Intangible Assets and Goodwill - Carrying Amount of Intangible Assets for Partnership's Reportable Segments (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	$ 186,610	$ 186,610
Accumulated amortization	(107,820)	(98,964)
Net carrying amount	78,790	87,646
Liquefied Gas Segment [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	179,813	179,813
Accumulated amortization	(101,023)	(92,167)
Net carrying amount	78,790	87,646
Conventional Tankers [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount	6,797	6,797
Accumulated amortization	$ (6,797)	$ (6,797)

Accumulated amount of amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

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Amount before amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

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Amount after amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

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