Debt and Interest Expense - Debt Activity Table (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
Mar. 14, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Beginning balance		$ 2,690,651
Ending balance		3,049,325
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| WGP RCF [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowings	$ 25,000	28,000
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Other		674
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| WES RCF [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowings		$ 330,000

Amount of noncash expense included in interest expense to amortize debt discount and premium associated with the related debt instruments. Excludes amortization of financing costs. Alternate captions include noncash interest expense.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28541-108399

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.8)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration