Distributions to participating securities pertaining to current period earnings.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Limited Partners Capital Account, Units Issuable

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	paa_LimitedPartnersCapitalAccountUnitsIssuable
Namespace Prefix:	paa_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Distributions from earnings to the general partner of a partnership included in the consolidated financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- 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

- Definition

The number of limited partner units issued.

+ 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

+ Details

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

- Definition

The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04(18))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913

Reference 5: 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(20))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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

- Definition

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.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

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

+ References

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount of preferred stock dividends that is an adjustment to net income apportioned to common stockholders.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

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.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

+ References

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumerDilutedLimitedPartnershipUnitsOutstandingAdjustment
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_LimitedPartnersCapitalAccountByClassAxis=paa_SeriesBPreferredUnitsMember
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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=paa_PaaGPLLCMember
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- Details

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Net Income Per Common Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended			22 Months Ended
	Nov. 15, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Nov. 14, 2016
Basic Net Income per Common Unit
Net income attributable to PAA		$ 191	$ 33	$ 188	$ 444	$ 126	$ 297	$ 101	$ 202	$ 856	$ 726	$ 903
Distributions to general partner											(412)	(608)
Distributions to participating securities										(2)	(4)	(6)
Undistributed loss allocated to general partner											14	16
Other										(16)	(2)
Net income allocated to common unitholders										685	200	305
Diluted Net Income per Common Unit
Net income attributable to PAA		$ 191	$ 33	$ 188	$ 444	$ 126	$ 297	$ 101	$ 202	856	726	903
Distributions to general partner											(412)	(608)
Distributions to participating securities										(2)	(4)	(6)
Undistributed loss allocated to general partner											14	16
Other										(16)	(2)
Net income allocated to common unitholders										685	200	$ 305
Effect of dilutive securities:
General partner ownership interest													2.00%
Series A Preferred Units
Basic Net Income per Common Unit
Distributions to preferred unitholders										(142)	(122)
Diluted Net Income per Common Unit
Distributions to preferred unitholders										(142)	$ (122)
Series B Preferred Units
Basic Net Income per Common Unit
Distributions to preferred unitholders										(11)
Diluted Net Income per Common Unit
Distributions to preferred unitholders										$ (11)
Common Units
Basic Net Income per Common Unit
Basic weighted average common units outstanding (in units)										717.0	464.0	394.0
Basic net income per common unit (in dollars per unit)		$ 0.19	$ (0.01)	$ 0.21	$ 0.59	$ 0.14	$ 0.40	$ (0.20)	$ 0.07	$ 0.96	$ 0.43	$ 0.78
Diluted Net Income per Common Unit
Basic weighted average common units outstanding (in units)										717.0	464.0	394.0
Effect of dilutive securities:
LTIP units (in units)										1.0	2.0	2.0
Diluted weighted average common units outstanding (in units)										718.0	466.0	396.0
Diluted net income per common unit (in dollars per unit)		$ 0.19	$ (0.01)	$ 0.21	$ 0.58	$ 0.14	$ 0.40	$ (0.20)	$ 0.07	$ 0.95	$ 0.43	$ 0.77
Simplification Transactions \| PAA GP
Effect of dilutive securities:
Economic ownership interest converted into non-economic interest	2.00%
Simplification Transactions \| AAP \| Common Units
Effect of dilutive securities:
Units to be issued in the future (in units)	0.8
Units issued in connection with the Simplification Transactions	244.7