Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	Description of Business and Basis of Presentation Description of Business Westlake Chemical Partners LP (the "Partnership") is a Delaware limited partnership formed in March 2014 to operate, acquire and develop ethylene production facilities and related assets. On August 4, 2014, the Partnership completed its initial public offering (the "IPO") of 12,937,500 common units representing limited partner interests. On September 29, 2017, the Partnership completed its secondary offering of 5,175,000 common units at a price of $22.00 per unit. In connection with the IPO, the Partnership acquired a 10.6% interest in Westlake Chemical OpCo LP ("OpCo") and a 100% interest in Westlake Chemical OpCo GP LLC ("OpCo GP"), which is the general partner of OpCo. On April 29, 2015, the Partnership purchased an additional 2.7% newly-issued limited partner interest in OpCo for approximately $135,341, resulting in an aggregate 13.3% limited partner interest in OpCo effective April 1, 2015. On September 29, 2017, the Partnership purchased an additional 5.0% newly-issued limited partner interest in OpCo for approximately $229,207, resulting in an aggregate 18.3% limited partner interest in OpCo, effective as of July 1, 2017. The remaining 81.7% limited partner interest in OpCo is owned by Westlake Chemical Corporation. OpCo owns three ethylene production facilities and a common carrier ethylene pipeline. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated interim financial statements were prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for interim periods. Accordingly, certain information and footnotes required for complete financial statements under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("U.S. GAAP") have not been included. These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the December 31, 2017 consolidated financial statements and notes thereto of the Partnership included in the annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 (the "2017 Form 10-K"), filed with the SEC on March 1, 2018. These financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the accounting principles and practices as disclosed in the notes to the consolidated financial statements of the Partnership for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 with the exceptions of those accounting standards adopted in the first quarter of 2018 as discussed in Note 1. References to "Westlake" refer collectively to Westlake Chemical Corporation and its subsidiaries, other than the Partnership, OpCo and OpCo GP. The Partnership holds an 18.3% limited partner interest and the entire non-economic general partner interest in OpCo. The remaining 81.7% limited partner interest in OpCo is owned by Westlake, which has no rights to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of OpCo. As a result of the fact that substantially all of OpCo's activities are conducted on behalf of Westlake, and the fact that OpCo exhibits disproportionality of voting rights to economic interest, OpCo was deemed to be a variable interest entity. The Partnership, through its ownership of OpCo's general partner, has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of OpCo, and it also has the obligation or right to absorb losses or receive benefits from OpCo that could potentially be significant to OpCo. As such, the Partnership was determined to be OpCo's primary beneficiary and therefore consolidates OpCo's results of operations and financial position. Westlake's retained interest of 81.7% is recorded as noncontrolling interest in the Partnership's consolidated financial statements. In the opinion of the Partnership's management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated interim financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) that are necessary for a fair statement of the Partnership's financial position as of March 31, 2018, its results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 and the changes in its cash position for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017. Results of operations and changes in cash position for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that will be realized for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018 or any other interim period. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Leases (ASU No. 2016-02) In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update on a new lease standard that will supersede the existing lease guidance. The standard requires a lessee to recognize assets and liabilities related to long-term leases that are classified as operating leases under current guidance on its balance sheet. An asset would be recognized related to the right to use the underlying asset and a liability would be recognized related to the obligation to make lease payments over the term of the lease. The standard also requires expanded disclosures related to leases. The accounting standard will be effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The Partnership is in the process of evaluating the impact that the new accounting guidance will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Credit Losses (ASU No. 2016-13) In June 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update providing new guidance for the accounting for credit losses on loans and other financial instruments. The new guidance introduces an approach based on expected losses to estimate credit losses on certain types of financial instruments. The standard also modifies the impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities and provides for a simplified accounting model for purchased financial assets with credit deterioration since their origination. The accounting standard will be effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and is not expected to have a material impact on the Partnership's consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Recently Adopted Accounting Standards Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASU No. 2014-09) In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an accounting standards update on a comprehensive new revenue recognition standard that supersedes virtually all previously issued revenue recognition guidance. The new accounting guidance creates a framework by which an entity will allocate