| 
           Non-Controlling Interest (Details) (USD $) 
        Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified  | 
        3 Months Ended | 73 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 73 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 8 Months Ended | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 
           Mar. 31, 2013 
         | 
        
           Mar. 31, 2012 
         | 
        
           Mar. 31, 2013 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012 
         | 
        
           Apr. 30, 2007
 
          Chenier Energy Partners, LP [Member] 
         | 
        
           Mar. 31, 2013
 
          Chenier Energy Partners, LP [Member] 
         | 
        
           Mar. 31, 2013
 
          Chenier Energy Partners, LP [Member] 
         | 
        
           Mar. 31, 2013
 
          Cheniere LNG Holdings [Member] 
         | 
        
           Sep. 30, 2011
 
          common units [Member] 
         | 
        
           Sep. 30, 2012
 
          common units [Member]
 
          Chenier Energy Partners, LP [Member] 
         | 
        
           Sep. 30, 2011
 
          common units [Member]
 
          Chenier Energy Partners, LP [Member] 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          common units [Member]
 
          Chenier Energy Partners, LP [Member] 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2011
 
          common units [Member]
 
          Chenier Energy Partners, LP [Member] 
         | 
        
           Mar. 31, 2013
 
          common units [Member]
 
          Cheniere Common Units Holding, LLC [Member] 
         | 
        
           Apr. 30, 2007
 
          common units [Member]
 
          Cheniere LNG Holdings [Member] 
         | 
        
           Sep. 30, 2011
 
          common units [Member]
 
          Common Unit Purchase Option [Member]
 
          Cheniere LNG Holdings [Member] 
         | 
        
           Apr. 30, 2007
 
          common units [Member]
 
          Common Unit Purchase Option [Member]
 
          Cheniere LNG Holdings [Member] 
         | 
        
           May 31, 2012
 
          Class B Unit [Member]
 
          Chenier Energy Partners, LP [Member] 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2012
 
          Class B Unit [Member]
 
          Chenier Energy Partners, LP [Member] 
         | 
      |
| Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from Issuance or Sale of Equity | $ 11,100,000 | $ 9,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||
| Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net proceeds fromCheniere Partners' issuance of common units | 364,839,000 | 720,511,000 | 203,946,000 | ||||||||||||||||
| Distributions to Cheniere Partners' non-controlling interest | (11,698,000) | (169,048,000) | |||||||||||||||||
| Net proceeds from Cheniere Partners' issuance of Class B units | 1,387,339,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Non-controlling interest | 7,524,000 | 46,880,000 | |||||||||||||||||
| Non-controlling interest at March 31, 2013 | 2,095,868,000 | 2,095,868,000 | 1,751,604,000 | ||||||||||||||||
| Common units sold in public offering | 15.5 | 3.0 | 8.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | ||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from sale of common units by Cheniere Partners | 365,000,000 | 2,843,000 | 98,400,000 | 194,000,000 | 43,300,000 | 203,900,000 | 16,400,000 | 39,400,000 | |||||||||||
| Number of units authorized for sale under issuance program | 1.0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Number of common units sold as part of program | 0.5 | 0.5 | |||||||||||||||||
| Common units sold in private placement | 17.6 | 100.0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Price per Common Unit | $ 15.25 | $ 25.07 | $ 20.75 | $ 15.00 | |||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from sale of common stock, net | $ 0 | $ 351,907,000 | $ 364,800,000 | ||||||||||||||||