Basis of Presentation and Description of Business	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Basis of Presentation and Description of Business [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation and Description of Business	1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS References to the Partnership and MLP Predecessor References to “the partnership” in the consolidated financial statements and notes to the consolidated financial statements refer to Green Plains Partners LP and its subsidiaries. References to the “MLP predecessor” refer to BlendStar LLC and its subsidiaries, the partnership’s predecessor for accounting purposes, and the assets, liabilities and results of operations of certain ethanol storage and railcar assets contributed by Green Plains Inc. in connection with the IPO on July 1, 2015. References to “the sponsor” in transactions subsequent to the IPO refers to Green Plains Inc. On July 1, 2015, Green Plains Partners closed its IPO of common units representing limited partner interests of the partnership. Green Plains Holdings LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Green Plains Inc., serves as the general partner of the partnership. References to (i) “the general partner” and “Green Plains Holdings” refer to Green Plains Holdings LLC; (ii) “the parent” and “Green Plains” refer to Green Plains Inc.; and (iii) “Green Plains Trade” refers to Green Plains Trade Group LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Green Plains. Consolidated Financial Statements The consolidated financial statements, prepared in accordance with GAAP, include the accounts of the Green Plains Partners LP and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated on a consolidated basis for reporting purposes. In accordance with GAAP, when transferring assets between entities under common control, the entity receiving the net assets initially recognizes the carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities at the date of transfer and the prior period financial statements of the transferee are recast for all periods the transferred operations were part of the parent’s consolidated financial statements. On July 1, 2015, in addition to the interests of BlendStar, the partnership obtained the ethanol storage and railcar assets in a transfer between entities under common control. The transferred assets and liabilities are recognized at our parent’s historical cost and reflected retroactively in the consolidated financial statements presented in this report. Expenses related to the ethanol storage and railcar assets, such as depreciation, amortization and railcar lease expenses, are also reflected retroactively in the consolidated financial statements. There were no revenues related to the operation of the contributed ethanol storage and railcar assets for periods prior to July 1, 2015, when the related commercial agreements with Green Plains Trade became effective. On January 1, 2016, the partnership acquired the ethanol storage and leased railcar assets of the Hereford, Texas and Hopewell, Virginia ethanol production facilities for $62.3 million from its sponsor in a transfer between entities under common control. The assets were recognized at historical cost and reflected retroactively along with related expenses for periods prior to the effective date of the acquisition, subsequent to the initial dates the assets were acquired by the sponsor, on October 23, 2015, and November 12, 2015, for Hopewell and Hereford, respectively. There were no revenues related to these assets for periods before January 1, 2016, when amendments to the commercial agreements became effective. On September 23, 2016, the partnership acquired the ethanol storage assets located in Madison, Illinois; Mount Vernon, Indiana and York, Nebraska for $90 million related to three ethanol plants, which occurred concurrently with the acquisition of these facilities by Green Plains from subsidiaries of Abengoa S.A. The transaction was accounted for as a transfer between entities under common control and the assets were recognized at the preliminary value recorded in Green Plains’ purchase accounting. No retroactive adjustments were required. In the second half of 2017, the partnership contributed a total of $2.2 million to NLR Energy Logistics LLC, a 50/50 joint venture with Delek Renewables LLC, which was formed in February 2017, to build an ethanol unit train terminal in the Little Rock, Arkansas area with capacity to unload 110-car unit trains and provide approximately 100,000 barrels of storage. The partnership and Delek Renewables LLC have equal board representation and voting rights in the joint venture. The investment is accounted for using the equity method of accounting. Under this method, an investment is recorded at the acquisition cost plus the partnership’s share of equity in undistributed earnings or losses since acquisition, and reduced by distributions received and the amortization of excess net investment. The partnership’s proportionate share of the equity investments’ earnings or losses are reported on a one-month lag as a separate line item in the consolidated financial statements. Construction of the terminal is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2018 at a total cost of approximately $7.0 million. Reclassifications Certain amounts for the year ended December 31, 2015 were reclassified to conform to a revised presentation. These reclassifications did not affect total revenues, operating expenses, net income or partners’ capital. Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements Preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The partnership bases its estimates on historical experience and assumptions it believes are proper and reasonable under the circumstances. The partnership regularly evaluates the appropriateness of these estimates and assumptions. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Key accounting policies, including, but not limited to, those related to depreciation of property and equipment, asset retirement obligations, and impairment of long-lived assets and goodwill are impacted significantly by judgments, assumptions and estimates used to prepare the consolidated financial statements. Description of Business The partnership provides fuel storage and transportation services by owning, operating, developing and acquiring ethanol and fuel storage tanks, terminals, transportation assets and other related assets and businesses. The partnership is its parent’s primary downstream logistics provider to support the parent’s approximately 1.5 bgy ethanol marketing and distribution business since the partnership’s assets are the principal method of storing and delivering the ethanol the parent produces. The ethanol produced by the parent is fuel grade, made principally from starch extracted from corn, and is primarily used for blending with gasoline. Ethanol currently comprises approximately 10% of the U.S. gasoline market and is an economical source of octane and oxygenates for blending into the fuel supply. The partnership does not take ownership of, or receive any payments based on the value of the ethanol or other fuels it handles; as a result, the partnership does not have any direct exposure to fluctuations in commodity prices.

