Operating Segments (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015 segment	Mar. 31, 2014
Operating Segments
Operating segments number	3us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 5,942us-gaap_Revenues	$ 11,684us-gaap_Revenues
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Other Information about Entity's Reportable Segments
Equity earnings in unconsolidated entities	37	20
Segment profit	513us-gaap_GrossProfit	609us-gaap_GrossProfit
Maintenance capital	50paa_MaintenanceCapital	46paa_MaintenanceCapital
Transportation
Revenues:
Revenues	185	181
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Other Information about Entity's Reportable Segments
Equity earnings in unconsolidated entities	37	20
Segment profit	241	206
Maintenance capital	33	34
Facilities
Revenues:
Revenues	125	157
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Other Information about Entity's Reportable Segments
Segment profit	142	154
Maintenance capital	15	10
Supply and Logistics
Revenues:
Revenues	5,632	11,346
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Other Information about Entity's Reportable Segments
Segment profit	130	249
Maintenance capital	2	2
Interest expense related to hedged inventory purchases	1	2
Operating Segments
Revenues:
Revenues	6,291	12,054
Operating Segments \| Transportation
Revenues:
Revenues	400	387
Operating Segments \| Facilities
Revenues:
Revenues	257	299
Operating Segments \| Supply and Logistics
Revenues:
Revenues	5,634	11,368
Intersegment
Revenues:
Revenues	(349)	(370)
Intersegment \| Transportation
Revenues:
Revenues	(215)	(206)
Intersegment \| Facilities
Revenues:
Revenues	(132)	(142)
Intersegment \| Supply and Logistics
Revenues:
Revenues	$ (2)	$ (22)

The interest expense incurred related to hedged inventory purchases, which is included in segment profit.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Capital expenditures for the replacement of partially or fully depreciated assets in order to maintain the operating and/or earnings capacity of the company's existing assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Aggregate revenue less cost of goods and services sold or operating expenses directly attributable to the revenue generation activity.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 9

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35755396&loc=d3e33749-111570

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.12)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 11

-Article 7

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- Definition

Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Article 5

+ Details

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- Details

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