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CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Table 4 - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Dec. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015
Cash flows from operating activities:      
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities $ 406,799 $ 436,761 $ 524,937
Cash flows from investing activities:      
Capital expenditures (384,638) (204,358) (324,808)
Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures 36,903 (11,063) (3,156)
Acquisitions (1,461,719) (95,657) (142,500)
Proceeds from Axeon term loan 110,000 0 0
Proceeds from insurance recoveries 977 0 4,867
Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets 2,036 0 17,132
Investment in other long-term assets 0 0 (3,564)
Investment in subsidiaries 0 0  
Net cash used in investing activities (1,696,441) (311,078) (452,029)
Cash flows from financing activities:      
Debt borrowings 3,060,100 1,406,729 1,683,631
Debt repayments (2,487,539) (1,456,152) (1,316,910)
Proceeds from issuance of preferred units, net of issuance costs 538,560 218,400 0
Proceeds from issuance of common units, net of issuance costs 643,878 27,710 0
Contributions from general partner 13,737 680 0
Distributions to preferred unitholders (38,833) 0 0
Distributions to common unitholders and general partner (446,306) (392,962) (392,204)
Contributions from (distributions to) affiliates 0 0  
Net intercompany activity 0 0 0
Other, net (7,325) (15,729) (3,746)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 1,276,272 (211,324) (29,229)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash 1,720 2,721 (12,729)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents (11,650) (82,920) 30,950
Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period 35,942 118,862 87,912
Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period 24,292 35,942 118,862
Eliminations      
Cash flows from operating activities:      
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities (737,138) (694,011) (588,326)
Cash flows from investing activities:      
Capital expenditures 0 0 0
Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures 0 0 0
Acquisitions 0 0 0
Proceeds from Axeon term loan 0    
Proceeds from insurance recoveries 0   0
Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets 0   0
Investment in other long-term assets     0
Investment in subsidiaries 1,262,126 212,900  
Net cash used in investing activities 1,262,126 212,900 0
Cash flows from financing activities:      
Debt borrowings 0 0 0
Debt repayments 0 0 0
Proceeds from issuance of preferred units, net of issuance costs 0 0  
Proceeds from issuance of common units, net of issuance costs 0 0  
Contributions from general partner 0 0  
Distributions to preferred unitholders 58,251    
Distributions to common unitholders and general partner 669,482 589,463 588,326
Contributions from (distributions to) affiliates (1,252,721) (108,352)  
Net intercompany activity 0 0 0
Other, net 0 0 0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (524,988) 481,111 588,326
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash 0 0 0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents 0 0 0
Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period 0 0 0
Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period 0 0 0
Parent Company Guarantor [Member] | NuStar Energy | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]      
Cash flows from operating activities:      
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 483,481 391,773 389,967
Cash flows from investing activities:      
Capital expenditures 0 0 0
Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures 0 0 0
Acquisitions 0 0 0
Proceeds from Axeon term loan 0    
Proceeds from insurance recoveries 0   0
Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets 0   0
Investment in other long-term assets     0
Investment in subsidiaries (1,262,000) 0  
Net cash used in investing activities (1,262,000) 0 0
Cash flows from financing activities:      
Debt borrowings 0 0 0
Debt repayments 0 0 0
Proceeds from issuance of preferred units, net of issuance costs 538,560 218,400  
Proceeds from issuance of common units, net of issuance costs 643,878 27,710  
Contributions from general partner 13,737 680  
Distributions to preferred unitholders (38,833)    
Distributions to common unitholders and general partner (446,306) (392,962) (392,204)
Contributions from (distributions to) affiliates 0 0  
Net intercompany activity 73,206 (241,131) 2,199
Other, net (5,708) (4,485) 0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 778,534 (391,788) (390,005)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash 0 0 0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents 15 (15) (38)
Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period 870 885 923
Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period 885 870 885
