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CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Table 3 - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Mar. 31, 2017
Cash flows from operating activities:    
Net cash provided by operating activities $ 123,164 $ 83,980
Cash flows from investing activities:    
Capital expenditures (137,874) (45,732)
Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures (12,018) (6,820)
Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets 19 1,859
Proceeds from insurance recoveries 78,419 0
Proceeds from Axeon term loan 0 110,000
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities (71,454) 59,307
Cash flows from financing activities:    
Debt borrowings 349,711 410,266
Debt repayments (274,421) (455,194)
Distributions to preferred unitholders (16,680) (5,883)
Distributions to common unitholders and general partner (115,272) (99,021)
Net intercompany activity 0 0
Other, net (4,184) (2,218)
Net cash used in financing activities (60,846) (152,050)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash (28) 26
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (9,164) (8,737)
Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period 24,292 35,942
Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period 15,128 27,205
Eliminations [Member]    
Cash flows from operating activities:    
Net cash provided by operating activities (197,937) (157,360)
Cash flows from investing activities:    
Capital expenditures 0 0
Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures 0 0
Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets 0 0
Proceeds from insurance recoveries 0  
Proceeds from Axeon term loan   0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 0 0
Cash flows from financing activities:    
Debt borrowings 0 0
Debt repayments 0 0
Distributions to preferred unitholders 25,021 8,824
Distributions to common unitholders and general partner 172,916 148,536
Net intercompany activity 0 0
Other, net 0 0
Net cash used in financing activities 197,937 157,360
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash 0 0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 0 0
Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period 0 0
Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period 0 0
Parent Company Guarantor [Member] | NuStar Energy | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]    
Cash flows from operating activities:    
Net cash provided by operating activities 130,847 103,517
Cash flows from investing activities:    
Capital expenditures 0 0
Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures 0 0
Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets 0 0
Proceeds from insurance recoveries 0  
Proceeds from Axeon term loan   0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 0 0
Cash flows from financing activities:    
Debt borrowings 0 0
Debt repayments 0 0
Distributions to preferred unitholders (16,680) (5,883)
Distributions to common unitholders and general partner (115,272) (99,021)
Net intercompany activity 2,053 3,196
Other, net (975) (1,933)
Net cash used in financing activities (130,874) (103,641)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash 0 0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (27) (124)
Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period 885 870
Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period 858 746
Subsidiary Issuer [Member] | NuStar Logistics | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]    
Cash flows from operating activities:    
Net cash provided by operating activities 16,855 35,964
Cash flows from investing activities:    
Capital expenditures (6,815) (7,671)
Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures (1,946) (4,908)
Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets 6 1,833
Proceeds from insurance recoveries 0  
Proceeds from Axeon term loan   110,000
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities (8,755) 99,254
Cash flows from financing activities:    
Debt borrowings 348,411 404,166
Debt repayments (268,621) (451,694)
Distributions to preferred unitholders (8,341) (2,941)
Distributions to common unitholders and general partner (57,636) (49,511)
Net intercompany activity (18,769) (34,952)
Other, net (3,147) (285)
Net cash used in financing activities (8,103) (135,217)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash 0 0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (3) 1
Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period 29 5
Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period 26 6
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | NuPOP | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]    
Cash flows from operating activities:    
Net cash provided by operating activities 25,112 23,855
Cash flows from investing activities:    
Capital expenditures (2,440) (1,761)
Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures (5,700) (1,103)
Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets 4 6
Proceeds from insurance recoveries 0  
Proceeds from Axeon term loan   0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities (8,136) (2,858)
Cash flows from financing activities:    
Debt borrowings 0 0
Debt repayments 0 0
Distributions to preferred unitholders (8,340) (2,941)
Distributions to common unitholders and general partner (57,635) (49,511)
Net intercompany activity 48,999 31,455
Other, net 0 0
Net cash used in financing activities (16,976) (20,997)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash 0 0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 0 0
Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period 0 0
Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period 0 0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]    
Cash flows from operating activities:    
Net cash provided by operating activities 148,287 78,004
Cash flows from investing activities:    
Capital expenditures (128,619) (36,300)
Change in accounts payable related to capital expenditures (4,372) (809)
Proceeds from sale or disposition of assets 9 20
Proceeds from insurance recoveries 78,419  
Proceeds from Axeon term loan   0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities (54,563) (37,089)
Cash flows from financing activities:    
Debt borrowings 1,300 6,100
Debt repayments (5,800) (3,500)
Distributions to preferred unitholders (8,340) (2,942)
Distributions to common unitholders and general partner (57,645) (49,514)
Net intercompany activity (32,283) 301
Other, net (62) 0
Net cash used in financing activities (102,830) (49,555)
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash (28) 26
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (9,134) (8,614)
Cash and cash equivalents as of the beginning of the period 23,378 35,067
Cash and cash equivalents as of the end of the period $ 14,244 $ 26,453