Debt (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended											1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Nov. 30, 2009 Plains [Member] Lease [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 HEP	Dec. 31, 2012 HEP	Dec. 31, 2011 HEP	Dec. 31, 2010 HEP	Dec. 31, 2012 Holly Frontier Credit Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 HEP Credit Agreement [Member] HEP	Dec. 31, 2012 Letter of Credit [Member] HEP	Dec. 31, 2012 Distributions To Unit Holder [Member] HEP	Dec. 31, 2012 9.875% Senior Notes Due 2017	Dec. 31, 2011 9.875% Senior Notes Due 2017	Dec. 31, 2012 6.875% Senior Notes Due 2018	Dec. 31, 2011 6.875% Senior Notes Due 2018	Sep. 30, 2012 8.5% Senior Notes Due 2016	Dec. 31, 2012 8.5% Senior Notes Due 2016	Dec. 31, 2011 8.5% Senior Notes Due 2016	Dec. 31, 2012 8.25% Senior Notes Due 2018 HEP	Dec. 31, 2011 8.25% Senior Notes Due 2018 HEP	Dec. 31, 2012 6.5% Senior Notes Due 2020 HEP	Mar. 31, 2012 6.5% Senior Notes Due 2020 HEP	Dec. 31, 2011 6.5% Senior Notes Due 2020 HEP	Dec. 31, 2012 6.25% Senior Notes Due 2015 HEP	Apr. 30, 2012 6.25% Senior Notes Due 2015 HEP	Mar. 31, 2012 6.25% Senior Notes Due 2015 HEP	Dec. 31, 2011 6.25% Senior Notes Due 2015 HEP	Apr. 30, 2012 6.25% Senior Notes Due 2015 HEP Repayment of Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity under revolving credit agreement									$ 1,000,000,000	$ 550,000,000	$ 50,000,000	$ 60,000,000
Borrowings outstanding under revolving credit agreement									29,200,000	421,000,000
Stated interest rate, senior notes													9.875%		6.875%		8.50%	8.50%		8.25%		6.50%	6.50%		6.25%	6.25%	6.25%
Senior notes													286,812,000	291,812,000	150,000,000	150,000,000		0	199,985,000	150,000,000	150,000,000	300,000,000	300,000,000	0	0			185,000,000
Debt Instrument, Face Amount																	200,000,000
Principal tender on senior notes	205,000,000					185,000,000	8,203,000										208,500,000
Proceeds from sale of storage assets				40,000,000
Term of lease, years				15 years
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes - HEP					294,800,000	294,750,000	0	147,540,000
Principal tender on senior notes	(205,000,000)	(8,203,000)	0		157,800,000	(185,000,000)	0	0
Repayments of promissory notes	0				72,900,000		0
Senior notes, called for redemption																													$ 27,200,000