Supplemental Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information Consolidating Statement of Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	$ 5,204,798	$ 5,173,398	$ 14,943,217	$ 10,467,116
Cost of products sold	3,898,736	3,989,927	11,767,417	8,421,639
Operating expenses	233,859	227,883	698,212	501,971
General and administrative	28,787	43,141	88,421	78,641
Depreciation and amortization	65,112	43,240	178,162	106,380
Total operating costs and expenses	4,226,494	4,304,191	12,732,212	9,108,631
Income (loss) from operations	978,304	869,207	2,211,005	1,358,485
Earnings of equity method investments	852	532	2,455	1,739
Interest income (expense)	(18,884)	(24,870)	(78,000)	(55,525)
Gain on sale of marketable equity securities	0	0	326	0
Merger transaction costs	0	(9,100)	0	(15,114)
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(18,032)	(33,438)	(75,219)	(68,900)
Income before income taxes	960,272	835,769	2,135,786	1,289,585
Income tax provision	349,622	304,758	775,746	465,730
Net income	610,650	531,011	1,360,040	823,855
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	10,277	7,923	24,472	23,838
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	600,373	523,088	1,335,568	800,017
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	532,277	536,477	1,195,174	813,563
Parent [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	195	266	394	1,067
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	26,723	39,555	81,147	71,884
Depreciation and amortization	4,665	872	6,644	2,719
Total operating costs and expenses	31,388	40,427	87,791	74,603
Income (loss) from operations	(31,193)	(40,161)	(87,397)	(73,536)
Earnings of equity method investments	988,255	892,420	2,240,275	1,380,375
Interest income (expense)	(6,747)	(15,162)	(34,194)	(27,033)
Gain on sale of marketable equity securities			0
Merger transaction costs		(9,100)		(15,114)
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	981,508	868,158	2,206,081	1,338,228
Income before income taxes	950,315	827,997	2,118,684	1,264,692
Income tax provision	349,485	304,835	775,459	465,561
Net income	600,830	523,162	1,343,225	799,131
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	600,830	523,162	1,343,225	799,131
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	502,238	514,759	1,179,627	790,561
Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	5,192,846	5,164,628	14,908,154	10,432,420
Cost of products sold	3,958,261	4,029,997	11,932,230	8,531,358
Operating expenses	213,021	213,002	642,153	459,679
General and administrative	637	1,562	1,299	1,769
Depreciation and amortization	48,018	35,070	133,456	81,875
Total operating costs and expenses	4,219,937	4,279,631	12,709,138	9,074,681
Income (loss) from operations	972,909	884,997	2,199,016	1,357,739
Earnings of equity method investments	15,720	8,400	42,707	25,231
Interest income (expense)	(374)	(977)	(1,774)	(2,595)
Gain on sale of marketable equity securities			326
Merger transaction costs		0		0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	15,346	7,423	41,259	22,636
Income before income taxes	988,255	892,420	2,240,275	1,380,375
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	988,255	892,420	2,240,275	1,380,375
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	988,255	892,420	2,240,275	1,380,375
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	1,018,987	913,835	2,263,429	1,401,542
Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	35	33	138	33
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	9	7	33	186
General and administrative	28	0	50	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	37	7	83	186
Income (loss) from operations	(2)	26	55	(153)
Earnings of equity method investments	15,586	8,469	42,163	25,454
Interest income (expense)	161	14	536	39
Gain on sale of marketable equity securities			0
Merger transaction costs		0		0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	15,747	8,483	42,699	25,493
Income before income taxes	15,745	8,509	42,754	25,340
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	15,745	8,509	42,754	25,340
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	15,745	8,509	42,754	25,340
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	15,745	8,509	42,754	25,340
Eliminations From Consolidation Of Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from operations	0	0	0	0
Earnings of equity method investments	(1,004,000)	(900,929)	(2,283,029)	(1,405,715)
Interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Gain on sale of marketable equity securities			0
Merger transaction costs		0		0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(1,004,000)	(900,929)	(2,283,029)	(1,405,715)
Income before income taxes	(1,004,000)	(900,929)	(2,283,029)	(1,405,715)
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	(1,004,000)	(900,929)	(2,283,029)	(1,405,715)
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	(1,004,000)	(900,929)	(2,283,029)	(1,405,715)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	(1,004,000)	(900,929)	(2,283,029)	(1,405,715)
Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	5,193,076	5,164,927	14,908,686	10,433,520
Cost of products sold	3,958,261	4,029,997	11,932,230	8,531,358
Operating expenses	213,030	213,009	642,186	459,865
General and administrative	27,388	41,117	82,496	73,653
Depreciation and amortization	52,683	35,942	140,100	84,594
Total operating costs and expenses	4,251,362	4,320,065	12,797,012	9,149,470
Income (loss) from operations	941,714	844,862	2,111,674	1,284,050
Earnings of equity method investments	15,561	8,360	42,116	25,345
Interest income (expense)	(6,960)	(16,125)	(35,432)	(29,589)
Gain on sale of marketable equity securities			326
Merger transaction costs		(9,100)		(15,114)
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	8,601	(16,865)	7,010	(19,358)
Income before income taxes	950,315	827,997	2,118,684	1,264,692
Income tax provision	349,485	304,835	775,459	465,561
Net income	600,830	523,162	1,343,225	799,131
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	600,830	523,162	1,343,225	799,131
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	532,970	536,174	1,202,781	811,728
Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	72,496	49,131	207,250	144,916
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	21,324	15,015	61,724	41,821
General and administrative	1,399	2,024	5,925	4,988
Depreciation and amortization	12,636	7,505	38,683	22,407
Total operating costs and expenses	35,359	24,544	106,332	69,216
Income (loss) from operations	37,137	24,587	100,918	75,700
Earnings of equity method investments	877	641	2,502	1,848
Interest income (expense)	(12,432)	(9,391)	(44,306)	(27,789)
Gain on sale of marketable equity securities			0
Merger transaction costs		0		0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(11,555)	(8,750)	(41,804)	(25,941)
Income before income taxes	25,582	15,837	59,114	49,759
Income tax provision	137	(77)	287	169
Net income	25,445	15,914	58,827	49,590
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	10,277	7,923	24,472	23,838
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	15,168	7,991	34,355	25,752
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	14,932	8,368	34,405	26,701
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	(60,774)	(40,660)	(172,719)	(111,320)
Cost of products sold	(59,525)	(40,070)	(164,813)	(109,719)
Operating expenses	(495)	(141)	(5,698)	285
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	(207)	(207)	(621)	(621)
Total operating costs and expenses	(60,227)	(40,418)	(171,132)	(110,055)
Income (loss) from operations	(547)	(242)	(1,587)	(1,265)
Earnings of equity method investments	(15,586)	(8,469)	(42,163)	(25,454)
Interest income (expense)	508	646	1,738	1,853
Gain on sale of marketable equity securities			0
Merger transaction costs		0		0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(15,078)	(7,823)	(40,425)	(23,601)
Income before income taxes	(15,625)	(8,065)	(42,012)	(24,866)
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	(15,625)	(8,065)	(42,012)	(24,866)
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	(15,625)	(8,065)	(42,012)	(24,866)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	$ (15,625)	$ (8,065)	$ (42,012)	$ (24,866)