Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		$ 1,990,276	$ 2,248,356	$ 1,804,270
Equity income, net – affiliates	[1]	153,024	85,194	78,717
Operating expenses
Cost of product	[2]	431,921	908,693	494,194
Operation and maintenance	[2]	414,784	315,994	308,010
General and administrative	[2]	63,735	50,668	49,248
Property and other taxes		42,934	46,818	40,161
Depreciation and amortization		337,536	290,874	272,933
Impairments		228,338	178,374	15,535
Total operating expenses		1,519,248	1,791,421	1,180,081
Gain (loss) on divestiture and other, net	[3]	1,312	132,388	(14,641)
Proceeds from business interruption insurance claims		0	29,882	16,270
Operating income (loss)		625,364	704,399	704,535
Interest income – affiliates	[4]	16,900	16,900	16,900
Interest expense	[5]	(186,043)	(144,615)	(116,628)
Other income (expense), net		(4,763)	1,384	545
Income (loss) before income taxes		451,458	578,068	605,352
Income tax expense (benefit)		2,946	4,866	8,372
Net income (loss)		448,512	573,202	596,980
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests		79,083	196,595	251,208
Net income (loss) attributable to Western Gas Equity Partners, LP		369,429	376,607	345,772
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss):
Pre-acquisition net (income) loss allocated to Anadarko		0	0	(11,326)
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss)		369,429	376,607	334,446
Service Revenues - Fee Based [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		1,609,245
Service Revenues - Product Based [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		85,553
Product Sales [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		293,992
Affiliates [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other	[1]	1,067,860	1,365,318	1,228,232
Operating expenses
Cost of product	[1]	193,663	86,010	80,455
Operation and maintenance	[6]	98,769	72,489	72,330
General and administrative	[7]	46,212	39,940	38,873
Total operating expenses		338,644	198,439	191,658
Interest expense	[8]	0	(71)	7,747
Affiliates [Member] | Service Revenues - Fee Based [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		793,594	656,795	750,087
Affiliates [Member] | Service Revenues - Product Based [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		2,248	0	0
Affiliates [Member] | Product Sales [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		272,018	692,447	478,145
Affiliates [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		0	16,076	0
Third Parties [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		922,416	883,038	576,038
Operating expenses
Interest expense		(186,043)	(144,544)	(124,375)
Third Parties [Member] | Service Revenues - Fee Based [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		815,651	581,154	477,762
Third Parties [Member] | Service Revenues - Product Based [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		83,305	0	0
Third Parties [Member] | Product Sales [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		21,974	297,486	94,168
Third Parties [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenues and Other
Revenues and other		$ 1,486	$ 4,398	$ 4,108
Limited Partner [Member]
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss):
Net income (loss) per common unit - basic and diluted		$ 1.69	$ 1.72	$ 1.53
Weighted-average common units outstanding - basic and diluted		218,936	218,931	218,922

[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.

[2] Cost of product includes product purchases from affiliates (as defined in Note 1) of $193.7 million, $86.0 million and $80.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Operation and maintenance includes charges from affiliates of $98.8 million, $72.5 million and $72.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. General and administrative includes charges from affiliates of $46.2 million, $39.9 million and $38.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. See Note 6.

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

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

[5] Includes affiliate (as defined in Note 1) amounts of zero, $(0.1) million and $7.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. See Note 3 and Note 13.

[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 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 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 13).