Debt (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended						3 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 9.875% Senior Notes Due 2017 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 9.875% Senior Notes Due 2017 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 6.875% Senior Notes Due 2018 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 6.875% Senior Notes Due 2018 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 8.5% Senior Notes Due 2016 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 8.5% Senior Notes Due 2016 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Holly Frontier Credit Agreement [Member]	Nov. 30, 2009 Plains [Member] Lease [Member] Y	Mar. 31, 2012 HEP [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 HEP [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] 6.25% Senior Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 HEP [Member] 6.25% Senior Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 HEP [Member] 6.25% Senior Notes Due 2015 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] 8.25% Senior Notes Due 2018 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 HEP [Member] 8.25% Senior Notes Due 2018 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] 6.5% Senior Notes Due 2020 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 HEP [Member] 6.5% Senior Notes Due 2020 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Holly Credit Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 HEP [Member] Holly Credit Agreement [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Letter of Credit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Distributions To Unit Holder [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] HEP Credit Agreement [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] HEP Previous Credit Agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Repayment of Debt [Member] HEP [Member] 6.25% Senior Notes Due 2015 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity under revolving credit agreement											$ 1,000,000,000														$ 50,000,000	$ 60,000,000	$ 550,000,000	$ 375,000,000
Borrowings outstanding under revolving credit agreement											29,200,000												431,000,000	200,000,000			431,000,000
Stated interest rate, senior notes					9.875%		6.875%		8.50%							6.25%	6.25%		8.25%		6.50%
Senior notes, called for redemption																													27,300,000
Repayments of promissory notes			0										72,900,000
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes - HEP													294,800,000	294,750,000	0
Principal tender on senior notes			(205,000,000)	(15,000)									157,800,000	(185,000,000)	0
Senior notes					286,812,000	291,812,000	150,000,000	150,000,000	0	199,985,000						0		185,000,000	150,000,000	150,000,000	300,000,000	0
Repayments of Senior Debt			205,000,000						200,000,000					185,000,000	15,000
Payments of Debt Extinguishment Costs									208,500,000
Redemption Premium									8,500,000
Interest Expense	21,103,000	25,074,000	81,360,000	56,471,000					2,400,000
Proceeds from sale of storage assets												40,000,000
Term of lease, years												15
Capitalized interest attributable to construction projects	$ 2,500,000	$ 5,800,000	$ 6,300,000	$ 13,600,000