Represents the number of crude oil and condensate gathering facilities.

No definition available.

Name:	bpl_NumberOfCrudeOilAndCondensateGatheringFacilities
Namespace Prefix:	bpl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of customers contributing 10% or more of consolidated revenue for the reporting period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpl_NumberOfCustomersContributingTenPercentOrMoreOfConsolidatedRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	bpl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of propane storage caverns.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpl_NumberOfPropaneStorageCaverns
Namespace Prefix:	bpl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of refined petroleum products terminals operated.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpl_NumberOfTerminalsOperated
Namespace Prefix:	bpl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of refined petroleum products terminals owned.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpl_NumberOfTerminalsOwned
Namespace Prefix:	bpl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of voting equity interests acquired at the acquisition date in the business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1392-128463

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of consideration transferred, consisting of acquisition-date fair value of assets transferred by the acquirer, liabilities incurred by the acquirer, and equity interest issued by the acquirer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 30

-Section 30

-Paragraph 7

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6911251&loc=d3e6578-128477

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 30

-Section 30

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6911251&loc=d3e6613-128477

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e6927-128479

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferredAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredGoodwillAndLiabilitiesAssumedLessNoncontrollingInterestAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the acquisition of a business when the cash held by the acquired business exceeds the cash payments to acquire the business.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashAcquiredInExcessOfPaymentsToAcquireBusiness
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of a business, net of the cash acquired from the purchase.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Investing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=bpl_BuckeyeSouthTexasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=bpl_DevelopmentAndLogisticsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=bpl_EnergyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=bpl_PipelinesAndTerminalsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Detail) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015 item	Mar. 31, 2014 item	Sep. 30, 2014 item
Segment information
Number of business segments	4us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Assets acquired and liabilities assumed
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	$ 2,812,000
Acquisition cost and other information
Number of customers contributing 10% or more of consolidated revenue	0	0
Buckeye Texas Partners
Assets acquired and liabilities assumed
Ownership interest (as a percent)			80.00%
Consideration for business acquisition			816,100,000
Cash acquired in acquisition			$ 15,000,000
Acquisition cost and other information
Number of crude oil and condensate gathering facilities			3
Pipelines & Terminals
Segment information
Number of liquid petroleum products terminals operated	5
Development & Logistics \| Indiana and Illinois
Segment information
Number of underground propane storage caverns	2
Merchant Services
Segment information
Number of liquid petroleum products terminals owned	5