Partners' Capital and Distributions - Equity Offerings (Details) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions		9 Months Ended
Jan. 28, 2016 $ / shares shares	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) item $ / shares shares
Series A Preferred Units \| Limited Partners
Partners Capital and Distributions
Sale of preferred units (units) \| shares	61.0
Cash purchase price (usd per unit) \| $ / shares	$ 26.25
Quarterly distribution rate (usd per unit) \| $ / shares		$ 0.525
Annualized distribution rate (usd per unit) \| $ / shares		$ 2.10
Preferred unit conversion ratio		1
Common unit closing price as a percentage of Issue Price, over which the entity has conversion option		150.00%
Period for closing price of common units to be above threshold, to trigger conversion option		20 days
Series A Preferred Units \| Limited Partners \| Preferred Distribution Rate Reset Option
Partners Capital and Distributions
Period after fifth and subsequent anniversaries of issuance for distribution rate reset election option		30 days
Number of distribution rate reset elections allowed \| item		1
Basis spread on variable rate		5.85%
Period after sixth anniversary of issuance, after which units may be redeemed if distribution rate has been reset		30 days
Value of common units if exchanged for redemption of preferred units, as a percentage of volume-weighted average price		95.00%
Redemption price as a percentage of Issue Price		110.00%
Continuous Offering Program
Partners Capital and Distributions
Sale of common units (units) \| shares		9.9
Sale of common units, net proceeds \| $		$ 289
Commissions paid to sales agents \| $		2
Continuous Offering Program \| General Partner
Partners Capital and Distributions
General partners' proportionate capital contributions \| $		$ 6

Represents the costs incurred for commissions paid to the agent under the equity distribution agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_CommissionPaidToSalesAgent
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Price per unit of partnership interest sold during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The percentage of the volume-weighted average price of the partnership's common units for a specified trading period, at which such common units are valued if given in exchange for the redemption of the preferred units.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The annualized distributions per unit to which holders of the preferred units are entitled.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Ratio applied to the conversion of preferred units into common units.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	paa_PreferredUnitsConversionRatio
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Threshold period of specified consecutive trading days for which the closing price of the partnership's common units must be above a specified level to trigger the conversion option by the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The closing price of the partnership's common units as a percentage of the Issue Price of the preferred units that must be exceeded for a certain period of days in order for the entity to convert the preferred units, subject to minimum time requirements and certain minimum conversion amounts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The percentage points to be added to the applicable rate of the ten-year U.S. Treasury to calculate the new distribution rate on the preferred units if the holders elect to reset the distribution rate.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	paa_PreferredUnitsDistributionRateResetBasisSpreadOnVariableRate
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of times the holders of the preferred units may elect to reset the preferred unit distribution rate.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	paa_PreferredUnitsNumberOfDistributionRateResetElectionsAllowed
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period following the fifth and each subsequent anniversary of the issuance date of the preferred units, within which the holders of the preferred units may elect to reset the preferred unit distribution rate.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Period following the sixth anniversary of the issuance date of the preferred units, after which the entity may choose to redeem all or a portion of the outstanding preferred units, if the holders of the preferred units have exercised a distribution rate reset.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The quarterly distributions per unit to which holders of the preferred units are entitled.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The price at which the preferred units may be redeemed, as a percentage of the issue price of the units.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount of capital contributed by the general partner.

+ References

Reference 1: 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 2: 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

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GeneralPartnersContributedCapital
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total change in each class of partners' capital accounts during the year due to the sale of units. All partners include general, limited and preferred partners.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 2: 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

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PartnersCapitalAccountSaleOfUnits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total units issued during the year due to the sale of units. All partners include general, limited and preferred partners.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 2: 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_PartnersCapitalAccountUnitsSaleOfUnits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of units sold in a private placement of each class of partners' capital account. Units represent shares of ownership of the general, limited, and preferred partners.

+ 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 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PartnersCapitalAccountUnitsSoldInPrivatePlacement
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LimitedPartnersCapitalAccountByClassAxis=paa_SeriesaPreferredUnitsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PartnerTypeOfPartnersCapitalAccountAxis=us-gaap_LimitedPartnerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeFinancialInstrumentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxis=paa_ContinuousOfferingProgramMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PartnerTypeOfPartnersCapitalAccountAxis=us-gaap_GeneralPartnerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: