Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Share-Based Compensation (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Share-Based Compensation (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Feb. 01, 2013
Jan. 31, 2013
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]        
Share-based compensation, net of capitalization $ 16,140,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense $ 35,942,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense    
Share-based compensation capitalized during period 1,900,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsCapitalizedAmount 1,800,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsCapitalizedAmount    
Share-based Compensation, Unrecognized Compensation 153,500,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized      
Share-based Compensation, Unrecognized Compensation, Period for Recognition 2 years 7 months      
Proceeds from exercise of stock options 958,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised 3,691,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised    
Share-based Compensation, Plan Modification, Incremental Compensation Cost $ 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPlanModificationIncrementalCompensationCost $ 10,800,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPlanModificationIncrementalCompensationCost    
Phantom Units [Member]        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period 72,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PhantomShareUnitsPSUsMember
0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PhantomShareUnitsPSUsMember
   
1997 Stock Option Plan [Member] | Stock Options [Member]        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized 5,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= lng_A1997StockOptionPlanMember
     
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award, Number of Shares Granted Plan-to-Date, Net of Cancellations 5,000,000lng_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementbyShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberofSharesGrantedPlantoDateNetofCancellations
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= lng_A1997StockOptionPlanMember
     
2003 Stock Incentive Plan [Member]        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized 21,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= lng_A2003StockIncentivePlanMember
     
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award, Number of Shares Granted Plan-to-Date, Net of Cancellations 21,000,000lng_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementbyShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberofSharesGrantedPlantoDateNetofCancellations
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= lng_A2003StockIncentivePlanMember
     
2011 Incentive Plan [Member]        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]        
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized 35,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= lng_A2011IncentivePlanMember
  35,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= lng_A2011IncentivePlanMember
10,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= lng_A2011IncentivePlanMember
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award, Number of Shares Granted Plan-to-Date, Net of Cancellations 27,000,000lng_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementbyShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberofSharesGrantedPlantoDateNetofCancellations
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= lng_A2011IncentivePlanMember