Transactions With Affiliates - Summary Table (details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014		Mar. 31, 2013
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 279,457		$ 225,766	[1]
Equity income, net	9,251	[2],[3]	3,968	[1],[2],[3]
Cost of product	91,950	[4]	83,083	[1],[4]
Operation and maintenance	40,532	[4]	36,739	[1],[4]
General and administrative	9,386	[4]	8,929	[1],[4]
Operating expenses	189,521		166,976	[1]
Interest income, net	4,225	[5]	4,225	[5]
Distributions to unitholders	54,726	[6]	39,128
Western Gas Partners [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Distributions to unitholders	98,749	[7]	70,143
Affiliated Entity [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Revenues	206,290	[8]	177,569	[1],[8]
Cost of product	16,634	[8]	31,929	[8]
Operation and maintenance	11,099	[9]	13,366	[9]
General and administrative	6,993	[10]	6,088	[10]
Operating expenses	34,726		51,383
Affiliated Entity [Member] | Western Gas Equity Partners [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Distributions to unitholders	46,051	[11]	7,143	[11]
Affiliated Entity [Member] | Western Gas Partners [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Distributions to unitholders	$ 269	[12]	$ 0	[12]

[1] Financial information has been recast to include the financial position and results attributable to the TEFR Interests. See Note 1 and Note 2.

[2] Income earned from equity investments is classified as affiliate. See Note 1.

[3] Income earned on, distributions from and contributions to equity investments are classified as affiliate. See Note 1.

[4] Cost of product includes product purchases from Anadarko (as defined in Note 1) of $16.6 million and $31.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Operation and maintenance includes charges from Anadarko of $11.1 million and $13.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. General and administrative includes charges from Anadarko of $7.0 million and $6.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. See Note 5.

[5] Represents interest income recognized on the note receivable from Anadarko.

[6] On April 17, 2014, the board of directors of WGP GP declared a cash distribution to WGP unitholders of $0.25000 per unit, or $54.7 million in aggregate. The cash distribution is payable on May 23, 2014, to WGP unitholders of record at the close of business on April 30, 2014.

[7] On April 17, 2014, the board of directors of WES GP declared a cash distribution to WES unitholders of $0.625 per unit, or $98.7 million in aggregate, including incentive distributions. The cash distribution is payable on May 14, 2014, to WES unitholders of record at the close of business on April 30, 2014.

[8] Represents amounts recognized under gathering, treating or processing agreements, and purchase and sale agreements.

[9] Represents expenses incurred on and subsequent to the date of the acquisition of WES assets, as well as expenses incurred by Anadarko on a historical basis related to WES assets prior to the acquisition of such assets by WES.

[10] Represents general and administrative expense incurred on and subsequent to the date of WES’s acquisition of WES assets, as well as a management services fee for reimbursement of expenses incurred by Anadarko for periods prior to the acquisition of WES assets by WES. These amounts include equity-based compensation expense allocated to by Anadarko (see WES LTIP and WGP LTIP and Anadarko Incentive Plans within this Note 5) and amounts charged by Anadarko under the WGP omnibus agreement.

[11] Represents distributions paid under WGP’s partnership agreement (see Note 3 and Note 4).

[12] Represents distributions paid to other wholly owned subsidiaries of Anadarko under WES’s partnership agreement (see Note 3 and Note 4).