v3.3.1.900
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF INCOME Table 2 (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Sep. 30, 2015
Jun. 30, 2015
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]                      
Revenues $ 464,919 $ 493,566 $ 570,611 $ 554,944 $ 681,738 $ 794,422 $ 749,745 $ 849,213 $ 2,084,040 $ 3,075,118 $ 3,463,732
Costs and expenses                 1,693,336 2,728,217 3,482,853
Operating income (loss) 98,024 100,994 92,405 99,281 81,346 95,098 89,354 81,103 390,704 346,901 (19,121)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries                 0 0 0
Equity in earnings (loss) of joint ventures                 0 4,796 (39,970)
Interest (expense) income, net                 (131,868) (131,226) (121,006)
Other income (expense), net                 61,822 4,499 7,341
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense                 320,658 224,970 (172,756)
Income tax expense                 14,712 10,801 12,753
Income (loss) from continuing operations 59,480 65,016 54,325 127,125 54,869 59,117 57,187 42,996 305,946 214,169 (185,509)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax 0 0 0 774 (1,475) 2,831 (1,788) (3,359) 774 (3,791) (99,162)
Net income (loss) $ 59,480 $ 65,016 $ 54,325 $ 127,899 $ 53,394 $ 61,948 $ 55,399 $ 39,637 306,720 210,378 (284,671)
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest                 0 (395) (10,901)
Net income (loss) attributable to NuStar Energy L.P.                 306,720 210,773 (273,770)
Eliminations                      
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 (2,063) (9,676) (34,147)
Costs and expenses                 (2,105) (9,645) (34,168)
Operating income (loss)                 42 (31) 21
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries                 (619,708) (404,913) 884,466
Equity in earnings (loss) of joint ventures                   0 0
Interest (expense) income, net                 0 0 0
Other income (expense), net                 0 0 0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense                 (619,666) (404,944) 884,487
Income tax expense                 0 0 0
Income (loss) from continuing operations                 (619,666) (404,944) 884,487
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax                 0 0 0
Net income (loss)                 (619,666) (404,944) 884,487
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest                   0 0
Net income (loss) attributable to NuStar Energy L.P.                 (619,666) (404,944) 884,487
NuStar Energy                      
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 0 0 0
Costs and expenses                 1,717 1,753 1,908
Operating income (loss)                 (1,717) (1,753) (1,908)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries                 308,437 212,527 (271,862)
Equity in earnings (loss) of joint ventures                   0 0
Interest (expense) income, net                 0 0 0
Other income (expense), net                 0 0 0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense                 306,720 210,774 (273,770)
Income tax expense                 0 1 0
Income (loss) from continuing operations                 306,720 210,773 (273,770)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax                 0 0 0
Net income (loss)                 306,720 210,773 (273,770)
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest                   0 0
Net income (loss) attributable to NuStar Energy L.P.                 306,720 210,773 (273,770)
NuStar Logistics                      
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 547,959 510,833 415,128
Costs and expenses                 293,708 287,614 242,743
Operating income (loss)                 254,251 223,219 172,385
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries                 (7,257) (12,798) 16,531
Equity in earnings (loss) of joint ventures                   (8,278) (49,599)
Interest (expense) income, net                 (137,847) (132,274) (116,624)
Other income (expense), net                 1,179 511 (115)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense                 110,326 70,380 22,578
Income tax expense                 (392) 5 579
Income (loss) from continuing operations                 110,718 70,375 21,999
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax                 0 (169) (12,317)
Net income (loss)                 110,718 70,206 9,682
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest                   0 0
Net income (loss) attributable to NuStar Energy L.P.                 110,718 70,206 9,682
NuPOP                      
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 215,469 229,211 218,591
Costs and expenses                 140,081 149,955 147,117
Operating income (loss)                 75,388 79,256 71,474
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries                 120,768 62,946 (347,808)
Equity in earnings (loss) of joint ventures                   0 0
Interest (expense) income, net                 1,611 89 (4,851)
Other income (expense), net                 5 (37) (127)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense                 197,772 142,254 (281,312)
Income tax expense                 23 23 8
Income (loss) from continuing operations                 197,749 142,231 (281,320)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax                 0 0 0
Net income (loss)                 197,749 142,231 (281,320)
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest                   0 0
Net income (loss) attributable to NuStar Energy L.P.                 197,749 142,231 (281,320)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries                      
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 1,322,675 2,344,750 2,864,160
Costs and expenses                 1,259,935 2,298,540 3,125,253
Operating income (loss)                 62,740 46,210 (261,093)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries                 197,760 142,238 (281,327)
Equity in earnings (loss) of joint ventures                   13,074 9,629
Interest (expense) income, net                 4,368 959 469
Other income (expense), net                 60,638 4,025 7,583
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense                 325,506 206,506 (524,739)
Income tax expense                 15,081 10,772 12,166
Income (loss) from continuing operations                 310,425 195,734 (536,905)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax                 774 (3,622) (86,845)
Net income (loss)                 311,199 192,112 (623,750)
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest                   (395) (10,901)
Net income (loss) attributable to NuStar Energy L.P.                 $ 311,199 $ 192,507 $ (612,849)