EQUITY COMPENSATION - AEP, Restricted and Phantom Units (Details) - Ares Management L.P. - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jan. 01, 2016
Equity compensation
Total number of units available for grant under the Equity Incentive Plan	31,231,211		31,231,211			31,962,710
Issued			731,499
Equity compensation expenses	$ 9,538	$ 7,798	$ 18,710	$ 15,719
Stock Options
Equity compensation
Granted (in units)			0		24,835,227
Equity compensation expenses	4,547	3,876	$ 8,460	7,729
Restricted Unit
Equity compensation
Equity compensation expenses	4,686	$ 3,465	9,449	$ 6,910
Distribution equivalents made to holders	$ 900		$ 2,100
Restricted Units and Phantom Units
Balance at the beginning of the period (in units)			4,657,761	4,776,053
Units granted (in units)			1,822,623	171,444	4,936,051
Vested (in units)			(24,368)	(8,463)
Forfeited (in units)			(348,125)	(170,352)
Balance at the end of the period (in units)	6,107,891	4,768,682	6,107,891	4,768,682	4,776,053
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Balance at the beginning of the period (in dollars per unit)			$ 18.01	$ 18.08
Granted (in dollars per unit)			11.32	17.27
Vested (in dollars per unit)			16.77	18.49
Forfeited (in dollars per unit)			17.23	18.05
Balance at the end of the period (in dollars per unit)	$ 16.08	$ 18.06	$ 16.08	$ 18.06	$ 18.08
Unrecognized Compensation Expenses	$ 61,300		$ 61,300
Weighted average period of compensation expense expected to be recognized			2 years 11 months 27 days
Restricted Unit | Awards vested beginning on the third anniversary
Equity compensation
Vesting rights (as a percent)			33.00%
Restricted Unit | Awards vested beginning on the first anniversary
Equity compensation
Vesting rights (as a percent)			25.00%
Phantom units
Equity compensation
Granted (in units)			0
Equity compensation expenses	$ 305	$ 457	$ 801	$ 1,080
Restricted Units and Phantom Units
Units granted (in units)					686,395