Description of Business and Basis of Presentation - Restatement Table - Consolidated Statement of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2014
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization		$ 61,485	[1]	$ 44,962	[2]	$ 123,555	[1],[3]	$ 85,857	[2]
Impairments		1,268	[1]	343	[2]	273,892	[1],[3]	1,533	[2],[4]
Operating income (loss)		137,237		120,808	[2]	(18,082)		225,629	[2]
Income (loss) before income taxes		113,938		104,404	[2]	(60,038)		199,985	[2]
Income tax (benefit) expense		(1,710)		2,523	[2]	1,706		4,308	[2]
Net income (loss)		115,648		101,881	[2]	(61,744)		195,677	[2]
Net income (loss) attributable to Western Gas Equity Partners, LP		68,932		59,389	[2]	29,263		112,551	[2]
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss)	[5]	68,932		55,254	[2]	27,521		105,751	[2]
As Reported [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	64,693				126,763	[3]
Impairments	[1]	1,268				9,490	[3]
Operating income (loss)		134,029				243,112
Income (loss) before income taxes		110,730				201,156
Income tax (benefit) expense		(1,816)				2,644
Net income (loss)		112,546		$ 97,746	[6]	198,512		$ 187,921	[6]
Net income (loss) attributable to Western Gas Equity Partners, LP		67,795				124,824
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss)	[5]	67,795				123,082
Adjustments [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	(3,208)				(3,208)	[3]
Impairments	[1]	0				264,402	[3]
Operating income (loss)		3,208				(261,194)
Income (loss) before income taxes		3,208				(261,194)
Income tax (benefit) expense		106				(938)
Net income (loss)		3,102				(260,256)
Net income (loss) attributable to Western Gas Equity Partners, LP		1,137				(95,561)
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss)	[5]	$ 1,137				$ (95,561)
Limited Partner [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net income (loss) per common unit - basic and diluted		$ 0.31		$ 0.25	[2]	$ 0.13		$ 0.48	[2]
Limited Partner [Member] | As Reported [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net income (loss) per common unit - basic and diluted		0.31				0.56
Limited Partner [Member] | Adjustments [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net income (loss) per common unit - basic and diluted		$ 0.00				$ (0.43)

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

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

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

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

[5] Represents net income (loss) earned on and subsequent to the date of acquisition of WES assets (as defined in Note 1). See Note 4.

[6] See Adjustments to Previously Issued Financial Statements in Note 1.