| 
           Variable Interest Entity (Details) (USD $) 
        In Millions, unless otherwise specified  | 
        12 Months Ended | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 
           Dec. 31, 2011 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2009 
         | 
      |
| Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] | |||
| Marketing and trading revenues | $ 2.5 | $ 2.3 | $ 8.6 | 
| 
           JPMorgan LNG Co (LNGCo) [Member] 
         | 
        |||
| Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] | |||
| Marketing and trading revenues | 12.0 | 10.1 | |
| 
           Cheniere Marketing, LLC [Member] 
         | 
        |||
| Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] | |||
| Variable Interest Entity, Classification of Carrying Amount, Assets | $ 3.0 | ||
| X | ||||||||||
| 
             
- Definition 
          Marketing and trading revenues No definition available. 
  | 
        
| X | ||||||||||
| 
             
- Details 
          
  | 
        
| X | ||||||||||
| 
             
- Definition 
          The carrying amount of the assets in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the reporting entity's variable interest in the Variable Interest Entity (VIE). Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef 
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