CREDIT FACILITY Narrative (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 NuStar Energy Consolidated Debt Coverage Ratio [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Cash Distributions Covenant [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 2013 Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Credit Facility, Name						364-day revolving credit agreement
Credit Facility, Maturity Date						Jun. 27, 2014
Credit Facility, Borrowing Capacity						$ 40,000,000
Credit Facility, Letters of Credit Capacity						10,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Collateral						Our obligations under the 2013 Credit Facility are guaranteed by Riverwalk Holdings, LLC (Riverwalk), our wholly owned subsidiary. Riverwalk pledged 1,792,918 NuStar Energy units that it owns to secure its guarantee
Repayments of Short-term Debt	20,000,000	16,500,000
Outstanding Borrowings Under the Credit Facility	18,500,000		20,000,000
Credit Facility, Borrowing Availability	$ 21,500,000
Credit Facility, Interest Rate Description						Interest on the 2013 Credit Facility is based upon, at our option, either an alternative base rate plus 1.00% or a LIBOR-based rate plus 2.00%
Credit Facility, Interest Rate	2.30%
Credit Facility, Covenant Terms				The terms of the 2013 Credit Facility require NuStar Energy to maintain, as of the end of each rolling period, which consists of any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters, a consolidated debt coverage ratio not to exceed 5.0-to-1.0. If NuStar Energy consummates an acquisition for an aggregate net consideration of at least $50.0 million, the maximum consolidated debt coverage ratio will increase to 5.5-to-1.0 for two rolling periods.	receive cash distributions of at least $12.5 million in respect of our ownership interests in NuStar Energy each fiscal quarter
NuStar Energy's Consolidated Debt Coverage Ratio	4.3