Consolidated Statements of Equity and Partners' Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Total	Chipeta [Member]	WES Operating [Member]	Net Investment by Anadarko [Member]	Common Units [Member]	General Partner [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member] Chipeta [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member] WES Operating [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016		$ 4,872,656			$ 761,890	$ 1,048,143	$ 0	$ 3,062,623
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		737,385			164,183	376,607		196,595
Above-market component of swap agreements with Anadarko	[1]	58,551				58,551
WES Operating equity transactions, net	[2]	(183)				6,615		(6,798)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners			$ (13,569)	$ (355,623)					$ (13,569)	$ (355,623)
Distributions to Partnership unitholders		(441,967)				(441,967)
Acquisitions from affiliates		0			(1,263)	1,263
Revision to Deferred purchase price obligation - Anadarko	[3]	4,165				4,165
Contributions of equity-based compensation from Anadarko/Occidental		4,587				4,587
Net pre-acquisition contributions from (distributions to) Anadarko		126,866			126,866
Net contributions (distributions) of other assets		3,189				3,189
Adjustments of net deferred tax liabilities		(1,505)			(1,505)
Other		498				(28)		526
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017		4,995,050			1,050,171	1,061,125	0	2,883,754
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		630,654			182,142	369,429		79,083
Above-market component of swap agreements with Anadarko	[1]	51,618				51,618
WES Operating equity transactions, net	[2]	0				(19,577)		19,577
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners			(13,529)	(386,326)					(13,529)	(386,326)
Distributions to Partnership unitholders		(502,457)				(502,457)
Contributions of equity-based compensation from Anadarko/Occidental		5,741				5,741
Net pre-acquisition contributions from (distributions to) Anadarko		97,755			97,755
Net contributions (distributions) of other assets		58,835			58,835
Adjustments of net deferred tax liabilities		(1,514)			(1,514)
Other		606				209		397
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018		4,892,683			1,388,018	951,888	0	2,552,777
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Cumulative effect of accounting change	[4]	(43,750)			629	(14,200)		(30,179)
Net income (loss)		807,700			29,279	662,325	5,637	110,459
Above-market component of swap agreements with Anadarko	[1]	7,407				7,407
WES Operating equity transactions, net	[2]	0				(755,197)		755,197
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners			$ (9,663)	$ (118,225)					$ (9,663)	$ (118,225)
Distributions to Partnership unitholders		(969,073)				(969,073)
Acquisitions from affiliates	[5]	(2,007,501)			(2,149,218)	112,872		28,845
Contributions of equity-based compensation from Anadarko/Occidental		13,968				13,968
Net pre-acquisition contributions from (distributions to) Anadarko		458,819			458,819
Net contributions (distributions) of other assets		(90)				(90)
Adjustments of net deferred tax liabilities		268,727			273,102	(4,375)
Other		541				561		(20)
Cumulative impact of the Merger transactions	[6]	0				3,169,800		(3,169,800)
Issuance of general partner units	[6]	0				19,861	(19,861)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2019		$ 3,345,293			$ 0	$ 3,209,947	$ (14,224)	$ 149,570

[1] See Note 6.

[2] For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, the $(755.2) million, $(19.6) million, and $6.6 million increase (decrease) to partners’ capital, respectively, together with net income (loss) attributable to Western Midstream Partners, LP, totaled $(58.0) million, $532.0 million, and $547.4 million, respectively.

[3] See Note 3.

[4] Includes the adoption of Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) on January 1, 2018. See Note 1.

[5] The amounts allocated to common unitholders and noncontrolling interests represent a non-cash investing activity related to the assets and liabilities assumed in the AMA acquisition.

[6] See Note 1.