Financial Information about each Segment, Adjusted EBITDA and Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Unitholders (Parenthetical) (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 4,759,610,000		$ 3,151,268,000		$ 1,770,372,000
Non-cash changes in accruals for capital expenditures	14,300,000		400,000		(3,300,000)
Tangible long-lived assets	3,847,573,000		2,305,884,000
International Operations
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue	193,960,000	[1]	936,000	[1]
International Operations | BAHAMAS
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Tangible long-lived assets	1,954,300,000
International Operations | BAHAMAS | Geographic Concentration Risk
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Concentration of risk percentage	97.40%
Bahamian Terminal Facility | International Operations
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 177,600,000
Percentage of International Operation segment's total revenue	91.60%

[1] The International Operations segment's revenue generated in The Bahamas was $177.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2011, which represents 91.6% of the International Operations segment's total revenue for the period.