Business Acquisitions (Details 3) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2013 hp CompressorUnit customer	Mar. 31, 2012 CompressorUnit customer hp
Business Acquisitions
Long-term debt assumed in contract operations acquisitions			$ 105,350,000
Cash Paid			77,415,000
Capital distributions	130,345,000	107,196,000	87,866,000
Partners' Capital Common Units
Business Acquisitions
Units issued in connection with acquisition (in units)		7,123,527
Capital distributions	117,331,000	99,115,000	82,073,000
Partners' Capital General Partner Units
Business Acquisitions
Units issued in connection with acquisition (in units)		144,644
Capital distributions	13,014,000	8,081,000	5,793,000
March 2013 Contract Operations Acquisition
Business Acquisitions
Number of customers with service agreements				50
Number of compressor units used to provide compression services				363
Horsepower of compressor units used to provide compression services				256,000
Percentage of available horsepower of the combined U.S. contract operations business of Exterran Holdings and entity from service agreements acquired				8.00%
Number of compressor units acquired				204
Horsepower of compressor units acquired				99,000
Horsepower of compressor units owned and used to provide service under contracts				6,000
Net book value of fleet assets acquired				158,500,000
Accumulated depreciation of fleet assets acquired				94,900,000
Total consideration, excluding transaction costs				174,000,000
Finite life intangible assets associated with customer relationships				3,100,000
Capital distributions		12,400,000
March 2013 Contract Operations Acquisition | Partners' Capital Common Units
Business Acquisitions
Units issued in connection with acquisition (in units)				7,100,000
March 2013 Contract Operations Acquisition | Partners' Capital General Partner Units
Business Acquisitions
Units issued in connection with acquisition (in units)				145,000
March 2012 Contract Operations Acquisition
Business Acquisitions
Number of customers with service agreements					39
Number of compressor units used to provide compression services					406
Horsepower of compressor units used to provide compression services					188,000
Percentage of available horsepower of the combined U.S. contract operations business of Exterran Holdings and entity from service agreements acquired					5.00%
Number of compressor units acquired					139
Horsepower of compressor units acquired					75,000
Capacity of natural gas processing plant acquired (MMcf per day)					10
Net book value of fleet assets acquired					149,500,000
Accumulated depreciation of fleet assets acquired					67,000,000
Total consideration, excluding transaction costs					182,800,000
Long-term debt assumed in contract operations acquisitions					105,400,000
Cash Paid					77,400,000
Finite life intangible assets associated with customer relationships					5,000,000
Capital distributions			$ 28,200,000