Leases - Narrative Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2018
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Lease expense		$ 199
Equity Method Investees \| Agreement to store at facilities owned by equity method investee
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Ownership interest in unconsolidated entity	50.00%
Minimum
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Lessee, leases, term of contract	1 year
Lessee, leases, renewal term	1 year
Lessor, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Lessor, operating lease, term of contract	1 year
Maximum
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Lessee, leases, term of contract	60 years
Lessee, leases, renewal term	25 years
Lessor, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Lessor, operating lease, term of contract	21 years

Lessee, Leases, Renewal Term

No definition available.

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- Definition

Lessee, Leases, Term of Contract

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	paa_
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114001798&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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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

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- 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_LessorLeaseDescriptionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Term of lessor's operating lease, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121576215&loc=SL77919359-209981

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeaseTermOfContract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the payments that the lessee is obligated to make or can be required to make in connection with a property under the terms of an agreement classified as an operating lease, excluding contingent rentals and a guarantee by the lessee of the lessor's debt and the lessee's obligation to pay (apart from the rental payments) executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121595440&loc=d3e34039-112682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 40
-Subparagraph (Note 3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121580752&loc=d3e38371-112697

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121573735&loc=d3e41499-112717

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

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