Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Revenues and Other
Total revenues and other		$ 574,695	$ 481,645	$ 1,616,338	$ 1,293,450
Equity income, net – affiliates	[1]	21,519	20,294	62,708	56,801
Operating expenses
Cost of product	[2]	239,223	145,643	631,859	326,959
Operation and maintenance	[2]	79,536	74,755	229,444	226,141
General and administrative	[2]	12,922	12,112	37,595	36,514
Property and other taxes		11,215	10,670	35,433	33,113
Depreciation and amortization		72,539	67,246	216,272	199,646
Impairments		2,159	2,392	170,079	11,313
Total operating expenses		417,594	312,818	1,320,682	833,686
Gain (loss) on divestiture and other, net		72	(6,230)	135,017	(8,769)
Proceeds from business interruption insurance claims		0	13,667	29,882	16,270
Operating income (loss)		178,692	196,558	523,263	524,066
Interest income – affiliates	[3]	4,225	4,225	12,675	12,675
Interest expense	[4]	(36,117)	(31,301)	(108,447)	(76,869)
Other income (expense), net		311	165	1,029	270
Income (loss) before income taxes		147,111	169,647	428,520	460,142
Income tax (benefit) expense		510	472	4,905	7,431
Net income (loss)		146,601	169,175	423,615	452,711
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests		50,399	77,778	146,529	190,635
Net income (loss) attributable to Western Gas Equity Partners, LP		96,202	91,397	277,086	262,076
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]	96,202	91,397	277,086	250,750
Affiliates [Member]
Revenues and Other
Gathering, processing and transportation		157,303	189,465	484,601	563,916
Natural gas and natural gas liquids sales		185,002	135,847	489,172	336,385
Other		8,822	0	8,822	0
Total revenues and other	[1]	351,127	325,312	982,595	900,301
Operating expenses
Cost of product	[1]	22,902	21,254	60,497	67,979
Operation and maintenance	[6]	18,110	15,052	53,661	50,688
General and administrative	[7]	10,414	9,655	29,637	28,179
Total operating expenses		51,426	45,961	143,795	146,846
Interest expense	[8]	0	1,173	(71)	12,097
Third Parties [Member]
Revenues and Other
Gathering, processing and transportation		148,884	125,727	428,835	346,416
Natural gas and natural gas liquids sales		74,139	28,189	201,318	43,200
Other		545	2,417	3,590	3,533
Total revenues and other		223,568	156,333	633,743	393,149
Operating expenses
Interest expense		$ (36,117)	$ (32,474)	$ (108,376)	$ (88,966)
Limited Partner [Member]
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss):
Net income (loss) per common unit - basic and diluted		$ 0.44	$ 0.42	$ 1.27	$ 1.15
Weighted-average common units outstanding - basic and diluted		218,933	218,922	218,931	218,921

[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 $22.9 million and $60.5 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, and $21.3 million and $68.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, respectively. Operation and maintenance includes charges from Anadarko of $18.1 million and $53.7 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, and $15.1 million and $50.7 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, respectively. General and administrative includes charges from Anadarko of $10.4 million and $29.6 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, and $9.7 million and $28.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 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 nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, and $1.2 million and $12.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 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).