Consolidated Statements of Equity and Partners' Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Total	Western Gas Partners, LP [Member]	Chipeta Processing LLC [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 LLC [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013		$ 3,434,669			$ 842,731	$ 905,082	$ 1,686,856
Net income (loss)		453,489			65,154	222,867	165,468
WES equity transactions, net	[1]	691,417				351,510	339,907
WES issuance of Class C and Series A Preferred units		750,000					750,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners			$ (176,344)	$ (15,149)				$ (176,344)	$ (15,149)
Distributions to WGP unitholders		(228,481)				(228,481)
Acquisitions from affiliates		(356,250)			(372,784)	16,534
Contributions of equity-based compensation to WES by Anadarko		3,041				3,041
Net pre-acquisition contributions from (distributions to) Anadarko	[2]	(16,692)			(16,692)
Net distributions to Anadarko of other assets		(10,706)				(10,706)
Elimination of net deferred tax liabilities		38,160			38,160
Other		792			27	348	417
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014		4,567,946			556,596	1,260,195	2,751,155
Net income (loss)		11,098			79,386	86,121	(154,409)
Above-market component of swap extensions with Anadarko	[3]	18,449				18,449
WES equity transactions, net	[1]	57,353				(19,687)	77,040
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners			(233,178)	(12,187)				(233,178)	(12,187)
Distributions to WGP unitholders		(306,477)				(306,477)
Acquisitions from affiliates		(174,276)			(197,562)	23,286
Contributions of equity-based compensation to WES by Anadarko		3,471				3,471
Net pre-acquisition contributions from (distributions to) Anadarko		(49,801)			(49,801)
Net distributions to Anadarko of other assets		(4,632)				(4,632)
Elimination of net deferred tax liabilities		41,844			41,844
Other		488			135	116	237
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015		3,920,098			430,598	1,060,842	2,428,658
Net income (loss)		596,980			11,326	334,446	251,208
Above-market component of swap extensions with Anadarko	[3]	45,820				45,820
WES equity transactions, net	[1]	0				(4,180)	4,180
WES issuance of Class C and Series A Preferred units		686,937					686,937
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners			$ (294,841)	$ (13,784)				$ (294,841)	$ (13,784)
Distributions to WGP unitholders		(374,082)				(374,082)
Acquisitions from affiliates		(712,500)			(553,833)	(158,667)
Revision to Deferred purchase price obligation – Anadarko	[4]	139,487				139,487
Contributions of equity-based compensation to WES by Anadarko		4,170				4,170
Net pre-acquisition contributions from (distributions to) Anadarko		(23,491)			(23,491)
Net distributions to Anadarko of other assets		(581)				(581)
Elimination of net deferred tax liabilities		135,400			135,400
Other		1,153				888	265
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016		$ 4,110,766			$ 0	$ 1,048,143	$ 3,062,623

[1] Includes the impact of WES’s (as defined in Note 1) equity offerings as described in Note 4. The $(4.2) million, $(19.7) million and $351.5 million increase (decrease) to partners’ capital, together with net income (loss) attributable to Western Gas Equity Partners, LP, totaled $341.6 million, $145.8 million and $639.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

[2] Includes deferred taxes on capitalized interest of $0.3 million associated with the acquisition of the TEFR Interests (as defined and described in Note 1).

[3] See Note 5.

[4] See Note 2.