Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Business Segment Information (Details)

v2.4.0.6
Business Segment Information (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Sep. 30, 2012
Jun. 30, 2012
Mar. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Sep. 30, 2011
Jun. 30, 2011
Mar. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting, Measurement Disclosures [Abstract]                      
Revenues                 $ 266,220 $ 290,444 $ 291,513
Intersegment Revenues (losses)                 0 [1],[2],[3],[4] 0 [1],[2],[3],[4] 0 [1],[2],[3],[4]
Depreciation, depletion and amortization                 66,407 63,405 63,251
Non-cash compensation                 61,047 26,364 17,878
Income (loss) from operations (15,915) (54,517) (6,121) 721 7,764 10,355 16,461 23,566 (75,832) 58,146 104,623
Interest expense, net                 (200,811) (259,393) (262,046)
Goodwill 76,819       76,819       76,819 76,819 76,819
Total assets 4,639,085       2,915,325       4,639,085 2,915,325 2,553,508
Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets                 1,234,715 10,623 5,777
LNG terminal business [Member]
                      
Segment Reporting, Measurement Disclosures [Abstract]                      
Revenues                 274,037 274,322 269,633
Intersegment Revenues (losses)                 (8,137) (14,655) (131,209)
Depreciation, depletion and amortization                 62,547 60,062 57,746
Non-cash compensation                 7,539 2,646 2,317
Income (loss) from operations                 5,176 119,337 251,796
Interest expense, net                 218,143 219,323 244,633
Goodwill 76,819       76,819       76,819 76,819 76,819
Total assets 4,411,396       2,413,284       4,411,396 2,413,284 2,453,179
Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets                 1,233,577 9,875 4,583
LNG terminal business [Member] | Terminal Use Agreement (TUA), Fee and Tug Revenue (Expense) [Member]
                      
Segment Reporting, Measurement Disclosures [Abstract]                      
Intersegment Revenues (losses)                     (125,500)
LNG terminal business [Member] | Cheniere Marketing, LLC [Member]
                      
Segment Reporting, Measurement Disclosures [Abstract]                      
Proceeds (payments) of gross margin earned, percentage                 80.00%    
Sabine Pass LNG terminal [Member]
                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Storage capacity                 16.9    
Volume of vessel 265,000               265,000    
Regasification capacity 4.0               4.0    
Corpus Christi LNG [Member]
                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Business segment ownership percentage 100.00%               100.00%    
Creole Trail LNG [Member]
                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Business segment ownership percentage 100.00%               100.00%    
LNG and natural gas marketing business [Member]
                      
Segment Reporting, Measurement Disclosures [Abstract]                      
Revenues                 4,182 13,554 19,022
Intersegment Revenues (losses)                 (5,354) 13,731 129,137
Depreciation, depletion and amortization                 2,067 1,105 1,087
Non-cash compensation                 11,485 9,258 5,791
Income (loss) from operations                 (35,988) (28,380) (131,891)
Interest expense, net                 (12) 0 0
Goodwill 0       0       0 0 0
Total assets 62,797       67,792       62,797 67,792 96,781
Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets                 (374) 16 (349)
LNG and natural gas marketing business [Member] | Terminal Use Agreement (TUA), Fee and Tug Revenue (Expense) [Member]
                      
Segment Reporting, Measurement Disclosures [Abstract]                      
Intersegment Revenues (losses)                     125,500
LNG and natural gas marketing business [Member] | Cheniere Marketing, LLC [Member]
                      
Segment Reporting, Measurement Disclosures [Abstract]                      
Proceeds (payments) of gross margin earned, percentage                 80.00%    
Corporate and Other [Member]
                      
Segment Reporting, Measurement Disclosures [Abstract]                      
Revenues                 (11,999) 2,568 2,858
Intersegment Revenues (losses)                 13,491 924 2,072
Depreciation, depletion and amortization                 1,793 2,238 4,418
Non-cash compensation                 42,023 14,460 9,770
Income (loss) from operations                 (45,020) (32,811) (15,282)
Interest expense, net                 (17,320) 40,070 17,413
Goodwill 0       0       0 0 0
Total assets 164,892       434,249       164,892 434,249 3,548
Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets                 $ 1,512 $ 732 $ 1,543
[1] Intersegment revenues related to our LNG terminal segment are primarily from TUA capacity reservation fee revenues and tug revenues of $125.5 million that were received from our LNG and natural gas marketing segment for the year ended December 31, 2010. These LNG terminal segment intersegment revenues are eliminated with intersegment expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
[2]
[3] Intersegment losses related to our LNG and natural gas marketing segment are primarily from TUA capacity reservation fee expenses and tug costs of $125.5 million that were incurred from our LNG terminal segment for the year ended December 31, 2010. These costs and expenses are classified as marketing trading gains (losses) as they are considered capacity contracts related to our energy trading and risk management activities. These LNG and natural gas marketing segment intersegment costs and expenses are eliminated with intersegment revenues in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
[4] Intersegment losses related to corporate and other are from various transactions between our LNG terminal and LNG and natural gas marketing segments in which revenue recorded by one operating segment is eliminated with a non-revenue line item (i.e., operating expense or is capitalized) by the other operating segment.