Related Party Transactions (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	7 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		5 Months Ended	7 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	5 Months Ended	7 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		7 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Jan. 18, 2012	May 25, 2010 ETE [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 ETE [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 ETE [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 ETE [Member]	Sep. 01, 2011 ETP [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 ETP [Member]	Apr. 30, 2010 HPC [Member]	May 25, 2010 HPC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 HPC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 HPC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 HPC [Member]	Sep. 01, 2011 MEP [Member]	May 25, 2010 MEP [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 MEP [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 MEP [Member]	Aug. 30, 2011 MEP [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Cdm Max [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 May Twenty Six Service Agreement [Member] ETE [Member]
Annual fees to affiliates																					$ 10,000,000
General partners interest in initial distribution		2.00%
Reimbursement of all direct and indirect expenses	44,200,000	58,000,000		31,100,000			33,800,000
Reimbursement of all direct and indirect expenses					5,800,000	16,600,000
Cash distributions received					27,700,000	57,400,000
Proceeds Received That Represents The Portion Of The Common Unit Distribution For The Period Of Time That The Units Were Not Outstanding	7,200,000
Partner contributions					20,800,000
Sale of compression equipment									7,900,000
Purchase of comrpession equipment									33,100,000
Addtional ownership in affiliate acquired										6.99%									0.10%
Payments to acquire additional interest in affiliates															1,200,000		0	1,355,000
Payments for (Proceeds from) Businesses and Interest in Affiliates										92,100,000
Ownership in affiliate									70.00%	49.99%					50.00%	49.90%
Transaction of entities under common control, investment carrying amount								1,400,000								588,700,000
General and administrative, including related party											6,900,000	9,800,000	16,800,000	4,700,000
Operating expenses or general and administrative expenses									21,600,000
Reimbursement for construction in progress														80,600,000
Investment by third party percentage ownership			5.00%
Revenues from transactions with related party																				$ 1,100,000