| 
           Business Segment Information (Details) (USD $) 
        In Thousands, unless otherwise specified  | 
        12 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 
           Dec. 31, 2011 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2010 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2009 
         | 
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| Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | $ 290,444 | $ 291,513 | $ 181,126 | |||||||||||||||||
| Intersegment Revenues (losses) | 0 | 0 | [1],[2],[3],[4] | 0 | [1],[2],[3],[4] | |||||||||||||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 63,405 | 63,251 | 54,229 | |||||||||||||||||
| Non-cash compensation | 26,364 | 17,878 | 19,196 | |||||||||||||||||
| Income (loss) from operations | 58,146 | 104,623 | 23,496 | |||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense, net | (259,393) | (262,046) | (243,295) | |||||||||||||||||
| Goodwill | 76,819 | 76,819 | 76,819 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total assets | 2,915,325 | 2,553,507 | 2,732,622 | |||||||||||||||||
| Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets | 10,623 | 5,777 | 102,794 | |||||||||||||||||
| 
           LNG terminal business [Member] 
         | 
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| Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | 274,272 | 269,538 | 170,071 | |||||||||||||||||
| Intersegment Revenues (losses) | 14,607 | [5],[6] | 130,954 | [1],[2],[3],[4] | 252,928 | [1],[2],[3],[4] | ||||||||||||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 43,421 | 42,683 | 33,203 | |||||||||||||||||
| Non-cash compensation | 2,096 | 1,764 | 1,300 | |||||||||||||||||
| Income (loss) from operations | 143,615 | 273,810 | 333,710 | |||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense, net | (173,590) | (199,405) | (157,057) | |||||||||||||||||
| Goodwill | 76,819 | 76,819 | 76,819 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total assets | 1,875,613 | 1,899,130 | 2,013,618 | |||||||||||||||||
| Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets | 9,617 | 4,528 | 106,628 | |||||||||||||||||
| 
           LNG terminal business [Member] | Terminal Use Agreement (TUA), Fee and Tug Revenue (Expense) [Member] 
         | 
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| Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Intersegment Revenues (losses) | (125,500) | (250,200) | ||||||||||||||||||
| 
           LNG terminal business [Member] | Cheniere Marketing, LLC [Member] 
         | 
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| Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Proceeds (payments) of gross margin earned, percentage | 80.00% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 
           Sabine Pass LNG terminal [Member] 
         | 
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| Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Business segment ownership percentage | 88.80% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 
           Corpus Christi LNG [Member] 
         | 
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| Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Business segment ownership percentage | 100.00% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 
           Creole Trail LNG [Member] 
         | 
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| Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Business segment ownership percentage | 100.00% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 
           Natural Gas Pipeline Business [Member] 
         | 
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| Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length of natural gas pipeline | 94 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | 50 | 95 | 102 | |||||||||||||||||
| Intersegment Revenues (losses) | 48 | [5],[6] | 255 | [1],[2],[3],[4] | 932 | [1],[2],[3],[4] | ||||||||||||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 16,641 | 15,063 | 14,731 | |||||||||||||||||
| Non-cash compensation | 550 | 553 | 583 | |||||||||||||||||
| Income (loss) from operations | (24,278) | (22,014) | (21,453) | |||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense, net | (45,733) | (45,228) | (44,912) | |||||||||||||||||
| Goodwill | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total assets | 537,671 | 554,049 | 569,626 | |||||||||||||||||
| Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets | 258 | 55 | (4,376) | |||||||||||||||||
| 
           LNG and natural gas marketing business [Member] 
         | 
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| Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | 13,554 | 19,022 | 8,087 | |||||||||||||||||
| Intersegment Revenues (losses) | (13,731) | [5],[6] | (129,137) | [1],[2],[3],[4] | (249,196) | [1],[2],[3],[4] | ||||||||||||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 1,105 | 1,087 | 1,505 | |||||||||||||||||
| Non-cash compensation | 9,258 | 5,791 | 5,661 | |||||||||||||||||
| Income (loss) from operations | (28,380) | (131,891) | (260,514) | |||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense, net | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Goodwill | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total assets | 67,792 | 96,781 | 147,164 | |||||||||||||||||
| Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets | 16 | (349) | 1,081 | |||||||||||||||||
| 
           LNG and natural gas marketing business [Member] | Terminal Use Agreement (TUA), Fee and Tug Revenue (Expense) [Member] 
         | 
        ||||||||||||||||||||
| Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Intersegment Revenues (losses) | 125,500 | 250,200 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 
           LNG and natural gas marketing business [Member] | Cheniere Marketing, LLC [Member] 
         | 
        ||||||||||||||||||||
| Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Proceeds (payments) of gross margin earned, percentage | 80.00% | |||||||||||||||||||
| 
           Corporate and Other [Member] 
         | 
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| Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | 2,568 | [7] | 2,858 | [7] | 2,866 | [7] | ||||||||||||||
| Intersegment Revenues (losses) | (924) | [5],[6] | (2,072) | [1],[2],[3],[4] | (4,664) | [1],[2],[3],[4] | ||||||||||||||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortization | 2,238 | [7] | 4,418 | [7] | 4,790 | [7] | ||||||||||||||
| Non-cash compensation | 14,460 | [7] | 9,770 | [7] | 11,652 | [7] | ||||||||||||||
| Income (loss) from operations | (32,811) | [7] | (15,282) | [7] | (28,247) | [7] | ||||||||||||||
| Interest expense, net | (40,070) | [7] | (17,413) | [7] | (41,326) | [7] | ||||||||||||||
| Goodwill | 0 | [7] | 0 | [7] | 0 | [7] | ||||||||||||||
| Total assets | 434,249 | [7] | 3,548 | [7] | 2,214 | [7] | ||||||||||||||
| Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets | $ 732 | [7] | $ 1,543 | [7] | $ (539) | [7] | ||||||||||||||
          
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