Equity and Partners' Capital - Additional Information (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jan. 03, 2014 shares	Jun. 30, 2015 $ / unit shares	Nov. 30, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares shares		Jul. 31, 2014 shares	Dec. 31, 2013 $ / shares shares	[2]	May. 31, 2013 $ / shares shares		Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) shares		Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) $ / shares
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Limited partner units owned										218,919,380	218,909,977
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
General partner units owned										2,583,068
General partner's interest			2.00%							1.80%
Units issued										498,009	10,913,853
Price per unit | $ / shares			$ 70.85	[1]		$ 61.51		$ 61.18	[3]				$ 61.51	[2]
Common Units [Member] | Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Limited partner units owned										49,296,205
Ownership interest										34.60%
Common units issued			8,620,153	[1]		4,800,000		7,015,000	[3]
Incentive Distribution Rights [Member] | Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
General partner's interest										100.00%
Class C Units [Member] | Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Units issued										498,009	10,913,853
Price per unit | $ / shares			$ 68.72
Proceeds from the issuance of WES Class C units | $			$ 750,000							$ 0	$ 750,000	[4]	$ 0	[4]
Class C Units [Member] | Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Redeemable option on units | $			$ 150,000
Option on Securities [Member] | Common Units [Member] | Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Common units issued	300,000		1,120,153					915,000
Anadarko [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Limited partner units owned										191,087,365
Ownership interest										87.30%
Anadarko [Member] | 7.50% Tangible Equity Units [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Tangible equity units issued		9,200,000
Tangible equity unit rate		7.50%
Stated amount per tangible equity unit | $ / unit		50.00
Debt instrument, maturity date		Jun. 07, 2018
Anadarko [Member] | Common Units [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Common units issued		2,300,000			5,750,000
Anadarko [Member] | Option on Securities [Member] | 7.50% Tangible Equity Units [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Tangible equity units issued		1,200,000
Anadarko [Member] | Option on Securities [Member] | Common Units [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Common units issued		300,000			750,000
Public [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Limited partner units owned										27,832,015
Ownership interest										12.70%
Public [Member] | Common Units [Member] | Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Limited partner units owned										78,523,141
Ownership interest										55.10%
Other Subsidiaries Of Anadarko [Member] | Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Ownership interest										8.50%
Other Subsidiaries Of Anadarko [Member] | Common Units [Member] | Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Limited partner units owned										757,619
Other Subsidiaries Of Anadarko [Member] | Class C Units [Member] | Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Limited partner units owned										11,411,862
Units issued			10,913,853

[1] Includes the issuance of 1,120,153 WES common units pursuant to the partial exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, the net proceeds from which were $77.0 million. Beginning with this partial exercise, WES GP elected not to make a corresponding capital contribution to maintain its 2.0% interest in WES.

[2] Includes the issuance of 300,000 WES common units on January 3, 2014, pursuant to the partial exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. Net proceeds from this partial exercise (including WES GP’s proportionate capital contribution) were $18.1 million.

[3] Includes the issuance of 915,000 WES common units pursuant to the full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.

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