| Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets [Text Block] |
Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets March 31, 2016 (Thousands of Dollars) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NuStar Energy | | NuStar Logistics | | NuPOP | | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | | Eliminations | | Consolidated | Assets | | | | | | | | | | | | Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 879 |
| | $ | 4 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 130,034 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 130,917 |
| Receivables, net | — |
| | 727 |
| | — |
| | 135,037 |
| | — |
| | 135,764 |
| Inventories | — |
| | 1,929 |
| | 5,755 |
| | 33,489 |
| | — |
| | 41,173 |
| Other current assets | 93 |
| | 8,088 |
| | 4,402 |
| | 13,136 |
| | — |
| | 25,719 |
| Intercompany receivable | — |
| | 1,574,862 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (1,574,862 | ) | | — |
| Total current assets | 972 |
| | 1,585,610 |
| | 10,157 |
| | 311,696 |
| | (1,574,862 | ) | | 333,573 |
| Property, plant and equipment, net | — |
| | 1,919,232 |
| | 568,355 |
| | 1,199,100 |
| | — |
| | 3,686,687 |
| Intangible assets, net | — |
| | 47,251 |
| | — |
| | 61,300 |
| | — |
| | 108,551 |
| Goodwill | — |
| | 149,453 |
| | 170,652 |
| | 376,532 |
| | — |
| | 696,637 |
| Investment in wholly owned subsidiaries | 2,165,781 |
| | 45,432 |
| | 1,056,445 |
| | 909,821 |
| | (4,177,479 | ) | | — |
| Deferred income tax asset | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 1,681 |
| | (1,179 | ) | | 502 |
| Other long-term assets, net | 939 |
| | 228,901 |
| | 26,329 |
| | 13,430 |
| | — |
| | 269,599 |
| Total assets | $ | 2,167,692 |
| | $ | 3,975,879 |
| | $ | 1,831,938 |
| | $ | 2,873,560 |
| | $ | (5,753,520 | ) | | $ | 5,095,549 |
| Liabilities and Partners’ Equity | | | | | | | | | | | | Payables | $ | — |
| | $ | 25,923 |
| | $ | 7,470 |
| | $ | 67,389 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 100,782 |
| Short-term debt | — |
| | 81,000 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 81,000 |
| Accrued interest payable | — |
| | 27,874 |
| | — |
| | 23 |
| | — |
| | 27,897 |
| Accrued liabilities | 645 |
| | 7,778 |
| | 8,235 |
| | 26,697 |
| | — |
| | 43,355 |
| Taxes other than income tax | 189 |
| | 4,128 |
| | 4,345 |
| | 4,937 |
| | — |
| | 13,599 |
| Income tax payable | — |
| | 1,708 |
| | 12 |
| | 4,437 |
| | — |
| | 6,157 |
| Intercompany payable | 505,634 |
| | — |
| | 894,589 |
| | 174,639 |
| | (1,574,862 | ) | | — |
| Total current liabilities | 506,468 |
| | 148,411 |
| | 914,651 |
| | 278,122 |
| | (1,574,862 | ) | | 272,790 |
| Long-term debt | — |
| | 3,077,717 |
| | — |
| | 47,933 |
| | — |
| | 3,125,650 |
| Deferred income tax liability | — |
| | 1,143 |
| | 36 |
| | 25,841 |
| | (1,179 | ) | | 25,841 |
| Other long-term liabilities | — |
| | 48,194 |
| | 7,460 |
| | 57,962 |
| | — |
| | 113,616 |
| Total partners’ equity | 1,661,224 |
| | 700,414 |
| | 909,791 |
| | 2,463,702 |
| | (4,177,479 | ) | | 1,557,652 |
| Total liabilities and partners’ equity | $ | 2,167,692 |
| | $ | 3,975,879 |
| | $ | 1,831,938 |
| | $ | 2,873,560 |
| | $ | (5,753,520 | ) | | $ | 5,095,549 |
|
Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets December 31, 2015 (Thousands of Dollars) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NuStar Energy | | NuStar Logistics | | NuPOP | | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | | Eliminations | | Consolidated | Assets | | | | | | | | | | | | Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 885 |
