Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) shares in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) unit item shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) shares
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Advanced Capacity Reservation Fees Amortization Period	10 years
Retained Percentage Of LNG Delivered	2.00%
Impairment expense	$ 91,317,000	$ 0	$ 0
Inventory Write-down	17,537,000	24,461,000	26,900,000
Impairments related to property, plant and equipment	55,100,000	0	$ 0
Goodwill Impairment	0	0
Notes Receivable [Member]
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Impairment expense	36,200,000
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedges	$ 0	$ 0
Stock options, warrants and unvested stock [Member]
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount | shares	7.6	10.4	14.1
Convertible Debt Securities [Member]
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount | shares	73.9	14.3
SPLNG [Member]
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of fixed price contracts | unit	2
SPL [Member]
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of fixed price contracts | item	6
Sale and Purchase Agreement Term of Agreement	20 years
Sale and Purchase Agreement Number of Unaffiliated Counterparties | item	6
CCL [Member]
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of fixed price contracts | item	8
Sale and Purchase Agreement Term of Agreement	20 years
Sale and Purchase Agreement Number of Unaffiliated Counterparties | item	7
Sabine Pass LNG Terminal [Member]
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Asset Retirement Obligation	$ 0
Creole Trail Pipeline [Member]
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Asset Retirement Obligation	$ 0
Maximum [Member] | Sabine Pass LNG Terminal [Member]
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property Lease Term	90 years