Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Segment information
Segment purchased product costs	$ 108,741	$ 246,801	$ 355,517	$ 674,189
Segment facility expenses	95,028	83,579	275,394	250,829
Income from operations	96,876	139,495	219,761	267,122
Capital expenditures			1,230,979	1,771,900
Total segments
Segment information
Segment revenue	495,786	605,249	1,464,175	1,651,763
Segment purchased product costs	108,742	246,906	355,518	674,330
Net operating margin	387,044	358,343	1,108,657	977,433
Segment facility expenses	104,980	90,805	303,218	264,087
Segment portion of operating income attributable to non-controlling interests	34,495	10,621	81,844	18,449
Income from operations	247,569	256,917	723,595	694,897
Capital expenditures			1,434,166	1,947,110
Intersegment Eliminations
Segment information
Segment revenue		(1,298)	(44)	(3,769)
Net operating margin		(1,298)	(44)	(3,769)
Segment facility expenses		(1,298)	(44)	(3,769)
Adjustments for unconsolidated affiliates
Segment information
Segment portion of operating income attributable to non-controlling interests	(19,926)	(4,556)	(44,366)	(5,065)
Capital expenditures			(210,489)	(188,178)
Not allocated to segments
Segment information
Capital expenditures			7,302	12,968
Marcellus | Total segments
Segment information
Segment revenue	199,693	230,241	596,180	589,134
Segment purchased product costs	1,874	57,569	12,944	131,569
Net operating margin	197,819	172,672	583,236	457,565
Segment facility expenses	44,363	36,171	127,683	105,399
Income from operations	153,456	136,501	455,553	352,166
Capital expenditures			842,776	1,098,597
Utica Segment | Total segments
Segment information
Segment revenue	82,654	47,520	205,507	102,112
Segment purchased product costs	(108)	11,023	752	22,511
Net operating margin	82,762	36,497	204,755	79,601
Segment facility expenses	19,040	14,150	51,630	38,176
Segment portion of operating income attributable to non-controlling interests	32,411	10,616	76,151	18,439
Income from operations	31,311	11,731	76,974	22,986
Capital expenditures			367,092	739,389
Utica Segment | Adjustments for unconsolidated affiliates
Segment information
Capital expenditures			207,200	188,000
Northeast Segment | Total segments
Segment information
Segment revenue	20,636	52,120	73,252	157,150
Segment purchased product costs	8,589	18,350	30,850	53,974
Net operating margin	12,047	33,770	42,402	103,176
Segment facility expenses	7,906	9,515	22,368	25,138
Income from operations	4,141	24,255	20,034	78,038
Capital expenditures			2,389	928
Southwest Segment | Total segments
Segment information
Segment revenue	192,803	276,666	589,280	807,136
Segment purchased product costs	98,387	159,964	310,972	466,276
Net operating margin	94,416	116,702	278,308	340,860
Segment facility expenses	33,671	32,267	101,581	99,143
Segment portion of operating income attributable to non-controlling interests	2,084	5	5,693	10
Income from operations	$ 58,661	$ 84,430	171,034	241,707
Capital expenditures			221,909	$ 108,196
Southwest Segment | Adjustments for unconsolidated affiliates
Segment information
Capital expenditures			$ 3,300