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Commitments and Contingencies (Details)
 3 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 26 Months Ended 2 Months Ended 23 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2015
Minimum
Feb. 28, 2013
Bay Springs Pipeline Release
bbl
Mar. 31, 2015
Bay Springs Pipeline Release
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2013
Kemp River Pipeline Release
item
bbl
Mar. 31, 2015
Kemp River Pipeline Release
USD ($)
Apr. 30, 2015
In the Matter of Bakersfield Crude Terminal LLC et al
Subsequent Event
USD ($)
item
Jan. 15, 2015
PMC
National Energy Board Audit
item
Feb. 28, 2015
PMC
National Energy Board Audit
CAD
Mar. 31, 2015
PMC
Kemp River Pipeline Release
USD ($)
Environmental                      
Estimated undiscounted reserve for environmental liabilities $ 75,000,000us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingencies $ 82,000,000us-gaap_AccrualForEnvironmentalLossContingencies                  
Estimated undiscounted reserve for environmental liabilities, short-term 11,000,000us-gaap_AccruedEnvironmentalLossContingenciesCurrent 13,000,000us-gaap_AccruedEnvironmentalLossContingenciesCurrent                  
Estimated undiscounted reserve for environmental liabilities, long-term 64,000,000us-gaap_AccruedEnvironmentalLossContingenciesNoncurrent 69,000,000us-gaap_AccruedEnvironmentalLossContingenciesNoncurrent                  
Amounts probable of recovery under insurance and from third parties under indemnification agreements 7,000,000us-gaap_RecordedThirdPartyEnvironmentalRecoveriesReceivable 8,000,000us-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		    
Number of alleged rule violations               10paa_NumberOfAllegedRuleViolations
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= paa_BakersfieldCrudeTerminalLLCMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		      
Charges, fines or penalties assessed               0paa_LossContingencyPenaltyOrFineAssessed
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= paa_BakersfieldCrudeTerminalLLCMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		   76,000paa_LossContingencyPenaltyOrFineAssessed
/ us-gaap_RegulatoryAgencyAxis
= paa_NationalEnergyBoardMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= paa_PlainsMidstreamCanadaULCMember		 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