v2.4.0.8

PARTNERS' EQUITY (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2013
Partners' Capital Notes [Abstract] |
Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block] | The balance of and changes in the components included in “Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)” were as follows:
| Foreign Currency Translation |  | Cash Flow Hedges |  | Total
| (Thousands of Dollars)
Balance as of January 1, 2011 | $ | 11,500 |  |  | $ | 35,000 |  |  | $ | 46,500 |
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications | (15,425 | ) |  | (53,452 | ) |  | (68,877 | )
Net loss reclassified into (loss) income from discontinued operations | — |  |  | (5,030 | ) |  | $ | (5,030 | )
Other comprehensive loss | (15,425 | ) |  | (58,482 | ) |  | (73,907 | )
Balance as of December 31, 2011 | (3,925 | ) |  | (23,482 | ) |  | (27,407 | )
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications | 9,579 |  |  | (94,269 | ) |  | (84,690 | )
Net loss reclassified into interest expense, net | — |  |  | 1,749 |  |  | 1,749 |
Net loss reclassified into (loss) income from discontinued operations | — |  |  | 51,483 |  |  | 51,483 |
Other comprehensive income (loss) | 9,579 |  |  | (41,037 | ) |  | (31,458 | )
Balance as of December 31, 2012 | 5,654 |  |  | (64,519 | ) |  | (58,865 | )
Other comprehensive (loss) income before reclassifications | (19,312 | ) |  | 7,213 |  |  | (12,099 | )
Net loss reclassified into interest expense, net | — |  |  | 7,570 |  |  | 7,570 |
Other comprehensive (loss) income | (19,312 | ) |  | 14,783 |  |  | (4,529 | )
Balance as of December 31, 2013 | $ | (13,658 | ) |  | $ | (49,736 | ) |  | $ | (63,394 | )
Schedule of Calculation of Net Income Applicable to General Partner [Text Block] | The following table details the calculation of net income applicable to the general partner:
| Year Ended December 31,
| 2013 |  | 2012 |  | 2011
| (Thousands of Dollars)
Net income (loss) attributable to NuStar Energy L.P. | $ | (273,770 | ) |  | $ | (226,616 | ) |  | $ | 221,461 |
Less general partner incentive distribution (a) | 43,220 |  |  | 41,242 |  |  | 36,319 |
Net income (loss) after general partner incentive distribution | (316,990 | ) |  | (267,858 | ) |  | 185,142 |
General partner interest | 2 | % |  | 2 | % |  | 2 | %
General partner allocation of net income (loss) after general partner incentive distribution | (6,338 | ) |  | (5,356 | ) |  | 3,703 |
General partner incentive distribution | 43,220 |  |  | 41,242 |  |  | 36,319 |
Net income applicable to general partner | $ | 36,882 |  |  | $ | 35,886 |  |  | $ | 40,022 |
(a) | The net income allocation to the general partner’s incentive distribution is less than the actual distribution made with respect to 2011, which is shown in the distribution table below, due to the issuance of common units after the end of the third quarter but before the record date.
Schedule of Distribution Waterfall [Table Text Block] | Our general partner is entitled to incentive distributions if the amount we distribute with respect to any quarter exceeds specified target levels shown below:
|  | Percentage of Distribution
Quarterly Distribution Amount per Unit |  | Unitholders |  | General Partner
Up to $0.60 |  | 98% |  | 2%
Above $0.60 up to $0.66 |  | 90% |  | 10%
Above $0.66 |  | 75% |  | 25%
Schedule of Distributions To General and Limited Partners [Text Block] | The following table reflects the allocation of total cash distributions to our general and limited partners applicable to the period in which the distributions were earned:
| Year Ended December 31,
| 2013 |  | 2012 |  | 2011
| (Thousands of Dollars, Except Per Unit Data)
General partner interest | $ | 7,844 |  |  | $ | 7,486 |  |  | $ | 6,630 |
General partner incentive distribution | 43,220 |  |  | 41,242 |  |  | 36,326 |
Total general partner distribution | 51,064 |  |  | 48,728 |  |  | 42,956 |
Limited partners’ distribution | 341,140 |  |  | 325,526 |  |  | 288,550 |
Total cash distributions | $ | 392,204 |  |  | $ | 374,254 |  |  | $ | 331,506 |
Cash distributions per unit applicable to limited partners | $ | 4.380 |  |  | $ | 4.380 |  |  | $ | 4.360 |
Distributions Made To Limited And General Partners By Distribution [Table Text Block] | The following table summarizes information related to our quarterly cash distributions:
Quarter Ended |  | Cash Distributions Per Unit |  | Total Cash Distributions (Thousands of Dollars) |  | Record Date |  | Payment Date
December 31, 2013 (a) |  | $ | 1.095 |  |  | $ | 98,051 |  |  | February 10, 2014 |  | February 14, 2014
September 30, 2013 |  | $ | 1.095 |  |  | $ | 98,051 |  |  | November 11, 2013 |  | November 14, 2013
June 30, 2013 |  | $ | 1.095 |  |  | $ | 98,051 |  |  | August 5, 2013 |  | August 9, 2013
March 31, 2013 |  | $ | 1.095 |  |  | $ | 98,051 |  |  | May 6, 2013 |  | May 10, 2013
(a) | The distribution was announced on January 30, 2014.

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 14A -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358780&loc=SL7669686-108580 + Details
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