| | $ | 4 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 117,973 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 118,862 |
| Receivables, net | — |
| | 419 |
| | — |
| | 144,645 |
| | — |
| | 145,064 |
| Inventories | — |
| | 1,776 |
| | 3,648 |
| | 33,325 |
| | — |
| | 38,749 |
| Other current assets | 140 |
| | 11,026 |
| | 497 |
| | 19,513 |
| | — |
| | 31,176 |
| Intercompany receivable | — |
| | 1,610,370 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (1,610,370 | ) | | — |
| Total current assets | 1,025 |
| | 1,623,595 |
| | 4,145 |
| | 315,456 |
| | (1,610,370 | ) | | 333,851 |
| Property, plant and equipment, net | — |
| | 1,915,370 |
| | 570,415 |
| | 1,197,786 |
| | — |
| | 3,683,571 |
| Intangible assets, net | — |
| | 48,961 |
| | — |
| | 63,050 |
| | — |
| | 112,011 |
| Goodwill | — |
| | 149,453 |
| | 170,652 |
| | 376,532 |
| | — |
| | 696,637 |
| Investment in wholly owned subsidiaries | 2,205,904 |
| | 48,547 |
| | 1,031,162 |
| | 915,115 |
| | (4,200,728 | ) | | — |
| Deferred income tax asset | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 4,037 |
| | (1,179 | ) | | 2,858 |
| Other long-term assets, net | 933 |
| | 255,957 |
| | 26,329 |
| | 13,378 |
| | — |
| | 296,597 |
| Total assets | $ | 2,207,862 |
| | $ | 4,041,883 |
| | $ | 1,802,703 |
| | $ | 2,885,354 |
| | $ | (5,812,277 | ) | | $ | 5,125,525 |
| Liabilities and Partners’ Equity | | | | | | | | | | | | Payables | $ | 12 |
| | $ | 52,650 |
| | $ | 11,193 |
| | $ | 76,091 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 139,946 |
| Short-term debt | — |
| | 84,000 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 84,000 |
| Accrued interest payable | — |
| | 34,271 |
| | — |
| | 15 |
| | — |
| | 34,286 |
| Accrued liabilities | 723 |
| | 32,816 |
| | 5,753 |
| | 15,902 |
| | — |
| | 55,194 |
| Taxes other than income tax | 126 |
| | 6,452 |
| | 3,325 |
| | 2,907 |
| | — |
| | 12,810 |
| Income tax payable | — |
| | 1,362 |
| | 9 |
| | 4,606 |
| | — |
| | 5,977 |
| Intercompany payable | 508,363 |
| | — |
| | 858,018 |
| | 243,989 |
| | (1,610,370 | ) | | — |
| Total current liabilities | 509,224 |
| | 211,551 |
| | 878,298 |
| | 343,510 |
| | (1,610,370 | ) | | 332,213 |
| Long-term debt | — |
| | 3,002,743 |
| | — |
| | 52,869 |
| | — |
| | 3,055,612 |
| Long-term payable to related party | — |
| | 26,638 |
| | — |
| | 5,442 |
| | — |
| | 32,080 |
| Deferred income tax liability | — |
| | 1,143 |
| | 36 |
| | 24,810 |
| | (1,179 | ) | | 24,810 |
| Other long-term liabilities | — |
| | 37,209 |
| | 9,294 |
| | 24,463 |
| | — |
| | 70,966 |
| Total partners’ equity | 1,698,638 |
| | 762,599 |
| | 915,075 |
| | 2,434,260 |
| | (4,200,728 | ) | | 1,609,844 |
| Total liabilities and partners’ equity | $ | 2,207,862 |
| | $ | 4,041,883 |
| | $ | 1,802,703 |
| | $ | 2,885,354 |
| | $ | (5,812,277 | ) | | $ | 5,125,525 |
|
|
| Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income [Table Text Block] |
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2016 (Thousands of Dollars) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NuStar Energy | | NuStar Logistics | | NuPOP | | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | | Eliminations | | Consolidated | Revenues | $ | — |
| | $ | 126,578 |
| | $ | 47,985 |
| | $ | 231,476 |
| | $ | (336 | ) | | $ | 405,703 |
| Costs and expenses | 518 |
| | 68,891 |
| | 31,015 |
| | 211,050 |
| | (336 | ) | | 311,138 |
| Operating (loss) income | (518 | ) | | 57,687 |
| | 16,970 |
| | 20,426 |
| | — |
| | 94,565 |
| Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries | 57,922 |
| | (3,115 | ) | | 25,283 |
| | 43,743 |
| | (123,833 | ) | | — |
| Interest (expense) income, net | — |
| | (39,632 | ) | | 1,508 |
| | 8,352 |
| | (4,351 | ) | | (34,123 | ) | Other income (expense), net | — |
| | 1 |
| | (17 | ) | | (155 | ) | | — |
| | (171 | ) | Income before income tax expense | 57,404 |
| | 14,941 |
| | 43,744 |
| | 72,366 |
| | (128,184 | ) | | 60,271 |
| Income tax expense | 3 |
| | 346 |
| | 2 |
| | 2,519 |
| | — |
| | 2,870 |
| Net income | $ | 57,401 |
| | $ | 14,595 |
| | $ | 43,742 |
| | $ | 69,847 |
| | $ | (128,184 | ) | | $ | 57,401 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Comprehensive income (loss) | $ | 57,401 |
| | $ | (13,161 | ) | | $ | 43,742 |
| | $ | 82,825 |
| | $ | (128,184 | ) | | $ | 42,623 |
|
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 (Thousands of Dollars) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NuStar Energy | | NuStar Logistics | | NuPOP | | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | | Eliminations | | Consolidated | Revenues | $ | — |
| | $ | 134,036 |
| | $ | 52,574 |
| | $ | 368,661 |
| | $ | (327 | ) | | $ | 554,944 |
| Costs and expenses | 490 |
| | 72,906 |
| | 33,124 |
| | 349,512 |
| | (369 | ) | | 455,663 |
| Operating (loss) income | (490 | ) | | 61,130 |
| | 19,450 |
| | 19,149 |
| | 42 |
| | 99,281 |
| Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries | 128,389 |
| | (4,164 | ) | | 81,699 |
| | 101,273 |
| | (307,197 | ) | | — |
| Interest (expense) income, net | — |
| | (32,174 | ) | | 119 |
| | 18 |
| | — |
| | (32,037 | ) | Other income, net | — |
| | 1,340 |
| | 2 |
| | 60,926 |
| | — |
| | 62,268 |
| Income from continuing operations before income tax (benefit) expense | 127,899 |
| | 26,132 |
| | 101,270 |
| | 181,366 |
| | (307,155 | ) | | 129,512 |
| Income tax (benefit) expense | — |
| | (1,026 | ) | | — |
| | 3,413 |
| | — |
| | 2,387 |
| Income from continuing operations | 127,899 |
| | 27,158 |
| | 101,270 |
| | 177,953 |
| | (307,155 | ) | | 127,125 |
| Income from discontinued operations, net of tax | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 774 |
| | — |
| | 774 |
| Net income | $ | 127,899 |
| | $ | 27,158 |
| | $ | 101,270 |
| | $ | 178,727 |
| | $ | (307,155 | ) | | $ | 127,899 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Comprehensive income | $ | 127,899 |
| | $ | 27,661 |
| | $ | 101,270 |
| | $ | 158,123 |
| | $ | (307,155 | ) | | $ | 107,798 |
|
|
| Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows [Text Block] |
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2016 (Thousands of Dollars) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NuStar Energy | | NuStar Logistics | | NuPOP | | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | | Eliminations | | Consolidated | Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 97,539 |
| | $ | 7,958 |
| | $ | 18,028 |
| | $ | 129,635 |
| | $ | (151,433 | ) | | $ | 101,727 |
| Cash flows from investing activities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Capital expenditures | — |
| | (28,899 | ) | | (5,442 | ) | | (11,835 | ) | | — |
| | (46,176 | ) | Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures | — |
| | (7,637 | ) | | (74 | ) | | (4,952 | ) | | — |
| | (12,663 | ) | Net cash used in investing activities | — |
| | (36,536 | ) | | (5,516 | ) | | (16,787 | ) | | — |
| | (58,839 | ) | Cash flows from financing activities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Debt borrowings | — |
| | 296,089 |
| | — |
