Debt and Interest Expense - Additional Information (details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended									6 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013		Nov. 30, 2012 Working Capital Facility [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Working Capital Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Working Capital Facility [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Western Gas Partners [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Feb. 28, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Western Gas Partners [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Feb. 28, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member] Alternate Base Rate [Member]	Feb. 28, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Minimum [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Feb. 28, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Minimum [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member] Alternate Base Rate [Member]	Feb. 28, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Maximum [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Feb. 28, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Maximum [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member] Alternate Base Rate [Member]	Feb. 28, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Percentage Above Federal Funds Effective Rate [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member] Alternate Base Rate [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Texas Express And Front Range [Member]		Mar. 31, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Texas Express And Front Range [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Senior Notes 5 Point 375 Percent Due 2021 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Senior Notes 4 Percent Due 2022 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Senior Notes 2 Point 6 Percent Due 2018 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Senior Notes 2 Point 6 Percent Due 2018 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Senior Notes 5 Point 45 Percent Due 2044 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Western Gas Partners [Member] Senior Notes 5 Point 45 Percent Due 2044 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate																				5.375%	4.00%		2.60%		5.45%
Offering percent																						100.857%		98.443%
Effective interest rate																							2.743%		5.633%
Underwriting discount																						$ 600,000		$ 3,500,000
Debt instrument, maturity date																				Jun. 01, 2021	Jul. 01, 2022		Aug. 15, 2018		Apr. 01, 2044
Line of credit, expiration date							Feb. 26, 2019
Borrowings	1,076,895,000	494,948,000	[1]														350,000,000	[2]	350,000,000
Revolving credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity				30,000,000					1,200,000,000	800,000,000
Revolving credit facility, expandable maximum borrowing capacity									1,500,000,000
Interest rate percent above LIBOR				1.50%							1.00%	0.975%	0.00%	1.45%	0.45%	0.50%
Revolving credit facility, interest rate at period end					1.66%	1.67%	1.46%	1.67%
Facility fee							0.20%	0.25%				0.15%		0.30%
Outstanding borrowings					0		110,000,000
Outstanding letters of credit							12,800,000
Available borrowing capacity							$ 1,100,000,000

[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] WES acquired a 20% interest in each of TEG and TEP and a 33.33% interest in FRP from Anadarko. These assets gather and transport NGLs primarily from the Anadarko and Denver-Julesburg Basins. The interests in these entities are accounted for under the equity method of accounting. In connection with the issuance of WES common units, WES GP purchased 6,296 general partner units for consideration of $0.4 million to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest in WES.