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Leases (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
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1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Jan. 31, 2008
lease_extension
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Dec. 31, 2012
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Dec. 31, 2011
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Dec. 31, 2010
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Dec. 31, 2012
Land [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Land [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
Land [Member]
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Feb. 28, 2005
Sabine Pass LNG, LP [Member]
Land [Member]
acre
lease_extension
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Jan. 31, 2005
Sabine Pass LNG, LP [Member]
Land [Member]
lease
lease_extension
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Dec. 31, 2012
Sabine Pass LNG, LP [Member]
Land [Member]
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Jul. 31, 2012
Sabine Pass LNG, LP [Member]
Land [Member]
acre
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Dec. 31, 2011
Sabine Pass Liquefaction [Member]
Land [Member]
lease_extension
acre
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Nov. 30, 2011
Sabine Pass Liquefaction [Member]
Land [Member]
acre
lease_extension
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| Operating Leased Assets [Line Items] | |||||||||||||
| Number of land leases entered into | 3 | ||||||||||||
| Rental expense recognized | $ 10,000,000 | $ 9,200,000 | $ 9,100,000 | $ 2,300,000 | $ 1,800,000 | $ 1,700,000 | $ 1,500,000 | $ 257,800 | $ 138,000 | ||||
| Initial term of the lease | 30 years | 30 years | 5 years | ||||||||||
| Number Of Available Lease Extensions | 6 | 6 | 5 | ||||||||||
| Term of available extension | 5 years | 10 years | 10 years | 1 year | |||||||||
| Acreage under lease | 853 | 0 | 80.6 | 80.7 | |||||||||
| Lease adjustment period due to inflation | 5 years | ||||||||||||
| Initial term of the Tug Boat Agreement | 10 years | ||||||||||||
| Number of additional renewal options under the Tug Boat Agreement | 2 | ||||||||||||