| Schedule of Net Income Per Unit [Text Block] |
The following table details the calculation of earnings per unit: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Three Months Ended September 30, | | Nine Months Ended September 30, | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | (Thousands of Dollars, Except Unit and Per Unit Data) | Net (loss) income attributable to NuStar Energy L.P. | $ | 4,389 |
| | $ | 70,158 |
| | $ | (215,997 | ) | | $ | 191,259 |
| Less general partner distribution (including IDR) | 12,766 |
| | 10,600 |
| | 35,962 |
| | 31,350 |
| Less limited partner distribution | 85,285 |
| | 70,814 |
| | 240,241 |
| | 211,019 |
| Distributions (greater than) less than earnings | $ | (93,662 | ) | | $ | (11,256 | ) | | $ | (492,200 | ) | | $ | (51,110 | ) | | | | | | | | | General partner earnings: | | | | | | | | Distributions | $ | 12,766 |
| | $ | 10,600 |
| | $ | 35,962 |
| | $ | 31,350 |
| Allocation of distributions (greater than) less than earnings (2%) | (1,874 | ) | | (225 | ) | | (9,846 | ) | | (1,023 | ) | Total | $ | 10,892 |
| | $ | 10,375 |
| | $ | 26,116 |
| | $ | 30,327 |
| | | | | | | | | Limited partner earnings: | | | | | | | | Distributions | $ | 85,285 |
| | $ | 70,814 |
| | $ | 240,241 |
| | $ | 211,019 |
| Allocation of distributions (greater than) less than earnings (98%) | (91,788 | ) | | (11,031 | ) | | (482,354 | ) | | (50,087 | ) | Total | $ | (6,503 | ) | | $ | 59,783 |
| | $ | (242,113 | ) | | $ | 160,932 |
| | | | | | | | | Weighted-average limited partner units outstanding | 72,383,578 |
| | 64,612,423 |
| | 71,302,538 |
| | 64,611,181 |
| | | | | | | | | Net (loss) income per unit applicable to limited partners | $ | (0.09 | ) | | $ | 0.92 |
| | $ | (3.40 | ) | | $ | 2.49 |
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