Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Details)		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Mcf / d shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	May 31, 2008 USD ($)
Note receivable - Anadarko		$ 260,000,000	$ 260,000,000
Imbalance receivables		3,483,000	2,122,000
Imbalance payables		3,000,000	1,600,000
Loss on divestiture and other, net	[1],[2]	14,641,000	(57,024,000)	$ 9,000
Proceeds from property insurance claims		17,465,000	0	$ 0
Other assets		(15,058,000)	(13,001,000)
Long-term debt		$ (3,119,461,000)	(2,690,651,000)
New Accounting Standard Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2015-03 [Member]
Other assets			16,700,000
Long-term debt			16,700,000
Western Gas Equity Partners Long Term Incentive Plan [Member]
Units authorized under LTIP | shares		3,000,000
Units available under LTIP | shares		2,950,088
Chipeta Processing LLC [Member]
Ownership interest by noncontrolling interest owner		25.00%
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Western Gas Partners Long Term Incentive Plan [Member]
Units authorized under LTIP | shares		2,250,000
Units available under LTIP | shares		2,120,711
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Delaware Basin Midstream Complex [Member]
Loss on divestiture and other, net			20,300,000
Property insurance claim receivable		$ 30,000,000	$ 49,000,000
Proceeds from insurance claims, total		33,800,000
Proceeds from business interruption insurance claims		16,270,000
Proceeds from property insurance claims		$ 17,465,000
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Delaware Basin Midstream Complex [Member] | Train II [Member]
Plant capacity | Mcf / d		100,000
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Delaware Basin Midstream Complex [Member] | Train III [Member]
Plant capacity | Mcf / d		200,000
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Other Subsidiaries Of Anadarko [Member]
WES common units issued | shares		2,011,380
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | Affiliates [Member]
Note receivable - Anadarko		$ 260,000,000			$ 260,000,000
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] | General Partner [Member]
Percentage ownership interest		100.00%

[1] Includes losses related to an incident at the DBM complex for the year ended December 31, 2015. See Note 1.

[2] Includes losses related to an incident at the DBM complex for the year ended December 31, 2015. See Note 1.