Property, Plant and Equipment - Historical Cost Table (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 5,862,721	$ 5,626,650	[1]
Accumulated depreciation	1,330,802	1,055,207	[1]
Net property, plant and equipment	4,531,919	4,571,443	[1]
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Land [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	3,191	2,884
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Gathering Systems [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 5,431,716	4,972,892
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Gathering Systems [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	3 years
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Gathering Systems [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	47 years
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Pipelines And Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 136,303	151,107
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Pipelines And Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	15 years
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Pipelines And Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	45 years
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Assets Under Construction [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 272,445	483,347
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Other [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment	$ 19,066	$ 16,420
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Other [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated useful life	3 years
Western Gas Partners, LP [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.