1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

References to the Partnership and MLP Predecessor

References to “the partnership” in the consolidated financial statements and notes to the consolidated financial statements refer to Green Plains Partners LP and its subsidiaries. References to the “MLP predecessor” refer to BlendStar LLC and its subsidiaries, the partnership’s predecessor for accounting purposes, and the assets, liabilities and results of operations of certain ethanol storage and railcar assets contributed by Green Plains Inc. in connection with the IPO on July 1, 2015. References to “the sponsor” in transactions subsequent to the IPO refers to Green Plains Inc.

On July 1, 2015, Green Plains Partners closed its IPO of common units representing limited partner interests of the partnership. Green Plains Holdings LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Green Plains Inc., serves as the general partner of the partnership. References to (i) “the general partner” and “Green Plains Holdings” refer to Green Plains Holdings LLC; (ii) “the parent” and “Green Plains” refer to Green Plains Inc.; and (iii) “Green Plains Trade” refers to Green Plains Trade Group LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Green Plains.

Consolidated Financial Statements

The consolidated financial statements, prepared in accordance with GAAP, include the accounts of the Green Plains Partners LP and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated on a consolidated basis for reporting purposes.

In accordance with GAAP, when transferring assets between entities under common control, the entity receiving the net assets initially recognizes the carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities at the date of transfer and the prior period financial statements of the transferee are recast for all periods the transferred operations were part of the parent’s consolidated financial statements. On July 1, 2015, in addition to the interests of BlendStar, the partnership obtained the ethanol storage and railcar assets in a transfer between entities under common control. The transferred assets and liabilities are recognized at our parent’s historical cost and reflected retroactively in the consolidated financial statements presented in this report. Expenses related to the ethanol storage and railcar assets, such as depreciation, amortization and railcar lease expenses, are also reflected retroactively in the consolidated financial statements. There were no revenues related to the operation of the contributed ethanol storage and railcar assets for periods prior to July 1, 2015, when the related commercial agreements with Green Plains Trade became effective.

On January 1, 2016, the partnership acquired the ethanol storage and leased railcar assets of the Hereford, Texas and Hopewell, Virginia ethanol production facilities for $62.3 million from its sponsor in a transfer between entities under common control. The assets were recognized at historical cost and reflected retroactively along with related expenses for periods prior to the effective date of the acquisition, subsequent to the initial dates the assets were acquired by the sponsor, on October 23, 2015, and November 12, 2015, for Hopewell and Hereford, respectively. There were no revenues related to these assets for periods before January 1, 2016, when amendments to the commercial agreements became effective.

On September 23, 2016, the partnership acquired the ethanol storage assets located in Madison, Illinois; Mount Vernon, Indiana and York, Nebraska for $90 million related to three ethanol plants, which occurred concurrently with the acquisition of these facilities by Green Plains from subsidiaries of Abengoa S.A. The transaction was accounted for as a transfer between entities under common control and the assets were recognized at the preliminary value recorded in Green Plains’ purchase accounting. No retroactive adjustments were required.

In the second half of 2017, the partnership contributed a total of $2.2 million to NLR Energy Logistics LLC, a 50/50 joint venture with Delek Renewables LLC, which was formed in February 2017, to build an ethanol unit train terminal in the Little Rock, Arkansas area with capacity to unload 110-car unit trains and provide approximately 100,000 barrels of storage. The partnership and Delek Renewables LLC have equal board representation and voting rights in the joint venture. The investment is accounted for using the equity method of accounting. Under this method, an investment is recorded at the acquisition cost plus the partnership’s share of equity in undistributed earnings or losses since acquisition, and reduced by distributions received and the amortization of excess net investment. The partnership’s proportionate share of the equity investments’ earnings or losses are reported on a one-month lag as a separate line item in the consolidated financial statements. Construction of the terminal is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2018 at a total cost of approximately $7.0 million.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts for the year ended December 31, 2015 were reclassified to conform to a revised presentation. These reclassifications did not affect total revenues, operating expenses, net income or partners’ capital.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements

Preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The partnership bases its estimates on historical experience and assumptions it believes are proper and reasonable under the circumstances. The partnership regularly evaluates the appropriateness of these estimates and assumptions. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Key accounting policies, including, but not limited to, those related to depreciation of property and equipment, asset retirement obligations, and impairment of long-lived assets and goodwill are impacted significantly by judgments, assumptions and estimates used to prepare the consolidated financial statements.

Description of Business

The partnership provides fuel storage and transportation services by owning, operating, developing and acquiring ethanol and fuel storage tanks, terminals, transportation assets and other related assets and businesses. The partnership is its parent’s primary downstream logistics provider to support the parent’s approximately 1.5 bgy ethanol marketing and distribution business since the partnership’s assets are the principal method of storing and delivering the ethanol the parent produces. The ethanol produced by the parent is fuel grade, made principally from starch extracted from corn, and is primarily used for blending with gasoline. Ethanol currently comprises approximately 10% of the U.S. gasoline market and is an economical source of octane and oxygenates for blending into the fuel supply. The partnership does not take ownership of, or receive any payments based on the value of the ethanol or other fuels it handles; as a result, the partnership does not have any direct exposure to fluctuations in commodity prices.