Condensed Statements of Changes in Partners’ Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss)	General Partner’s Capital	Limited Partners’ Capital
Balance, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2020		$ (20,171)	$ (33,898)	$ 1,410	$ 1,656,816
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	$ 260,680			260	260,420
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(268)	(269,608)
Retirement of AB Holding Units					(124,923)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards					108,512
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund CarVal acquisition					0
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					3,402
Change in AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans		(27,288)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			(5,212)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			207
Balance, end of period at Sep. 30, 2021	1,549,659	(47,459)	(38,903)	1,402	1,634,619
Balance, beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2021		(50,989)	(35,889)	1,403	1,689,671
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	88,676			89	88,587
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(90)	(90,478)
Retirement of AB Holding Units					(54,235)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards					1,074
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund CarVal acquisition					0
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					0
Change in AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans		3,530
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			(3,280)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			266
Balance, end of period at Sep. 30, 2021	1,549,659	(47,459)	(38,903)	1,402	1,634,619
Balance, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2021	1,621,624	(43,309)	(32,705)	1,439	1,696,199
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	210,385			212	210,173
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(290)	(288,698)
Retirement of AB Holding Units					(114,794)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards	32,452				32,452
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund CarVal acquisition	132,839				132,839
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					178
Change in AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans	(3,145)	3,145
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			(27,331)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			237
Balance, end of period at Sep. 30, 2022	1,569,747	(40,164)	(59,799)	1,361	1,668,349
Balance, beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2022		(43,546)	(48,304)	1,376	1,552,011
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	56,316			56	56,260
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(71)	(71,269)
Retirement of AB Holding Units					(2,487)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards					995
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund CarVal acquisition					132,839
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					0
Change in AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans		3,382
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			(11,290)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			(205)
Balance, end of period at Sep. 30, 2022	$ 1,569,747	$ (40,164)	$ (59,799)	$ 1,361	$ 1,668,349