Transactions with Affiliates - Equipment Purchases and Sales Table (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Partners’ capital adjustment	$ 581	$ 4,632	$ 10,706
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] \| Affiliates [Member] \| Purchases [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Cash consideration - purchases	3,965	10,903	22,943
Net carrying value	(3,366)	(6,318)	(12,210)
Partners’ capital adjustment	599	4,585	10,733
Western Gas Partners, LP [Member] \| Affiliates [Member] \| Sales [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Cash consideration - sales	623	925	402
Net carrying value	(605)	(972)	(375)
Partners’ capital adjustment	$ (18)	$ 47	$ (27)

The cash outflow to purchase long lived physical asset for use in the normal oil and gas operations and to purchase mineral interests in oil and gas properties not intended for resale.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireOilAndGasPropertyAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow from sale of machinery and equipment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfMachineryAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale, from reclassification, impairment, donation, or changes classified as other. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64862545&loc=d3e2921-110230

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentTransfersAndChanges
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total change in each class of partners' capital accounts during the year due to distributions to or contributions from affiliates of other assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wgp_PartnersCapitalAccountAdjustmentDistributionsToContributionsFromAffiliateOfOtherAssets
Namespace Prefix:	wgp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=wgp_WesternGasPartnersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=us-gaap_AffiliatedEntityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=wgp_PurchasesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_SalesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: