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Commitments and Contingencies (Details 2)
 12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 23 Months Ended 2 Months Ended 20 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2013
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
Minimum
Feb. 28, 2013
Bay Springs Pipeline Release
bbl
Dec. 31, 2014
Bay Springs Pipeline Release
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2013
Kemp River Pipeline Release
bbl
item
Dec. 31, 2014
Kemp River Pipeline Release
USD ($)
Jan. 15, 2015
PMC
National Energy Board Audit
Subsequent Event
item
Feb. 28, 2015
PMC
National Energy Board Audit
Subsequent Event
CAD
Dec. 31, 2014
PMC
Kemp River Pipeline Release
USD ($)
Environmental                    
Estimated undiscounted reserve for environmental liabilities $ 82,000,000us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingencies $ 93,000,000us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingencies                
Estimated undiscounted reserve for environmental liabilities, short-term 13,000,000us-gaap_AccruedEnvironmentalLossContingenciesCurrent 11,000,000us-gaap_AccruedEnvironmentalLossContingenciesCurrent                
Estimated undiscounted reserve for environmental liabilities, long-term 69,000,000us-gaap_AccruedEnvironmentalLossContingenciesNoncurrent 82,000,000us-gaap_AccruedEnvironmentalLossContingenciesNoncurrent                
Amounts probable of recovery under insurance and from third parties under indemnification agreements 8,000,000us-gaap_RecordedThirdPartyEnvironmentalRecoveriesReceivable 10,000,000us-gaap_RecordedThirdPartyEnvironmentalRecoveriesReceivable                
Actual cash expenditures for environmental liabilities, period paid     3 years              
Number of events occurred           2paa_NumberOfEventsResultingInRelease
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= paa_KempRiverPipelineReleaseMember		        
Estimated size of release (in barrels)       120paa_EstimatedSizeOfRelease
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= paa_BaySpringsPipelineReleaseMember		   700paa_EstimatedSizeOfRelease
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= paa_KempRiverPipelineReleaseMember		        
Number of conditions imposed related to regulatory compliance               6paa_ConditionsImposedRelatedToRegulatoryCompliance
/ us-gaap_RegulatoryAgencyAxis
= paa_NationalEnergyBoardMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= paa_PlainsMidstreamCanadaULCMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		    
Charges, fines or penalties assessed                 76,000paa_LossContingencyPenaltyOrFineAssessed
/ us-gaap_RegulatoryAgencyAxis
= paa_NationalEnergyBoardMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= paa_PlainsMidstreamCanadaULCMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		 0paa_LossContingencyPenaltyOrFineAssessed
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= paa_KempRiverPipelineReleaseMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= paa_PlainsMidstreamCanadaULCMember
Total estimated cost to clean up and remediate the site             15,000,000paa_TotalEstimatedCostToCleanUpAndRemediateSite
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= paa_KempRiverPipelineReleaseMember		      
Total cost to clean up and remediate the site         6,000,000paa_TotalCostToCleanUpAndRemediateSite
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= paa_BaySpringsPipelineReleaseMember		          
Cost incurred, to date, to clean up and remediate the site             $ 9,000,000paa_CostToCleanUpAndRemediateSite
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= paa_KempRiverPipelineReleaseMember