Financial Instruments (Estimated Fair Values Of Debt Instruments) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Carrying Amount [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	$ 290,054	$ 437,360
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	939,794	978,894
Fair Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	290,054	437,360
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	1,010,823	1,040,101
Fair Value [Member] | HEP [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	3,764	520
Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Amount [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	0
Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Amount [Member] | Holly Frontier [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	0	0
Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Amount [Member] | HEP [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	0	0
Level 1 [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	4,126	753
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability		1,252
Level 2 [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	285,928	404,991
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	982,775	1,038,849
Level 2 [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | HEP [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	3,764	520
Level 3 [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	0	31,616
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	28,048
Equity Securities [Member] | Carrying Amount [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset		753
Equity Securities [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset		753
Marketable Debt Securities [Member] | Carrying Amount [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	285,928	260,953
Marketable Debt Securities [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	285,928	260,953
Marketable Debt Securities [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	285,928	260,953
Nymex Futures Contracts [Member] | Carrying Amount [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	4,126
Nymex Futures Contracts [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	4,126
Nymex Futures Contracts [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	4,126
Nymex Futures Contracts [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	0
Nymex Futures Contracts [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	0
Commodity Price Swaps [Member] | Carrying Amount [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset		175,654
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	57,457	1,252
Commodity Price Swaps [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset		175,654
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	57,457	1,252
Commodity Price Swaps [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Amount [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	0	1,252
Commodity Price Swaps [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset		144,038
Commodity Price Swaps [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	29,409	0
Commodity Price Swaps [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset		31,616
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	28,048
Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Carrying Amount [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	435,139	651,262
Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Carrying Amount [Member] | HEP [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	3,764	520
Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	475,977	693,979
Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Carrying Amount [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	0	0
Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	475,977	693,979
Senior Notes [Member] | Carrying Amount [Member] | HEP [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	443,434	325,860
Senior Notes [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | HEP [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	473,625	344,350
Senior Notes [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | HEP [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Liability	$ 473,625	$ 344,350