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

Fair value of the assets less the liabilities of a derivative or group of derivatives.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118260190&loc=d3e13433-108611

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

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

Amount of unrealized gain (loss) recognized in income for derivative asset (liability) after deduction of derivative liability (asset), measured at fair value using unobservable input (level 3) and still held.

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

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

No definition available.

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

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in income from derivative asset (liability) after deduction of derivative liability (asset), measured at fair value on recurring basis using unobservable input (level 3).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19279-110258

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

Amount of settlements of financial instrument classified as a derivative asset (liability) after deduction of derivative liability, measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19279-110258

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

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

Fair value of financial instrument classified as derivative asset (liability) after deduction of derivative liability (asset), measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19279-110258

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueNetDerivativeAssetLiabilityMeasuredOnRecurringBasisWithUnobservableInputs
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis=us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

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

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

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

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

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: