No definition available.

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

- Definition

Per unit of ownership amount of cash distributions paid to unit-holder of a limited partnership (LP).

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The total amount of distributions to limited partners.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-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=120397183&loc=d3e187171-122770

+ Details

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

- Definition

Total distributions to each class of partners (i.e., general, limited and preferred partners).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-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=120397183&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-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=120397183&loc=d3e187171-122770

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DistributionsMadeToMemberOrLimitedPartnerByDistributionTypeAxis=us-gaap_CashDistributionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_StatementScenarioAxis=srt_ScenarioForecastMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=paa_PublicUnitHoldersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=paa_PlainsAapLPMember
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Partners' Capital and Distributions - Distributions (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions					3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Nov. 13, 2020	Aug. 14, 2020	May 15, 2020	Feb. 14, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Partners Capital and Distribution [Line Items]
Total distributions paid					$ 182	$ 315	$ 679	$ 894
Common Units \| Cash Distribution
Partners Capital and Distribution [Line Items]
Total distributions paid		$ 131	$ 131	$ 262
Distributions per common unit, paid (usd per unit)		$ 0.18	$ 0.18	$ 0.36
Common Units \| Forecast \| Cash Distribution
Partners Capital and Distribution [Line Items]
Total distributions paid	$ 131
Distributions per common unit, paid (usd per unit)	$ 0.18
Public \| Common Units \| Cash Distribution
Partners Capital and Distribution [Line Items]
Distributions to common unitholders		$ 86	$ 86	$ 172
Public \| Common Units \| Forecast \| Cash Distribution
Partners Capital and Distribution [Line Items]
Distributions to common unitholders	$ 87
AAP \| Common Units \| Cash Distribution
Partners Capital and Distribution [Line Items]
Distributions to common unitholders		$ 45	$ 45	$ 90
AAP \| Common Units \| Forecast \| Cash Distribution
Partners Capital and Distribution [Line Items]
Distributions to common unitholders	$ 44