v3.3.1.900

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT Table (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total | $ 5,209,160 | $ 4,815,396
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization | (1,525,589) | (1,354,664)
Property, plant and equipment, net | 3,683,571 | 3,460,732
Land |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total | 140,292 | 120,351
Land and leasehold improvements |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total | 186,848 | 160,283
Buildings |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total | 137,269 | 134,857
Pipelines, storage and terminals |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total | 4,399,378 | 3,963,134
Rights-of-way |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total | 194,055 | 160,008
Construction in progress |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Total | $ 151,318 | $ 276,763
Minimum [Member] | Land and leasehold improvements |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life | 5 years |
Minimum [Member] | Buildings |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life | 15 years |
Minimum [Member] | Pipelines, storage and terminals |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life | 20 years |
Minimum [Member] | Rights-of-way |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life | 20 years |
Maximum [Member] | Land and leasehold improvements |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life | 40 years |
Maximum [Member] | Buildings |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life | 40 years |
Maximum [Member] | Pipelines, storage and terminals |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life | 40 years |
Maximum [Member] | Rights-of-way |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life | 40 years |

X
- Definition Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.14) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount before accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.13) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition 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. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount after accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.13) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph a -Article 5 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 8 -Article 7 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Useful life of long lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Examples include, but not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_LandMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_LeaseholdImprovementsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_BuildingMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=ns_PipelinesAndStorageAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=ns_RightsOfWayMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |