2.2.0.25falsefalse1220 - Disclosure - Employee Benefit Plantruefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $D2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001166036duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDPerShareDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0mwe_EmployeeBenefitPlanDisclosureAbstractmwefalsenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalseEmployee Benefit Plan3false0us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitsDisclosureTextBlockus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00<table style="font-size:10pt; font-family:'Times New Roman',times,serif;"> <tr> <td> 22. Employee Benefit Plan         All employees dedicated to, or otherwise principally supporting the Partnership are employees of MarkWest Hydrocarbon, and substantially all of these employees are participants in MarkWest Hydrocarbon's defined contribution benefit plan. The employer matching contribution expense related to this plan was $2.3 million, $1.8 million and $1.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively. </td></tr></table> 22. Employee Benefit Plan         All employees dedicated to, or otherwise principally supporting the Partnership arefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringDescription containing the entire pension and other postretirement benefits disclosure as a single block of text.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Staff Position (FSP) -Number FAS106-2 -Paragraph 20, 21, 22 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5, 6, 7, 8 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 87 -Paragraph 264 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Implementation Guide (Q and A) -Number FAS88 -Paragraph 63 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 158 -Paragraph 7, 21, 22 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph b Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) -Number 30 -Paragraph 26 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 106 -Paragraph 518 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) -Number 03-2 -Paragraph 8 Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 8 -Subparagraph m Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph h Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph a Reference 13: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph q falsefalseEmployee Benefit Plan12Employee Benefit PlanUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue