XML 80 R61.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.3.1.900

Partners' Capital and Distributions - Units Outstanding and Distribution Terms (Details) - $ / shares	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Partners Capital and Distributions
Common unitholders, units outstanding (in units)	397,727,624	375,107,793
Common unit ownership interest (as a percent)	98.00%
General partner ownership interest (as a percent)	2.00%
Percentage of available cash distributed (as a percent)	100.00%
Number of days after end of quarter within which distributions must be paid to unitholders	45 days
General Partner Distribution - Level One
Partners Capital and Distributions
Percent of distribution amount to the general partner before incentive distributions	2.00%
General Partner Distribution - Level Two
Partners Capital and Distributions
Percent of distribution amount to the general partner above threshold	15.00%
Quarterly incentive distribution threshold amount (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.2250
General Partner Distribution - Level Three
Partners Capital and Distributions
Percent of distribution amount to the general partner above threshold	25.00%
Quarterly incentive distribution threshold amount (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.2475
General Partner Distribution - Level Four
Partners Capital and Distributions
Percent of distribution amount to the general partner above threshold	50.00%
Quarterly incentive distribution threshold amount (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.3375

X

- Definition

The percentage of the distribution amount over the threshold that the general partner is entitled to as incentive distributions and distributions related to its general partner interest.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	paa_GeneralPartnerDistributionIncludingIncentiveDistributionPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The percentage of the distribution that the general partner is entitled to based on its ownership.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	paa_GeneralPartnerDistributionPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The threshold over which the general partner is entitled to receive a percentage of the distribution amount as incentive distributions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	paa_GeneralPartnerIncentiveDistributionThreshold
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The number of days after the end of the relevant quarter within which distributions of available cash must be paid to unitholders.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	paa_NumberOfDaysRequiredForDistributionToUnitholdersAfterEndOfQuarter
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	paa_PartnersCapitalAndDistributionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

This element represents the percentage of cash distributed out of available cash.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	paa_PercentageDistributionOfAvailableCash
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Percentage investment held by the managing member or general partner of the limited liability company (LLC) or limited partnership (LP).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 272
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6373374&loc=d3e70478-108055

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LimitedLiabilityCompanyLLCOrLimitedPartnershipLPManagingMemberOrGeneralPartnerOwnershipInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The number of units or percentage investment held by one or more members or limited partners of the LLC or LP.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 272
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6373374&loc=d3e70478-108055

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LimitedLiabilityCompanyLLCOrLimitedPartnershipLPMembersOrLimitedPartnersOwnershipInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The number of limited partner units outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 4.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187171-122770

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 272
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6373374&loc=d3e70434-108055

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 4
-Section F

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LimitedPartnersCapitalAccountUnitsOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncentiveDistributionMadeToManagingMemberOrGeneralPartnerAxis=paa_GeneralPartnerDistributionLevelOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncentiveDistributionMadeToManagingMemberOrGeneralPartnerAxis=paa_GeneralPartnerDistributionLevelTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncentiveDistributionMadeToManagingMemberOrGeneralPartnerAxis=paa_GeneralPartnerDistributionLevelThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncentiveDistributionMadeToManagingMemberOrGeneralPartnerAxis=paa_GeneralPartnerDistributionLevelFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: