Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Long-Term Debt - 2021 Convertible Unsecured Notes (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Long-Term Debt - 2021 Convertible Unsecured Notes (Details) (2021 Convertible Unsecured Notes [Member], USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Nov. 30, 2014
2021 Convertible Unsecured Notes [Member]
       
Debt Instrument [Line Items]        
Debt Instrument, Face Amount       $ 1,000,000,000.0us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 4.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
     
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Earliest date of conversion, Period after closing 1 year      
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Price $ 93.64us-gaap_DebtInstrumentConvertibleConversionPrice1
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
     
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Stock Price Trigger $ 93.64us-gaap_DebtInstrumentConvertibleStockPriceTrigger
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
     
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Fair value of debt component       808,800,000us-gaap_ConvertibleDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Carrying Amount of Equity Component       191,200,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentConvertibleCarryingAmountOfTheEquityComponent
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage 9.16%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
     
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Remaining Discount Amortization Period 6 years 4 months 26 days      
PIK interest per contractual rate 4,469,000us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebtExcludingAmortization
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
0us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebtExcludingAmortization
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
0us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebtExcludingAmortization
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
 
Amortization of debt discount 2,328,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfDebtDiscountPremium
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
0us-gaap_AmortizationOfDebtDiscountPremium
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
0us-gaap_AmortizationOfDebtDiscountPremium
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
 
Amortization of debt issuance costs 4,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfFinancingCosts
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
0us-gaap_AmortizationOfFinancingCosts
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
0us-gaap_AmortizationOfFinancingCosts
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
 
Total interest expense related to 2021 Convertible Unsecured Notes $ 6,801,000us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
$ 0us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember
$ 0us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= lng_A2021ConvertibleUnsecuredNotesMember