Subsidiary Issuer [Member] | NuStar Logistics | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]      
Cash flows from operating activities:      
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 152,101 167,900 237,780
Cash flows from investing activities:      
Capital expenditures (47,600) (64,334) (201,388)
Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures (1,988) (10,076) (4,950)
Acquisitions 0 (95,657) 0
Proceeds from Axeon term loan 110,000    
Proceeds from insurance recoveries 0   0
Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets 1,955   10,320
Investment in other long-term assets     0
Investment in subsidiaries 0 0  
Net cash used in investing activities 62,367 (170,067) (196,018)
Cash flows from financing activities:      
Debt borrowings 2,969,400 1,365,529 1,589,131
Debt repayments (2,400,739) (1,419,852) (1,275,910)
Proceeds from issuance of preferred units, net of issuance costs 0 0  
Proceeds from issuance of common units, net of issuance costs 0 0  
Contributions from general partner 0 0  
Distributions to preferred unitholders (19,417)    
Distributions to common unitholders and general partner (223,153) (196,481) (196,102)
Contributions from (distributions to) affiliates 1,262,000 0  
Net intercompany activity (1,801,218) 255,326 (155,278)
Other, net (1,317) (2,354) (3,605)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (214,444) 2,168 (41,764)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash 0 0 0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents 24 1 (2)
Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period 5 4 6
Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period 29 5 4
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | NuPOP | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]      
Cash flows from operating activities:      
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 102,405 211,816 119,928
Cash flows from investing activities:      
Capital expenditures (35,041) (52,637) (39,533)
Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures 5,964 (285) 33
Acquisitions 0 0 0
Proceeds from Axeon term loan 0    
Proceeds from insurance recoveries 0   0
Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets 18   22
Investment in other long-term assets     0
Investment in subsidiaries 0 (212,900)  
Net cash used in investing activities (29,059) (265,822) (39,478)
Cash flows from financing activities:      
Debt borrowings 0 0 0
Debt repayments 0 0 0
Proceeds from issuance of preferred units, net of issuance costs 0 0  
Proceeds from issuance of common units, net of issuance costs 0 0  
Contributions from general partner 0 0  
Distributions to preferred unitholders (19,416)    
Distributions to common unitholders and general partner (223,153) (196,481) (196,102)
Contributions from (distributions to) affiliates 0 0  
Net intercompany activity 169,223 250,487 115,652
Other, net 0 0 0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (73,346) 54,006 (80,450)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash 0 0 0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents 0 0 0
Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period 0 0 0
Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period 0 0 0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]      
Cash flows from operating activities:      
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 405,950 359,283 365,588
Cash flows from investing activities:      
Capital expenditures (301,997) (87,387) (83,887)
Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures 32,927 (702) 1,761
Acquisitions (1,461,719) 0 (142,500)
Proceeds from Axeon term loan 0    
Proceeds from insurance recoveries 977   4,867
Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets 63   6,790
Investment in other long-term assets     (3,564)
Investment in subsidiaries (126) 0  
Net cash used in investing activities (1,729,875) (88,089) (216,533)
Cash flows from financing activities:      
Debt borrowings 90,700 41,200 94,500
Debt repayments (86,800) (36,300) (41,000)
Proceeds from issuance of preferred units, net of issuance costs 0 0  
Proceeds from issuance of common units, net of issuance costs 0 0  
Contributions from general partner 0 0  
Distributions to preferred unitholders (19,418)    
Distributions to common unitholders and general partner (223,176) (196,501) (196,122)
Contributions from (distributions to) affiliates (9,279) 108,352  
Net intercompany activity 1,558,789 (264,682) 37,427
Other, net (300) (8,890) (141)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 1,310,516 (356,821) (105,336)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash 1,720 2,721 (12,729)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents (11,689) (82,906) 30,990
Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period 35,067 117,973 86,983
Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period $ 23,378 $ 35,067 $ 117,973