Capitalization (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Aug. 15, 2013 Share Distribution [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Share Distribution [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Share Distribution [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Share Distribution [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Share Distribution [Member]	Jul. 26, 2013 Share Distribution Subsequent To Reporting Period [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L P [Member] Share Distribution Subsequent To Reporting Period [Member] Dividend Paid [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 KMP Acquisition of Copano [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 KMP Acquisition of Copano [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 KMP Acquisition of Copano [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 KMI drop-down with KMP [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 KMI drop-down with KMP [Member]	May 01, 2013 KMP [Member] Copano Energy LLC [Member] Significant Acquisitions and Disposals, Transaction [Domain]	Jun. 30, 2013 Common Stock [Member]
Distribution Made to Member or Limited Partner [Line Items]
Adjustment to addidional paid in capital, impact from income tax		$ 63,000,000		$ 89,000,000										$ (63,000,000)	$ 0
Business acquisition, unit exchange ratio																		0.4563
Non-deductable goodwill													1,100,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Liabilities																(63,000,000)	(89,000,000)
Proceeds from Issuance or Sale of Equity																			500,000,000
Shares distributed per outstanding share (in shares)						0.015704
Distribution Made to Member or Limited Partner, Distributions Declared, Per Unit							$ 1.32	$ 1.23	$ 2.62	$ 2.43
Distribution Made to Member or Limited Partner, Distributions Paid, Per Unit							$ 1.30	$ 1.20	$ 2.59	$ 2.36
Shares distributed (in shares)		1,880,172	1,578,616	3,607,124	3,182,591
Distribution Made to Member or Limited Partner, Share Distribution, Dilution Per Share												$ 1.32
Average ten day closing market price, amount per share											$ 84.057
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	215,200	860,600
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	$ 18,000,000	$ 73,000,000		$ 73,000,000	$ 0
Number of additional share distributions made in the period							1,726,952	1,603,975	3,531,548	3,068,120