Name:	paa_BasicAndDilutedNetIncomePerCommonUnitLineItems
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Distributions to participating securities pertaining to current period earnings.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_DistributionsToParticipatingSecurities
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Percentage of economic interest held by the managing member or general partner of the limited liability company (LLC) or limited partnership (LP), converted into a non-economic interest.

No definition available.

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

This element represents the net income (loss) allocated to common unitholders in the calculation of basic net income per common unit after deducting amounts allocated to preferred unitholders, participating securities and the 2% general partner's interest, as applicable, under the two class method.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_NetIncomeLossAllocatedtoCommonUnitholdersBasic
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

This element represents the net income (loss) allocated to common unitholders in the calculation of diluted net income per common unit after deducting amounts allocated to preferred unitholders, participating securities and the 2% general partner's interest, as applicable, under the two class method.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_NetIncomeLossAllocatedtoCommonUnitholdersDiluted
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of earnings allocated to other for the basic earnings (loss) per share or per unit calculation under the two-class method.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_OtherAllocatedEarningsBasic
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	duration

The amount of preferred stock dividends that is an adjustment to net income apportioned to common stockholders in the calculation of diluted net income per common unit.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_PreferredStockDividendsIncomeStatementImpactDiluted
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Amount of undistributed earnings (loss) allocated to the general partner of a partnership for the basic earnings (loss) per share or per unit calculation under the two-class method.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_UndistributedEarningsLossAllocatedToGeneralPartnerBasic
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	duration

Amount of undistributed earnings (loss) allocated to the general partner of a partnership for the diluted earnings (loss) per share or per unit calculation under the two-class method.

No definition available.

Name:	paa_UndistributedEarningsLossAllocatedToGeneralPartnerDiluted
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Weighted Average Number Diluted Limited Partnership Units Outstanding Adjustment, Series A Preferred Units

No definition available.

Name:	paa_WeightedAverageNumberDilutedLimitedPartnershipUnitsOutstandingAdjustmentSeriesAPreferredUnits
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- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_EarningsPerLimitedPartnershipUnitAbstract
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Distributions from earnings to the general partner of a partnership included in the consolidated financial statements.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_GeneralPartnerDistributions
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

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

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

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Net Income
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51831255

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
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-Section 45
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
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Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
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Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Other Comprehensive Income
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51831270

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

Name:	us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Per unit of ownership amount after tax of income (loss) available to limited partnership (LP) unit-holder and units that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of limited partner units for dilutive potential units outstanding.

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

Name:	us-gaap_NetIncomeLossNetOfTaxPerOutstandingLimitedPartnershipUnitDiluted
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
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Period Type:	duration

Per unit of ownership amount after tax of income (loss) available to outstanding limited partnership (LP) unit-holder.

Name:	us-gaap_NetIncomeLossPerOutstandingLimitedPartnershipUnitBasicNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NetIncomeLossPerOutstandingLimitedPartnershipUnitDilutedAbstract
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The amount of preferred stock dividends that is an adjustment to net income apportioned to common stockholders.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockDividendsIncomeStatementImpact
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Weighted average number of limited partnership units outstanding determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that limited partnership units have been outstanding to the total time in that period.

Name:	us-gaap_WeightedAverageLimitedPartnershipUnitsOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
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Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_WeightedAverageLimitedPartnershipUnitsOutstandingDiluted
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberDilutedSharesOutstandingAdjustmentAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The sum of dilutive potential limited partnership units used in the calculation of the diluted per-unit computation.

No definition available.