Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands |
3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
customer
$ / shares
|
Sep. 30, 2016
USD ($)
$ / shares
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Jun. 30, 2016
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Mar. 31, 2016
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Sep. 30, 2015
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Jun. 30, 2015
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Mar. 31, 2015
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
$ / shares
|
|
| Unaudited quarterly financial data | |||||||||||
| Sales | $ 2,312,430 | $ 2,030,198 | $ 2,146,199 | $ 1,750,812 | $ 2,169,445 | $ 2,486,203 | $ 2,680,088 | $ 2,979,116 | $ 8,239,639 | $ 10,314,852 | $ 17,269,954 |
| Gross profit | 154,478 | 132,611 | 129,342 | 130,059 | 132,624 | 152,299 | 144,188 | 168,558 | 546,490 | 597,669 | 544,787 |
| Net (loss) income | (65,662) | (156,583) | (8,543) | (7,835) | (2,905) | 8,146 | 7,614 | 30,409 | (238,623) | 43,264 | 116,980 |
| Net (loss) income attributable to Global Partners LP | (65,527) | (119,551) | (7,310) | (7,024) | (2,282) | 8,212 | 7,218 | 30,415 | (199,412) | 43,563 | 114,709 |
| Limited partners' interest in net (loss) income | $ (65,088) | $ (118,750) | $ (7,261) | $ (6,977) | $ (2,267) | $ 5,380 | $ 4,547 | $ 28,236 | $ (198,076) | $ 35,896 | $ 108,728 |
| Basic net (loss) income per limited partner unit (in dollars per unit) | $ / shares | $ (1.94) | $ (3.54) | $ (0.22) | $ (0.21) | $ (0.07) | $ 0.16 | $ 0.15 | $ 0.92 | $ (5.91) | $ 1.12 | $ 3.97 |
| Diluted net (loss) income per limited partner unit (in dollars per unit) | $ / shares | (1.94) | (3.54) | (0.22) | (0.21) | (0.07) | 0.16 | 0.15 | 0.92 | (5.91) | 1.11 | 3.95 |
| Cash distributions per limited partner unit (in dollars per unit) | $ / shares | $ 0.4625 | $ 0.4625 | $ 0.4625 | $ 0.4625 | $ 0.6975 | $ 0.6925 | $ 0.6800 | $ 0.6650 | $ 1.85 | $ 2.74 | $ 2.53 |
| Logistics revenue and revenue related to absence of logistics nominations | $ 28,000 | ||||||||||
| Number of customers | customer | 1 | ||||||||||
| Lease exit and termination expenses | $ 80,700 | $ 80,665 | |||||||||
| Goodwill and long-lived asset impairment | $ 149,900 | 149,972 | |||||||||
| Net loss on sale and disposition of assets | $ 6,500 | 7,500 | $ 400 | $ 6,100 | $ 20,495 | $ 2,097 | $ 2,182 | ||||
| Loss due to customer dispute | $ 5,000 | ||||||||||
| Restructuring charge to expense | 2,300 | ||||||||||
| Noncontrolling Interest | |||||||||||
| Unaudited quarterly financial data | |||||||||||
| Goodwill and long-lived asset impairment | 35,800 | ||||||||||
| Warren Equities Inc | |||||||||||
| Unaudited quarterly financial data | |||||||||||
| Acquisition related costs incurred | $ 1,000 | $ 4,400 | |||||||||
| Capitol Petroleum Group | |||||||||||
| Unaudited quarterly financial data | |||||||||||
| Acquisition related costs incurred | $ 300 | $ 100 | $ 3,100 | ||||||||
| Parent Company [Member] | |||||||||||
| Unaudited quarterly financial data | |||||||||||
| Goodwill and long-lived asset impairment | $ 114,100 | ||||||||||