Equity and Partners' Capital - Additional Information (details) (USD $)			9 Months Ended									9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 Western Gas Partners [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Common Units [Member] Western Gas Partners [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Common Units [Member] Public [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Common Units [Member] Public [Member] Western Gas Partners [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Common Units [Member] Anadarko [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Common Units [Member] Anadarko Marcellus Midstream [Member] Western Gas Partners [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Incentive Distribution Rights [Member] Western Gas Partners [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Continuous Offering Program [Member] Western Gas Partners [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Continuous Offering Program [Member] Western Gas Partners [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Continuous Offering Program [Member] Initiated Trade [Member] Western Gas Partners [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Maximum aggregate principal of common stock											$ 125,000,000
Common units issued												218,750
Average price per unit										$ 58.22
Offering expenses										100,000
Gross proceeds										$ 2,700,000		$ 12,700,000
Units owned	218,895,515	218,895,515		49,296,205	19,758,150	62,429,577	199,137,365	449,129
Ownership interest				43.10%	9.00%	54.50%	91.00%	0.40%
General partner units owned			2,288,573
General partner's interest			2.00%						100.00%