Partners' Capital and Distributions (Detail 3) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions					9 Months Ended
	Nov. 13, 2015	Aug. 14, 2015	May. 15, 2015	Feb. 13, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Partners Capital and Distributions
Total distributions paid during the period					$ 1,229	$ 1,024
PAA
Partners Capital and Distributions
Noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries (as a percent)					98.00%
Percentage of distribution amount to the general partner before incentive distributions					2.00%
PAA | Second quarter 2015 distribution
Partners Capital and Distributions
Declaration date of quarterly distribution					Jul. 07, 2015
Distribution Date					Aug. 14, 2015
Distributions paid to limited partners		$ 276
Distributions to AAP - 2%		6
Distributions to AAP - Incentive		146
Total distributions paid during the period		$ 428
Distribution per limited partner unit (in dollars per unit)		$ 0.6950
PAA | First quarter 2015 distribution
Partners Capital and Distributions
Declaration date of quarterly distribution					Apr. 07, 2015
Distribution Date					May 15, 2015
Distributions paid to limited partners			$ 272
Distributions to AAP - 2%			6
Distributions to AAP - Incentive			142
Total distributions paid during the period			$ 420
Distribution per limited partner unit (in dollars per unit)			$ 0.6850
PAA | Fourth quarter 2014 distribution
Partners Capital and Distributions
Declaration date of quarterly distribution					Jan. 08, 2015
Distribution Date					Feb. 13, 2015
Distributions paid to limited partners				$ 254
Distributions to AAP - 2%				5
Distributions to AAP - Incentive				131
Total distributions paid during the period				$ 390
Distribution per limited partner unit (in dollars per unit)				$ 0.6750
PAA | Subsequent Event | Third quarter 2015 distribution
Partners Capital and Distributions
Declaration date of quarterly distribution					Oct. 07, 2015
Distribution Date					Nov. 13, 2015
Unitholders of record, date					Oct. 30, 2015
Distributions paid to limited partners	$ 279
Distributions to AAP - 2%	6
Distributions to AAP - Incentive	148
Total distributions paid during the period	$ 433
Distribution per limited partner unit (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.7000
AAP
Partners Capital and Distributions
Noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries (as a percent)					63.00%
AAP | Second quarter 2015 distribution
Partners Capital and Distributions
Distribution Date					Aug. 14, 2015
Distributions received by AAP from PAA		$ 152
Cash Reserves		(5)
Distributions paid to limited partners		147
Distributions to noncontrolling interests		96
Distributions to PAGP		$ 51
AAP | First quarter 2015 distribution
Partners Capital and Distributions
Distribution Date					May 15, 2015
Distributions received by AAP from PAA			$ 148
Cash Reserves			(3)
Distributions paid to limited partners			145
Distributions to noncontrolling interests			95
Distributions to PAGP			$ 50
AAP | Fourth quarter 2014 distribution
Partners Capital and Distributions
Distribution Date					Feb. 13, 2015
Distributions received by AAP from PAA				$ 136
Cash Reserves				(3)
Distributions paid to limited partners				133
Distributions to noncontrolling interests				91
Distributions to PAGP				$ 42
AAP | Subsequent Event | Third quarter 2015 distribution
Partners Capital and Distributions
Distribution Date					Nov. 13, 2015
Unitholders of record, date					Oct. 30, 2015
Distributions received by AAP from PAA	$ 154
Cash Reserves	(3)
Distributions paid to limited partners	151
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	98
Distributions to PAGP	$ 53
SLC Pipeline LLC
Partners Capital and Distributions
Noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries (as a percent)					25.00%
Distributions to noncontrolling interests					$ 2