the transaction price to separate performance obligations and recognize revenue when each performance obligation is satisfied. Under the new standard, entities are required to use judgment and make estimates, including identifying performance obligations in a contract, estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price, allocating the transaction price to each separate performance obligation and determining when an entity satisfies its performance obligations. The standard allows for "modified retrospective" adoption, meaning the standard is applied only to the most current period presented in the financial statements with a cumulative catch-up as of the current period. The Partnership adopted ASC No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”), effective January 1, 2018. The Company applied the modified retrospective transition method to all contracts that were not completed as of the adoption date. Periods prior to January 1, 2018 were not adjusted and are reported under the accounting standards that were in place during those periods. There was no cumulative effect to the Partnership’s consolidated January 1, 2018 balance sheet for the adoption of this accounting standard. There was no impact of ASC 606 adoption on the financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2017 as compared with the guidance that was in effect prior to January 1, 2018. Revenue is recognized when OpCo transfers control of inventories to customers. Amounts recognized as revenues reflect the consideration to which OpCo expects to be entitled in exchange for those inventories. The Partnership and OpCo incorporate production volume and production cost forecasts in the estimated transaction prices from sales to Westlake under the Ethylene Sales Agreement. The Partnership recognizes revenue and accounts receivable upon transferring control of inventories to its customers. Ethylene sold to Westlake under the Ethylene Sales Agreement is transferred to Westlake immediately after production and recognized in sales. Control of inventories sold to third parties generally transfers upon shipment to the customer. The Partnership excludes taxes collected on behalf of customers from the estimated contract price. Provisions for discounts, rebates and returns are incorporated in the estimate of variable consideration and reflected as reduction to revenue in the same period as the related sales. The Partnership does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations because its contracts with customers (i) have an original expected duration of one year or less or (ii) have only variable consideration which is allocated to wholly unsatisfied performance obligations that is calculated based on market prices at a specified date and is allocated to wholly unsatisfied performance obligations. The Partnership generates a substantial majority of its revenue from sales to Westlake under the Ethylene Sales Agreement (discussed in Note 2 to the 2017 Form 10-K). The Ethylene Sales Agreement is intended to generate a long-term, fixed cash margin per pound. Partnership’s direct commodity price risk is limited to the sales to third parties. Refer to the Partnership’s Consolidated Statement of Operations for the disaggregation of net sales to Westlake and net sales to third parties. Cash Flows (ASU No. 2016-15) In August 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update providing new guidance on the classification of certain cash receipts and payments including debt extinguishment costs, debt prepayment costs, settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments, contingent consideration payments, proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims and life insurance policies and distributions received from equity method investees in the statement of cash flows. This update is required to be applied using the retrospective transition method to each period presented unless it is impracticable to be applied retrospectively. In such situation, this guidance is to be applied prospectively. The accounting standard became effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Partnership adopted this accounting standard effective January 1, 2018, and the adoption did not have any impact on the Partnership's consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flow. Business Combinations (ASU No. 2017-01) In January 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to assist entities with evaluating when a set of transferred assets and activities is a business. The guidance requires an entity to evaluate if substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets; if so, the set of transferred assets and activities is not a business. The guidance also requires a business to include at least one substantive process and narrows the definition of outputs by more closely aligning it with how outputs are described in the FASB ASC Topic 606, Revenue from contracts with customers. The accounting standard became effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Partnership adopted this accounting standard effective January 1, 2018, and the adoption did not have any impact on the Partnership's consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flow. Other Income - Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets (ASU No. 2017-05) In February 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to clarify the scope of guidance related to other income—gains and losses from the derecognition of nonfinancial assets, and to add guidance for partial sales of nonfinancial assets. The new guidance clarifies that an in substance nonfinancial asset is an asset or group of assets for which substantially all of the fair value consists of nonfinancial assets and the group or subsidiary is not a business. The guidance also outlines that when an entity transfers its controlling interest in a nonfinancial asset, but retains a noncontrolling interest, it will measure the retained interest at fair value resulting in full gain or loss recognition upon sale of the controlling interest. The accounting standard became effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Partnership adopted this accounting standard effective January 1, 2018, and the adoption did not have any impact on the Partnership's consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flow.

Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

Description of Business

Westlake Chemical Partners LP (the "Partnership") is a Delaware limited partnership formed in March 2014 to operate, acquire and develop ethylene production facilities and related assets. On August 4, 2014, the Partnership completed its initial public offering (the "IPO") of 12,937,500 common units representing limited partner interests. On September 29, 2017, the Partnership completed its secondary offering of 5,175,000 common units at a price of $22.00 per unit.

In connection with the IPO, the Partnership acquired a 10.6% interest in Westlake Chemical OpCo LP ("OpCo") and a 100% interest in Westlake Chemical OpCo GP LLC ("OpCo GP"), which is the general partner of OpCo. On April 29, 2015, the Partnership purchased an additional 2.7% newly-issued limited partner interest in OpCo for approximately $135,341, resulting in an aggregate 13.3% limited partner interest in OpCo effective April 1, 2015. On September 29, 2017, the Partnership purchased an additional 5.0% newly-issued limited partner interest in OpCo for approximately $229,207, resulting in an aggregate 18.3% limited partner interest in OpCo, effective as of July 1, 2017. The remaining 81.7% limited partner interest in OpCo is owned by Westlake Chemical Corporation.

OpCo owns three ethylene production facilities and a common carrier ethylene pipeline.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated interim financial statements were prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for interim periods. Accordingly, certain information and footnotes required for complete financial statements under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("U.S. GAAP") have not been included. These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the December 31, 2017 consolidated financial statements and notes thereto of the Partnership included in the annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 (the "2017 Form 10-K"), filed with the SEC on March 1, 2018. These financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the accounting principles and practices as disclosed in the notes to the consolidated financial statements of the Partnership for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 with the exceptions of those accounting standards adopted in the first quarter of 2018 as discussed in Note 1.

References to "Westlake" refer collectively to Westlake Chemical Corporation and its subsidiaries, other than the Partnership, OpCo and OpCo GP.

The Partnership holds an 18.3% limited partner interest and the entire non-economic general partner interest in OpCo. The remaining 81.7% limited partner interest in OpCo is owned by Westlake, which has no rights to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of OpCo. As a result of the fact that substantially all of OpCo's activities are conducted on behalf of Westlake, and the fact that OpCo exhibits disproportionality of voting rights to economic interest, OpCo was deemed to be a variable interest entity. The Partnership, through its ownership of OpCo's general partner, has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of OpCo, and it also has the obligation or right to absorb losses or receive benefits from OpCo that could potentially be significant to OpCo. As such, the Partnership was determined to be OpCo's primary beneficiary and therefore consolidates OpCo's results of operations and financial position. Westlake's retained interest of 81.7% is recorded as noncontrolling interest in the Partnership's consolidated financial statements.

In the opinion of the Partnership's management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated interim financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) that are necessary for a fair statement of the Partnership's financial position as of March 31, 2018, its results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 and the changes in its cash position for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017.

Results of operations and changes in cash position for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that will be realized for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018 or any other interim period. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Leases (ASU No. 2016-02)

In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update on a new lease standard that will supersede the existing lease guidance. The standard requires a lessee to recognize assets and liabilities related to long-term leases that are classified as operating leases under current guidance on its balance sheet. An asset would be recognized related to the right to use the underlying asset and a liability would be recognized related to the obligation to make lease payments over the term of the lease. The standard also requires expanded disclosures related to leases. The accounting standard will be effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The Partnership is in the process of evaluating the impact that the new accounting guidance will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Credit Losses (ASU No. 2016-13)

In June 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update providing new guidance for the accounting for credit losses on loans and other financial instruments. The new guidance introduces an approach based on expected losses to estimate credit losses on certain types of financial instruments. The standard also modifies the impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities and provides for a simplified accounting model for purchased financial assets with credit deterioration since their origination. The accounting standard will be effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and is not expected to have a material impact on the Partnership's consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASU No. 2014-09)

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an accounting standards update on a comprehensive new revenue recognition standard that supersedes virtually all previously issued revenue recognition guidance. The new accounting guidance creates a framework by which an entity will allocate the transaction price to separate performance obligations and recognize revenue when each performance obligation is satisfied. Under the new standard, entities are required to use judgment and make estimates, including identifying performance obligations in a contract, estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price, allocating the transaction price to each separate performance obligation and determining when an entity satisfies its performance obligations. The standard allows for "modified retrospective" adoption, meaning the standard is applied only to the most current period presented in the financial statements with a cumulative catch-up as of the current period.

