Partnership Distributions - Cash Distributions Tables (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016		Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014
Distribution Made to Limited Partner [Line Items]
Total quarterly distribution per unit	$ 0.46250	[1]	$ 0.44750	$ 0.43375	$ 0.42375	$ 0.40375	$ 0.38125	$ 0.36375	$ 0.34250	$ 0.31250	$ 0.29125	$ 0.27125	$ 0.25000
Total quarterly cash distribution	$ 101,254	[1]	$ 97,968	$ 94,958	$ 92,767	$ 88,389	$ 83,461	$ 79,630	$ 74,977	$ 68,409	$ 63,756	$ 59,378	$ 54,726
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]
Distribution Made to Limited Partner [Line Items]
Total quarterly distribution per unit	$ 0.860	[2]	$ 0.845	$ 0.830	$ 0.815	$ 0.800	$ 0.775	$ 0.750	$ 0.725	$ 0.700	$ 0.675	$ 0.650	$ 0.625
Total quarterly cash distribution	$ 170,657	[2]	$ 166,742	$ 162,827	$ 158,905	$ 152,588	$ 146,160	$ 139,736	$ 133,203	$ 126,044	$ 111,608	$ 105,655	$ 98,749

[1] The Board of Directors declared a cash distribution to WGP unitholders for the fourth quarter of 2016 of $0.46250 per unit, or $101.3 million in aggregate. The cash distribution was paid on February 22, 2017, to WGP unitholders of record at the close of business on February 2, 2017.

[2] The Board of Directors of WES GP declared a cash distribution to WES unitholders for the fourth quarter of 2016 of $0.860 per unit, or $170.7 million in aggregate, including incentive distributions, but excluding distributions on WES Class C units (see WES Class C unit distributions below) and WES Series A Preferred units (see WES Series A Preferred unit distributions below). The cash distribution was paid on February 13, 2017, to WES unitholders of record at the close of business on February 2, 2017.