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Partners' Capital and Distributions - Distributions Paid (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions |  |  |  |  | 12 Months Ended | 22 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Feb. 14, 2018 | Jan. 08, 2018 | Nov. 15, 2017 | Nov. 15, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Nov. 14, 2016
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of available cash distributed |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |  |
Number of days after end of quarter within which distributions must be paid to unitholders |  |  |  |  | 45 days |  |  |
General partner ownership interest |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2.00%
Cash distributions paid |  |  |  |  | $ 1,399 | $ 1,631 | $ 1,674 |
Partners’ Capital Excluding Noncontrolling Interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash distributions paid |  |  |  |  | 1,397 | 1,627 | 1,671 |
Series B Preferred Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends paid (in dollars per unit) |  |  | $ 5.9549 |  |  |  |  |
Preferred unit dividends |  |  | $ 5 |  |  |  |  |
Distributions payable |  |  |  |  | 6 |  |  |
Cash Distribution |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash distributions paid |  |  |  |  |  | 1,627 | $ 1,671 |
Cash Distribution | Common Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash distributions paid |  |  |  |  | 1,386 |  |  |
Cash Distribution | Common Units | Subsequent Event | Fourth quarter distribution |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Distribution per common unit declared (in dollars per unit) |  | $ 0.30 |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash distributions paid | $ 218 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Unit Distribution | Series A Preferred Units | Partners’ Capital Excluding Noncontrolling Interests |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Distributions paid to unitholders |  |  |  |  | $ 139 | $ 89 |  |
Unit distributions (in units) |  |  |  |  | 5,307,689 | 3,358,726 |  |
Unit Distribution | Series A Preferred Units | Partners’ Capital Excluding Noncontrolling Interests | Subsequent Event |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Distributions paid to unitholders | $ 37 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Unit distributions (in units) | 1,393,926 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Simplification Transactions | AAP | Common Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Units issued in connection with the Simplification Transactions |  |  |  | 244,700,000 |  |  |  |
Simplification Transactions | PAA GP |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Economic ownership interest converted into non-economic interest |  |  |  | 2.00% |  |  |  |
AAP | Cash Distribution | Common Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Distributions paid to unitholders |  |  |  |  | $ 537 |  |  |
AAP | Cash Distribution | Common Units | Subsequent Event | Fourth quarter distribution |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Distributions paid to unitholders | $ 85 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Plains All American Pipeline L P [Member] | PAA GP | Simplification Transactions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Economic ownership interest converted into non-economic interest |  |  |  | 2.00% |  |  |  |
Plains All American Pipeline L P [Member] | AAP | Simplification Transactions | Common Units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Partners Capital and Distributions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Units issued in connection with the Simplification Transactions |  |  |  | 244,700,000 |  |  |  |

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