Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Business Segment Information (Details)

v2.4.0.6
Business Segment Information (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Sep. 30, 2011
Sep. 30, 2012
Sep. 30, 2011
Dec. 31, 2011
Sep. 30, 2012
Corpus Christi LNG [Member]
Sep. 30, 2012
Creole Trail LNG
Sep. 30, 2012
LNG terminal business [Member]
Jun. 30, 2012
LNG terminal business [Member]
Sep. 30, 2011
LNG terminal business [Member]
Sep. 30, 2012
LNG terminal business [Member]
Sep. 30, 2011
LNG terminal business [Member]
Sep. 30, 2012
LNG terminal business [Member]
Cheniere Marketing, LLC [Member]
Jun. 30, 2012
Natural Gas Pipeline Business [Member]
Sep. 30, 2011
Natural Gas Pipeline Business [Member]
Sep. 30, 2012
Natural Gas Pipeline Business [Member]
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Sep. 30, 2011
Natural Gas Pipeline Business [Member]
Jun. 30, 2012
LNG and natural gas marketing business [Member]
Sep. 30, 2011
LNG and natural gas marketing business [Member]
Sep. 30, 2012
LNG and natural gas marketing business [Member]
Sep. 30, 2011
LNG and natural gas marketing business [Member]
Sep. 30, 2012
LNG and natural gas marketing business [Member]
Cheniere Marketing, LLC [Member]
Jun. 30, 2012
Corporate and Other [Member]
Sep. 30, 2011
Corporate and Other [Member]
Sep. 30, 2012
Corporate and Other [Member]
Sep. 30, 2011
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                                                    
Ownership interest (percent)                 66.40%                                  
Business segment ownership percentage           100.00% 100.00%                                      
Length of natural gas pipeline, miles                               94                    
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]                                                    
Revenues $ 65,998 $ 65,813 $ 198,799 $ 217,854       $ 69,818   $ 68,375 $ 206,142 $ 205,678   $ 50 $ 11 $ 107 $ 42 $ 2,661 $ (2,999) $ 977 $ 10,055   $ (6,531) [1] $ 426 [1] $ (8,427) [1] $ 2,079 [1]
Intersegment revenues (losses) 0 [2],[3] 0 [2],[3] 0 [2],[3] 0 [2],[3]         3,879 [2],[3] 1,238 [2],[3] 6,872 [2],[3] 12,452 [2],[3]   50 [2],[3] 9 [2],[3] 101 [2],[3] 34 [2],[3] 2,953 [2],[3] (1,154) [2],[3] 2,618 [2],[3] (12,010) [2],[3]   (6,882) [1],[2],[3] (93) [1],[2],[3] (9,591) [1],[2],[3] (476) [1],[2],[3]
Depreciation, depletion and amortization 15,233 15,271 47,001 46,282         10,728 10,869 32,128 32,554   3,838 3,717 11,682 11,214 256 328 1,815 847   411 [1] 357 [1] 1,376 [1] 1,667 [1]
Non-cash compensation 51,865 2,278 56,113 16,629         5,206 403 5,591 1,609   1,299 104 1,373 445 9,256 (430) 10,657 5,232   36,104 [1] 2,201 [1] 38,492 [1] 9,343 [1]
Income (loss) from operations (54,517) 10,355 (59,917) 50,380         (7,503) 38,383 27,873 108,095   (8,943) (7,194) (20,636) (18,542) (16,462) (12,482) (31,788) (19,512)   (21,609) [1] (8,352) [1] (35,366) [1] (19,661) [1]
Interest expense, net (45,504) (65,125) (159,719) (193,867)         (43,638) (43,318) (130,554) (129,952)   (11,695) (11,543) (34,697) (34,161) 12 0 12 0   9,817 [1] (10,264) [1] 5,520 [1] (29,754) [1]
Goodwill 76,819 76,819 76,819 76,819 76,819       76,819 76,819   76,819   0 0   0 0 0   0   0 [1] 0 [1]   0 [1]
Total assets 4,383,725 2,651,443 4,383,725 2,651,443 2,915,325       3,608,018 1,937,126   1,937,126   528,556 541,559   541,559 42,308 63,108   63,108   204,843 [1] 109,650 [1]   109,650 [1]
Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets $ 884,488 $ 1,592 $ 934,393 $ 8,292         $ 883,798 $ 1,450 $ 931,535 $ 7,619   $ 0 $ 30 $ 7 $ 114 $ (6) $ 0 $ 1,659 $ 12   $ 696 [1] $ 112 [1] $ 1,192 [1] $ 547 [1]
Proceeds (payments) of gross margin earned, percentage                         80.00%                 (80.00%)        
Regasification capacity               2     2                              
[1] Includes corporate activities, oil and gas exploration, development and exploitation activities and certain intercompany eliminations. Our oil and gas exploration, development and exploitation operating activities have been included in the corporate and other column due to the lack of a material impact that these activities have on our consolidated financial statements.
[2] Intersegment losses related to our LNG and natural gas marketing segment are primarily from Cheniere Marketing's tug costs and the payment of 80% of gross margins earned by Cheniere Marketing in monetizing the TUA capacity of Cheniere Investments at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011. These LNG terminal segment intersegment costs are eliminated with intersegment revenues in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
[3] Intersegment revenues related to our LNG terminal segment are primarily from tug revenues from Cheniere Marketing and the receipt of 80% of gross margins earned by Cheniere Marketing in monetizing the TUA capacity of Cheniere Energy Investments, LLC ("Cheniere Investments"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Cheniere Partners, at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011. These LNG terminal segment intersegment revenues are eliminated with intersegment expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.