The Partnership adopted ASC No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”), effective January 1, 2018. The Company applied the modified retrospective transition method to all contracts that were not completed as of the adoption date. Periods prior to January 1, 2018 were not adjusted and are reported under the accounting standards that were in place during those periods. There was no cumulative effect to the Partnership’s consolidated January 1, 2018 balance sheet for the adoption of this accounting standard. There was no impact of ASC 606 adoption on the financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2017 as compared with the guidance that was in effect prior to January 1, 2018.

Revenue is recognized when OpCo transfers control of inventories to customers. Amounts recognized as revenues reflect the consideration to which OpCo expects to be entitled in exchange for those inventories. The Partnership and OpCo incorporate production volume and production cost forecasts in the estimated transaction prices from sales to Westlake under the Ethylene Sales Agreement.

The Partnership recognizes revenue and accounts receivable upon transferring control of inventories to its customers. Ethylene sold to Westlake under the Ethylene Sales Agreement is transferred to Westlake immediately after production and recognized in sales. Control of inventories sold to third parties generally transfers upon shipment to the customer. The Partnership excludes taxes collected on behalf of customers from the estimated contract price. Provisions for discounts, rebates and returns are incorporated in the estimate of variable consideration and reflected as reduction to revenue in the same period as the related sales.

The Partnership does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations because its contracts with customers (i) have an original expected duration of one year or less or (ii) have only variable consideration which is allocated to wholly unsatisfied performance obligations that is calculated based on market prices at a specified date and is allocated to wholly unsatisfied performance obligations.

The Partnership generates a substantial majority of its revenue from sales to Westlake under the Ethylene Sales Agreement (discussed in Note 2 to the 2017 Form 10-K). The Ethylene Sales Agreement is intended to generate a long-term, fixed cash margin per pound. Partnership’s direct commodity price risk is limited to the sales to third parties. Refer to the Partnership’s Consolidated Statement of Operations for the disaggregation of net sales to Westlake and net sales to third parties.

Cash Flows (ASU No. 2016-15)

In August 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update providing new guidance on the classification of certain cash receipts and payments including debt extinguishment costs, debt prepayment costs, settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments, contingent consideration payments, proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims and life insurance policies and distributions received from equity method investees in the statement of cash flows. This update is required to be applied using the retrospective transition method to each period presented unless it is impracticable to be applied retrospectively. In such situation, this guidance is to be applied prospectively. The accounting standard became effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Partnership adopted this accounting standard effective January 1, 2018, and the adoption did not have any impact on the Partnership's consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flow.

Business Combinations (ASU No. 2017-01)

In January 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to assist entities with evaluating when a set of transferred assets and activities is a business. The guidance requires an entity to evaluate if substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets; if so, the set of transferred assets and activities is not a business. The guidance also requires a business to include at least one substantive process and narrows the definition of outputs by more closely aligning it with how outputs are described in the FASB ASC Topic 606, Revenue from contracts with customers. The accounting standard became effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Partnership adopted this accounting standard effective January 1, 2018, and the adoption did not have any impact on the Partnership's consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flow.

Other Income - Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets (ASU No. 2017-05)

In February 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to clarify the scope of guidance related to other income—gains and losses from the derecognition of nonfinancial assets, and to add guidance for partial sales of nonfinancial assets. The new guidance clarifies that an in substance nonfinancial asset is an asset or group of assets for which substantially all of the fair value consists of nonfinancial assets and the group or subsidiary is not a business. The guidance also outlines that when an entity transfers its controlling interest in a nonfinancial asset, but retains a noncontrolling interest, it will measure the retained interest at fair value resulting in full gain or loss recognition upon sale of the controlling interest. The accounting standard became effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Partnership adopted this accounting standard effective January 1, 2018, and the adoption did not have any impact on the Partnership's consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flow.