ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION Narrative (Details)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Percent ownership in NuStar Energy	17.50%	17.60%
General partner interest percentage	2.00%
Percent of incentive distribution rights (IDR) issued by NuStar Energy	100.00%
Maximum percentage of cash distributed by NuStar Energy	23.00%
Common units of NuStar Energy	10,245,306
Percent of limited partner interest	15.50%

The percentage of ownership of limited partner common units in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

Name:	nsh_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipLimitedPartnerPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	nsh
Data Type:	us-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The ownership of limited partner common units in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ Details

Name:	nsh_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipLimitedPartnerUnits
Namespace Prefix:	nsh
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Incentive Distribution Rights Percentage

+ Details

Name:	nsh_IncentiveDistributionRightsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	nsh
Data Type:	us-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum allowable percentage of cash distributed by equity method investee related to incentive distribution rights.

+ Details

Name:	nsh_IncentiveDistributionRightsPercentageMaximumAllowable
Namespace Prefix:	nsh
Data Type:	us-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- 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://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 159
-Paragraph 18
-Subparagraph f

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)
-Number 18
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph a (1)

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	us-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of units or percentage investment held by the managing member or general partner of the LLC or LP.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Practice Bulletin (PB)
-Number 14
-Paragraph 15

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LimitedLiabilityCompanyLLCOrLimitedPartnershipLPManagingMemberOrGeneralPartnerOwnershipInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	us-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- 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.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration