Property, Plant and Equipment - Historical Cost Table (details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 5,814,914	$ 5,626,650	[1]
Accumulated depreciation	1,368,045	1,055,207	[1]
Net property, plant and equipment	4,446,869	4,571,443	[1]
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Land [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	3,260	2,884
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Gathering Systems [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 5,232,882	4,972,892
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Gathering Systems [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	3 years
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Gathering Systems [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	47 years
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Pipelines And Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 135,916	151,107
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Pipelines And Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	15 years
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Pipelines And Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	45 years
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Assets Under Construction [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 424,779	483,347
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Other [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 18,077	$ 16,420
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Other [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	3 years
Western Gas Partners [Member] | Other [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	40 years

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