Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Revenues and Other
Total revenues and other		$ 525,450	$ 428,664	$ 1,041,643	$ 811,805
Equity income, net – affiliates	[1]	21,728	19,693	41,189	36,507
Operating expenses
Cost of product	[2]	203,277	104,849	392,636	181,316
Operation and maintenance	[2]	76,148	75,173	149,908	151,386
General and administrative	[2]	11,197	11,887	24,673	24,402
Property and other taxes		11,924	12,093	24,218	22,443
Depreciation and amortization		74,031	67,305	143,733	132,400
Impairments		3,178	2,403	167,920	8,921
Total operating expenses		379,755	273,710	903,088	520,868
Gain (loss) on divestiture and other, net		15,458	(1,907)	134,945	(2,539)
Proceeds from business interruption insurance claims		24,115	2,603	29,882	2,603
Operating income (loss)		206,996	175,343	344,571	327,508
Interest income – affiliates	[3]	4,225	4,225	8,450	8,450
Interest expense	[4]	(36,297)	(13,429)	(72,330)	(45,568)
Other income (expense), net		272	(36)	718	105
Income (loss) before income taxes		175,196	166,103	281,409	290,495
Income tax (benefit) expense		843	326	4,395	6,959
Net income (loss)		174,353	165,777	277,014	283,536
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests		69,409	76,914	96,130	112,857
Net income (loss) attributable to Western Gas Equity Partners, LP		104,944	88,863	180,884	170,679
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss):
Pre-acquisition net (income) loss allocated to Anadarko		0	0	0	(11,326)
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss)	[5]	104,944	88,863	180,884	159,353
Affiliates [Member]
Revenues and Other
Gathering, processing and transportation		154,984	186,733	327,298	374,451
Natural gas and natural gas liquids sales		161,329	115,672	304,170	200,538
Total revenues and other	[1]	316,313	302,405	631,468	574,989
Operating expenses
Cost of product	[1]	21,607	22,145	37,595	46,725
Operation and maintenance	[6]	18,462	17,661	35,551	35,636
General and administrative	[7]	9,489	9,374	19,223	18,524
Total operating expenses		49,558	49,180	92,369	100,885
Interest expense	[8]	0	15,461	(71)	10,924
Third Parties [Member]
Revenues and Other
Gathering, processing and transportation		144,451	114,403	279,951	220,689
Natural gas and natural gas liquids sales		63,495	11,321	127,179	15,011
Other		1,191	535	3,045	1,116
Total revenues and other		209,137	126,259	410,175	236,816
Operating expenses
Interest expense		$ (36,297)	$ (28,890)	$ (72,259)	$ (56,492)
Limited Partner [Member]
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss):
Net income (loss) per common unit - basic and diluted		$ 0.48	$ 0.41	$ 0.83	$ 0.73
Weighted-average common units outstanding - basic and diluted		218,931	218,921	218,930	218,920

[1] Represents amounts earned or incurred on and subsequent to the date of the acquisition of WES assets, as well as amounts earned or incurred by Anadarko on a historical basis related to WES assets prior to the acquisition of such assets by WES, recognized under gathering, treating or processing agreements, and purchase and sale agreements.

[2] Cost of product includes product purchases from Anadarko (as defined in Note 1) of $21.6 million and $37.6 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, respectively, and $22.1 million and $46.7 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively. Operation and maintenance includes charges from Anadarko of $18.5 million and $35.6 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, respectively, and $17.7 million and $35.6 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively. General and administrative includes charges from Anadarko of $9.5 million and $19.2 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, respectively, and $9.4 million and $18.5 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively. See Note 5.

[3] Represents interest income recognized on the note receivable from Anadarko.

[4] Includes affiliate (as defined in Note 1) amounts of zero and $(0.1) million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, respectively, and $15.5 million and $10.9 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively. See Note 2 and Note 9.

[5] Represents net income (loss) earned on and subsequent to the date of acquisition of WES assets (as defined in Note 1). See Note 4.

[6] Represents expenses incurred on and subsequent to the date of the acquisition of WES assets, as well as expenses incurred by Anadarko on a historical basis related to WES assets prior to the acquisition of such assets by WES.

[7] Represents general and administrative expense incurred on and subsequent to the date of WES’s acquisition of WES assets, as well as a management services fee for reimbursement of expenses incurred by Anadarko for periods prior to the acquisition of WES assets by WES. These amounts include equity-based compensation expense allocated to WES and WGP by Anadarko (see WES LTIP and WGP LTIP and Anadarko Incentive Plan within this Note 5) and amounts charged by Anadarko under the WGP and WES omnibus agreements.

[8] Includes amounts related to WES’s Deferred purchase price obligation - Anadarko (see Note 2 and Note 9).