| Schedule of capitalized terminal, natural gas pipeline, LNG site and related costs | 
Property, plant and equipment consists of LNG terminal and natural gas pipeline costs, investments in oil and gas properties, and fixed assets, as follows (in thousands): 
|  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|   | March 31, |   | December 31, |  
|   | 2013 |   | 2012 |  
| LNG terminal costs |   |   |   |  
| LNG terminal | $ | 1,651,101 | 
 |   | $ | 1,651,106 | 
 |  
| LNG terminal construction-in-process | 1,815,032 | 
 |   | 1,267,371 | 
 |  
| LNG site and related costs, net | 5,396 | 
 |   | 5,398 | 
 |  
| Accumulated depreciation | (178,076 | ) |   | (167,472 | ) |  
| Total LNG terminal costs, net | $ | 3,293,453 | 
 |   | $ | 2,756,403 | 
 |  
|   |   |   |   |  
| Natural gas pipeline costs |   | 
 |   |   | 
 |  
| Natural gas pipeline | $ | 564,145 | 
 |   | $ | 564,034 | 
 |  
| Natural gas pipeline construction-in-process | 11,033 | 
 |   | 2,427 | 
 |  
| Pipeline right-of-ways | 18,455 | 
 |   | 18,455 | 
 |  
| Accumulated depreciation | (71,545 | ) |   | (67,803 | ) |  
| Total natural gas pipeline costs, net | $ | 522,088 | 
 |   | $ | 517,113 | 
 |  
|   |   |   |   |  
| Oil and gas properties, successful efforts method |   | 
 |   |   | 
 |  
| Proved | $ | 3,925 | 
 |   | $ | 3,917 | 
 |  
| Accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization | (3,249 | ) |   | (3,209 | ) |  
| Total oil and gas properties, net | $ | 676 | 
 |   | $ | 708 | 
 |  
|   |   |   |   |  
| Fixed assets |   | 
 |   |   | 
 |  
| Computer and office equipment | $ | 7,298 | 
 |   | $ | 7,014 | 
 |  
| Furniture and fixtures | 4,145 | 
 |   | 4,057 | 
 |  
| Computer software | 13,015 | 
 |   | 13,012 | 
 |  
| Leasehold improvements | 7,022 | 
 |   | 6,989 | 
 |  
| Other | 3,321 | 
 |   | 2,927 | 
 |  
| Accumulated depreciation | (26,719 | ) |   | (25,918 | ) |  
| Total fixed assets, net | $ | 8,082 | 
 |   | $ | 8,081 | 
 |  
| Property, plant and equipment, net | $ | 3,824,299 | 
 |   | $ | 3,282,305 | 
 |  |