Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018		Sep. 30, 2017
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		$ 507,762	$ 574,695	$ 1,432,483		$ 1,616,338
Equity income, net – affiliates	[1]	43,110	21,519	102,752		62,708
Operating expenses
Cost of product	[2]	105,966	239,223	303,518		631,859
Operation and maintenance	[2]	111,359	79,536	300,266		229,444
General and administrative	[2]	15,158	12,922	44,853		37,595
Property and other taxes		10,954	11,215	35,090		35,433
Depreciation and amortization		82,553	72,539	238,187		216,272
Impairments		25,317	2,159	152,708		170,079
Total operating expenses		351,307	417,594	1,074,622		1,320,682
Gain (loss) on divestiture and other, net	[3]	65	72	351	[4]	135,017	[4]
Proceeds from business interruption insurance claims		0	0	0		29,882
Operating income (loss)		199,630	178,692	460,964		523,263
Interest income – affiliates	[5]	4,225	4,225	12,675		12,675
Interest expense		(48,316)	(36,117)	(133,359)		(108,447)
Other income (expense), net		655	311	2,749		1,029
Income (loss) before income taxes		156,194	147,111	343,029		428,520
Income tax (benefit) expense		1,517	510	3,301		4,905
Net income (loss)		154,677	146,601	339,728		423,615
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests		47,203	50,399	63,669		146,529
Net income (loss) attributable to Western Gas Equity Partners, LP		107,474	96,202	276,059		277,086
Service Revenues - Fee Based [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		409,106		1,146,099
Service Revenues - Product Based [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		22,735		67,433
Product Sales [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		75,150		217,738
Affiliates [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other	[1]	274,514	351,127	766,179		982,595
Operating expenses
Cost of product	[1]	46,971	22,902	131,428		60,497
Operation and maintenance	[6]	25,145	18,110	68,830		53,661
General and administrative	[7]	11,780	10,414	35,000		29,637
Total operating expenses		83,896	51,426	235,258		143,795
Interest expense	[8]	0	0	0		(71)
Affiliates [Member] | Service Revenues - Fee Based [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		204,090	157,303	582,579		484,601
Affiliates [Member] | Service Revenues - Product Based [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		701	0	1,228		0
Affiliates [Member] | Product Sales [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		69,723	185,002	182,372		489,172
Affiliates [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		0	8,822	0		8,822
Third Parties [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		233,248	223,568	666,304		633,743
Operating expenses
Interest expense		(48,316)	(36,117)	(133,359)		(108,376)
Third Parties [Member] | Service Revenues - Fee Based [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		205,016	148,884	563,520		428,835
Third Parties [Member] | Service Revenues - Product Based [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		22,034	0	66,205		0
Third Parties [Member] | Product Sales [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		5,427	74,139	35,366		201,318
Third Parties [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		$ 771	$ 545	$ 1,213		$ 3,590
Limited Partner [Member]
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss):
Net income (loss) per common unit - basic and diluted		$ 0.49	$ 0.44	$ 1.26		$ 1.27
Weighted-average common units outstanding - basic and diluted		218,938	218,933	218,935		218,931

[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 affiliates (as defined in Note 1) of $47.0 million and $131.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively, and $22.9 million and $60.5 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively. Operation and maintenance includes charges from affiliates of $25.1 million and $68.8 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively, and $18.1 million and $53.7 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively. General and administrative includes charges from affiliates of $11.8 million and $35.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively, and $10.4 million and $29.6 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively. See Note 6.

[3] Includes losses related to an incident at the DBM complex for the nine months ended September 30, 2017. See Note 1.

[4] Includes losses related to an incident at the DBM complex for the nine months ended September 30, 2017. See Note 1.

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

[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 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 Anadarko Incentive Plan within this Note 6) and amounts charged by Anadarko under the WGP and WES omnibus agreements.

[8] Includes amounts related to the Deferred purchase price obligation - Anadarko (see Note 3 and Note 10).