| | 6,000 |
| | — |
| | 302,089 |
| Debt repayments | — |
| | (219,709 | ) | | — |
| | (11,000 | ) | | — |
| | (230,709 | ) | Distributions to unitholders and general partner | (98,051 | ) | | (49,026 | ) | | (49,025 | ) | | (49,031 | ) | | 147,082 |
| | (98,051 | ) | Net intercompany activity | 507 |
| | 2,998 |
| | 36,513 |
| | (44,369 | ) | | 4,351 |
| | — |
| Other, net | (1 | ) | | (1,774 | ) | | — |
| | (7,029 | ) | | — |
| | (8,804 | ) | Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (97,545 | ) | | 28,578 |
| | (12,512 | ) | | (105,429 | ) | | 151,433 |
| | (35,475 | ) | Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 4,642 |
| | — |
| | 4,642 |
| Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents | (6 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| | 12,061 |
| | — |
| | 12,055 |
| Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period | 885 |
| | 4 |
| | — |
| | 117,973 |
| | — |
| | 118,862 |
| Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period | $ | 879 |
| | $ | 4 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 130,034 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 130,917 |
|
Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 (Thousands of Dollars) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NuStar Energy | | NuStar Logistics | | NuPOP | | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | | Eliminations | | Consolidated | Net cash provided by operating activities | $ | 97,235 |
| | $ | 40,425 |
| | $ | 35,918 |
| | $ | 96,086 |
| | $ | (147,082 | ) | | $ | 122,582 |
| Cash flows from investing activities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Capital expenditures | — |
| | (58,476 | ) | | (4,651 | ) | | (9,753 | ) | | — |
| | (72,880 | ) | Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures | — |
| | (8,554 | ) | | (516 | ) | | (4,394 | ) | | — |
| | (13,464 | ) | Acquisitions | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (142,500 | ) | | — |
| | (142,500 | ) | Investment in other long-term assets | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (2,177 | ) | | — |
| | (2,177 | ) | Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets | — |
| | 9 |
| | 4 |
| | 1,172 |
| | — |
| | 1,185 |
| Net cash used in investing activities | — |
| | (67,021 | ) | | (5,163 | ) | | (157,652 | ) | | — |
| | (229,836 | ) | Cash flows from financing activities: | | | | | | | | | | | | Debt borrowings | — |
| | 493,532 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 493,532 |
| Debt repayments | — |
| | (277,166 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (277,166 | ) | Distributions to unitholders and general partner | (98,051 | ) | | (49,025 | ) | | (49,026 | ) | | (49,031 | ) | | 147,082 |
| | (98,051 | ) | Net intercompany activity | 816 |
| | (134,700 | ) | | 18,271 |
| | 115,613 |
| | — |
| | — |
| Other, net | — |
| | (6,045 | ) | | — |
| | (8,259 | ) | | — |
| | (14,304 | ) | Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (97,235 | ) | | 26,596 |
| | (30,755 | ) | | 58,323 |
| | 147,082 |
| | 104,011 |
| Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (6,486 | ) | | — |
| | (6,486 | ) | Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (9,729 | ) | | — |
| | (9,729 | ) | Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period | 923 |
| | 6 |
| | — |
| | 86,983 |
| | — |
| | 87,912 |
| Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period | $ | 923 |
| | $ | 6 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 77,254 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 78,183 |
|
|