Consolidated Statement of Equity and Partners' Capital - 3 months ended Mar. 31, 2016 - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Total	Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]	Chipeta Processing Limited Liability Company [Member]	Net Investment by Anadarko [Member]	Common Units [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member] Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member] Chipeta Processing Limited Liability Company [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	[1]	$ 3,920,098			$ 430,598	$ 1,060,842	$ 2,428,658
Net income (loss)		117,759			11,326	70,490	35,943
Above-market component of swap extensions with Anadarko	[2]	6,813				6,813
WES equity transactions, net	[3]	0				(10,714)	10,714
WES issuance of Series A Preferred units, net of offering expenses		440,000					440,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners			$ (63,425)	$ (3,838)				$ (63,425)	$ (3,838)
Distributions to WGP unitholders		(88,389)				(88,389)
Acquisitions from affiliates		(712,500)			(549,692)	(162,808)
Contributions of equity-based compensation to WES by Anadarko		1,051				1,051
Net pre-acquisition contributions from (distributions to) Anadarko		(27,632)			(27,632)
Net distributions to Anadarko of other assets		(714)				(714)
Elimination of net deferred tax liabilities		135,400			135,400
Other		482				305	177
Balance at Mar. 31, 2016		$ 3,725,105			$ 0	$ 876,876	$ 2,848,229

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

[2] See Note 5.

[3] Includes the impact of WES’s (as defined in Note 1) equity offerings as described in Note 4. The $10.7 million decrease to partners’ capital, together with net income (loss) attributable to Western Gas Equity Partners, LP, totaled $71.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016.