v2.4.0.8

DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS Narrative 1 (Details) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended |  |  |  |  | 3 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2014 | Mar. 31, 2013 | Mar. 31, 2014 Asphalt JV [Member] | Feb. 26, 2014 Asphalt JV [Member] | Feb. 25, 2014 Asphalt JV [Member] | Feb. 26, 2014 Asphalt JV [Member] | Mar. 31, 2014 Terminals Held for Sale [Member] | Mar. 31, 2013 Terminals Held for Sale [Member] | Mar. 31, 2013 San Antonio Refinery Sale [Member]
Divestitures and Discontinued Operations [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percent ownership interest sold |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |
Ownership percentage by acquiring entity |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |  |
Maximum amount available under credit facility to related party |  |  |  |  | $ 250,000,000 |  |  |  |
Term Loan Receivable |  |  | 190,000,000 | 190,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Interest expense allocated to discontinued operations |  |  |  |  |  |  | 400,000 | 400,000 |
Disposal Date |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Jan. 01, 2013
Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets | 66,000 | 112,715,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 117,000,000
Gain (loss) from sale or disposition of assets | $ 24,000 | $ 9,204,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 9,300,000

X
- Definition Equity Method Investee - Percent voting interest sold. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ns_EquityMethodInvestmentPercentVotingInterestSold
Namespace Prefix: | ns_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Maximum Amount Available underCredit Facility to Related Party + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ns_MaximumAmountAvailableCreditFacilityToRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix: | ns_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Ownership percentage of entity being disposed by acquiring entity + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ns_OwnershipPercentageOfAcquiringEntity
Namespace Prefix: | ns_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Face value of a term loan receivable + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ns_TermLoanReceivable
Namespace Prefix: | ns_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Date the entity disposed of a business or a group of assets, in CCYY-MM-DD format. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DisposalDate1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of interest expense allocated to disposal group, including a discontinued operation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section S99 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872618&loc=d3e7436-122677 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 7 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6892542&loc=d3e1063-107759 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6892542&loc=d3e1060-107759 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationInterestExpense
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of assets, including but not limited to property plant and equipment, intangible assets and equity in securities of subsidiaries or equity method investee. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8077374&loc=d3e2443-110228 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The cash inflow from the sale of property, plant and equipment (capital expenditures), software, and other intangible assets. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Investing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3179-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfProductiveAssets
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration