Net Income Per Limited Partner Unit (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Basic and Diluted Net Income Per Limited Partner Unit
General partner ownership interest (as a percent)	2.00%
Numerator for Basic and Diluted Net Income per Limited Partner Unit:
Net income attributable to Plains	$ 528	$ 230
Net income available to limited partners	433	162
Denominator for Basic and Diluted Net Income per Limited Partner Unit:
Basic weighted average number of limited partner units outstanding (in units)	336	314
Effect of dilutive securities:
Weighted average LTIP units (in units)	3	2
Diluted weighted average number of limited partner units outstanding (in units)	339	316
Basic and Diluted Net Income per Limited Partner Unit
Basic net income per limited partner unit (in dollars per unit)	$ 1.28	$ 0.52
Diluted net income per limited partner unit (in dollars per unit)	$ 1.27	$ 0.51
Basic Net Income Per Limited Partner Unit
Numerator for Basic and Diluted Net Income per Limited Partner Unit:
Net income attributable to Plains	528	230
Less: General partner's incentive distribution	(86)	(65)
Less: General partner 2% ownership	(9)	(3)
Net income available to limited partners	433	162
Less: Undistributed earnings allocated and distributions to participating securities	(3)
Net income available to limited partners in accordance with the application of the two-class method for MLPs	430	162
Diluted Net Income Per Limited Partner Unit
Numerator for Basic and Diluted Net Income per Limited Partner Unit:
Net income attributable to Plains	528	230
Less: General partner's incentive distribution	(86)	(65)
Less: General partner 2% ownership	(9)	(3)
Net income available to limited partners	433	162
Less: Undistributed earnings allocated and distributions to participating securities	(1)
Net income available to limited partners in accordance with the application of the two-class method for MLPs	$ 432	$ 162

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Amount of incentive distribution paid or to be paid to the general partner based on current period earnings.

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The general partner's ownership allocation of net income attributable to the parent after the incentive distribution is paid.

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This element represents the net income (loss) available to limited partners after making an adjustment in accordance with the application of the two-class method for Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs).

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The number of units or percentage investment held by the managing member or general partner of the LLC or LP.

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The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.

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Aggregate amount of net income allocated to limited partners.

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Net income (loss) allocated to each outstanding limited partnership unit.

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Net Income or Loss allocated to each limited partner unit outstanding during the reporting period and each unit that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of limited partner units for all dilutive potential units outstanding during the reporting period. Limited partners have limited liability and do not manage the partnership.

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Aggregate of earnings distributed and earnings allocated to participating securities under the two-class method to the extent that participating securities may share in earnings as if all of the earnings for the period had been distributed.

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Weighted average number of limited partnership units outstanding determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that general partnership units have been outstanding to the total time in that period.

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Weighted average number of limited partnership units outstanding determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that limited partnership units have been outstanding to the total time in that period. Used in the calculation of diluted net income or loss per limited partnership unit.

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The sum of dilutive potential limited partnership units used in the calculation of the diluted per-unit computation.

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