveTradingDays
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The closing price of the partnership's common units as a percentage of the Issue Price of the preferred units that must be exceeded for a certain period of days in order for the entity to convert the preferred units, subject to minimum time requirements and certain minimum conversion amounts.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_PreferredUnitsConvertibleThresholdPercentageForCommonUnitPriceTrigger
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The percentage points to be added to the applicable rate of the ten-year U.S. Treasury to calculate the new distribution rate on the preferred units if the holders elect to reset the distribution rate.

No definition available.

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

The number of times the holders of the preferred units may elect to reset the preferred unit distribution rate.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_PreferredUnitsNumberOfDistributionRateResetElectionsAllowed
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Period following the fifth and each subsequent anniversary of the issuance date of the preferred units, within which the holders of the preferred units may elect to reset the preferred unit distribution rate.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_PreferredUnitsPeriodAfterFifthAndSubsequentAnniversariesForDistributionRateReset
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Period following the sixth anniversary of the issuance date of the preferred units, after which the entity may choose to redeem all or a portion of the outstanding preferred units, if the holders of the preferred units have exercised a distribution rate reset.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_PreferredUnitsPeriodAfterSixthAnniversaryForCommencementOfRedemptionOption
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The quarterly distributions per unit to which holders of the preferred units are entitled.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_PreferredUnitsQuarterlyDistributionsPerUnit
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The price at which the preferred units may be redeemed, as a percentage of the issue price of the units.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_PreferredUnitsRedemptionPriceAsPercentageOfIssuePrice
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The amount per share used to calculated dividend payments on preferred stock.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockDividendRatePerDollarAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The percentage rate used to calculate dividend payments on preferred stock.

No definition available.

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

The per share liquidation preference (or restrictions) of nonredeemable preferred stock (or preferred stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer) that has a preference in involuntary liquidation considerably in excess of the par or stated value of the shares. The liquidation preference is the difference between the preference in liquidation and the par or stated values of the share.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395691&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21475-112644

Reference 3: 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(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockLiquidationPreference
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Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
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Period Type:	instant

The price per share at which the preferred stock of an entity that has priority over common stock in the distribution of dividends and in the event of liquidation of the entity is redeemed or may be called at. The redemption features of this preferred stock are solely within the control of the issuer.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21488-112644

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
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-Section 50
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21564-112644

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
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Period Type:	instant

Per share or per unit amount of equity securities issued.

No definition available.