Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenues and Other
Total revenues and other		$ 2,248,356	$ 1,804,270	$ 1,752,072
Equity income, net – affiliates	[1]	85,194	78,717	71,251
Operating expenses
Cost of product	[2]	908,693	494,194	528,369
Operation and maintenance	[2]	315,994	308,010	331,972
General and administrative	[2]	50,668	49,248	44,428
Property and other taxes		46,818	40,161	33,327
Depreciation and amortization		290,874	272,933	272,611
Impairments		178,374	15,535	515,458
Total operating expenses		1,791,421	1,180,081	1,726,165
Gain (loss) on divestiture and other, net	[3],[4]	132,388	(14,641)	57,024
Proceeds from business interruption insurance claims		29,882	16,270	0
Operating income (loss)		704,399	704,535	154,182
Interest income – affiliates	[5]	16,900	16,900	16,900
Interest expense	[6]	(144,615)	(116,628)	(113,874)
Other income (expense), net		1,384	545	(578)
Income (loss) before income taxes		578,068	605,352	56,630
Income tax (benefit) expense		4,866	8,372	45,532
Net income (loss)		573,202	596,980	11,098
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests		196,595	251,208	(154,409)
Net income (loss) attributable to Western Gas Equity Partners, LP		376,607	345,772	165,507
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss):
Pre-acquisition net (income) loss allocated to Anadarko		0	(11,326)	(79,386)
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss)	[7]	376,607	334,446	86,121
Affiliates [Member]
Revenues and Other
Gathering, processing, transportation and disposal		656,795	750,087	772,361
Natural gas and natural gas liquids sales		692,447	478,145	447,106
Other		16,076	0	1,172
Total revenues and other	[1]	1,365,318	1,228,232	1,220,639
Operating expenses
Cost of product	[1]	86,010	80,455	167,354
Operation and maintenance	[8]	72,489	72,330	77,061
General and administrative	[9]	39,940	38,873	34,703
Total operating expenses		198,439	191,658	279,118
Interest expense	[10]	(71)	7,747	(14,400)
Third Parties [Member]
Revenues and Other
Gathering, processing, transportation and disposal		581,154	477,762	356,477
Natural gas and natural gas liquids sales		297,486	94,168	170,843
Other		4,398	4,108	4,113
Total revenues and other		883,038	576,038	531,433
Operating expenses
Interest expense		$ (144,544)	$ (124,375)	$ (99,474)
Limited Partner [Member]
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss):
Net income (loss) per common unit - basic and diluted		$ 1.72	$ 1.53	$ 0.39
Weighted-average common units outstanding - basic and diluted		218,931	218,922	218,913

[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 $86.0 million, $80.5 million and $167.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Operation and maintenance includes charges from Anadarko of $72.5 million, $72.3 million and $77.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. General and administrative includes charges from Anadarko of $39.9 million, $38.9 million and $34.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. See Note 5.

[3] Includes losses related to an incident at the DBM complex for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2015. See Note 1.

[4] Includes losses related to an incident at the DBM complex for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2015. See Note 1.

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

[6] Includes affiliate (as defined in Note 1) amounts of $(0.1) million, $7.7 million and $(14.4) million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. See Note 2 and Note 12.

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

[8] 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.

[9] Represents general and administrative expense incurred on and subsequent to the date of the 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 Plans within this Note 5) and amounts charged by Anadarko under the WGP and WES omnibus agreements.

[10] Includes amounts related to the Deferred purchase price obligation - Anadarko (see Note 2 and Note 12) and for the year ended December 31, 2015, includes interest expense recognized on the WGP WCF (see Note 12).