Description of Business and Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands				1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
		Mar. 02, 2015	[3]	Nov. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Impairments					$ 272,624	[1],[2]	$ 1,190
WGP Historical [Member]
Impairments	[1],[2]				264,402
Operating Income (Loss) [Member] | WGP Historical [Member]
Correction of an immaterial error					$ 11,800		$ 6,600
Western Gas Partners [Member]
General partner's interest				2.00%	1.80%
Marginal percentage interest in distributions					48.00%
Impairments					$ 272,624
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Other Subsidiaries Of Anadarko [Member]
Units issued					757,619
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Red Desert Complex [Member]
Impairments					$ 264,400
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Non-Operated Marcellus Interest [Member]
Ownership interest					33.75%
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Anadarko-Operated Marcellus Interest [Member]
Ownership interest					33.75%
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Newcastle [Member]
Ownership interest					50.00%
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Delaware Basin JV Gathering LLC [Member]
Ownership interest		50.00%			50.00%
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Incentive Distribution Rights [Member]
General partner's interest					100.00%
Western Gas Partners [Member] | General Partner [Member]
Ownership interest					100.00%
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Fort Union [Member]
Equity investment ownership					14.81%
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Rendezvous [Member]
Equity investment ownership					22.00%
Western Gas Partners [Member] | White Cliffs [Member]
Equity investment ownership					10.00%
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Mont Belvieu Joint Venture [Member]
Equity investment ownership					25.00%
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Texas Express Pipeline Limited Liability Company [Member]
Equity investment ownership					20.00%
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Texas Express Gathering Limited Liability Company [Member]
Equity investment ownership					20.00%
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Front Range Pipeline Limited Liability Company [Member]
Equity investment ownership					33.33%

[1] “As Reported” amount previously included as a component of Depreciation, amortization and impairments in WGP’s Original Filing.

[2] “As Reported” amount previously included as a component of Depreciation, amortization and impairments in WGP’s Original Filing.

[3] WES acquired Anadarko’s interest in Delaware Basin JV Gathering LLC (“DBJV”), which owns a 50% interest in a gathering system and related facilities (the “DBJV system”). The DBJV system is located in the Delaware Basin in Loving, Ward, Winkler and Reeves Counties, Texas. WES will make a cash payment on March 31, 2020, to Anadarko as consideration for the acquisition of DBJV. WES currently estimates the future payment will be $282.8 million, the net present value of which was $174.3 million as of the acquisition date. See Deferred purchase price obligation - Anadarko below.