Supplemental Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	$ 869,174,000	[1]	$ 1,662,687,000	[1]	$ 1,338,391,000	[1]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(373,271,000)		(290,334,000)		(158,026,000)
Acquisition of trucking operations	(11,301,000)		0		0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	7,802,000		0		0
Increase in cash due to merger with Frontier	0		0		872,739,000
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	(3,000,000)		(2,000,000)		(9,125,000)
Net advances to Sabine Biofuels	(5,740,000)		0		0
Purchases of marketable securities	(935,512,000)		(671,552,000)		(561,899,000)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	846,143,000		297,711,000		301,020,000
Net intercompany advances	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(526,735,000)		(711,104,000)		228,494,000
Redemption of senior notes - HFC	(300,973,000)		(205,000,000)		(8,203,000)
Purchase of treasury stock	(225,023,000)		(209,600,000)		(42,795,000)
Distribution from HEP upon UNEV transfer			0
Structured stock repurchase arrangement	0		8,620,000		0
Contribution from joint venture partner	0		6,000,000		33,500,000
Contribution from general partner	0		0		0
Contribution from joint venture partner			(3,000,000)		(36,500,000)
Dividends	(645,920,000)		(658,085,000)		(252,133,000)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(71,201,000)		(58,788,000)		(50,874,000)
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation	2,562,000		23,361,000		1,804,000
Deferred financing costs and other	(3,055,000)		(4,806,000)		(13,555,000)
Net repayment of intercompany advances	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Distributions to Parent	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(1,160,035,000)		(772,788,000)		(217,082,000)
Increase (decrease) for the period	(817,596,000)		178,795,000		1,349,803,000
Beginning of period	1,757,699,000		1,578,904,000		229,101,000
End of period	940,103,000		1,757,699,000		1,578,904,000
Parent
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	448,297,000	[1]	1,571,928,000	[1]	2,275,784,000	[1]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(11,727,000)		(7,965,000)		(7,585,000)
Acquisition of trucking operations	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0
Increase in cash due to merger with Frontier					182,000
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	0		0		(9,125,000)
Net advances to Sabine Biofuels	0
Purchases of marketable securities	(935,512,000)		(671,552,000)		(561,899,000)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	846,135,000		296,780,000		301,020,000
Net intercompany advances	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(101,104,000)		(382,737,000)		(277,407,000)
Redemption of senior notes - HFC	(300,973,000)		(205,000,000)		(8,203,000)
Proceeds from common unit offerings - HEP	73,444,000
Purchase of treasury stock	(225,023,000)		(209,600,000)		(42,795,000)
Distribution from HEP upon UNEV transfer			0
Structured stock repurchase arrangement			8,620,000
Contribution from general partner	0		0		0
Dividends	(645,920,000)		(658,085,000)		(252,133,000)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	0		0		0
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation	2,562,000		23,361,000		1,804,000
Deferred financing costs and other	0		0		(8,665,000)
Net repayment of intercompany advances	(68,171,000)	[1]	24,430,000	[1]	(342,576,000)	[1]
Distributions to Parent	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(1,164,081,000)		(1,016,274,000)		(652,568,000)
Increase (decrease) for the period	(816,888,000)		172,917,000		1,345,809,000
Beginning of period	1,748,808,000		1,575,891,000		230,082,000
End of period	931,920,000		1,748,808,000		1,575,891,000
Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	1,044,492,000	[1]	2,656,514,000	[1]	1,099,072,000	[1]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(361,520,000)		(282,369,000)		(150,441,000)
Acquisition of trucking operations	(11,301,000)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	5,071,000
Increase in cash due to merger with Frontier					872,557,000
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	(3,000,000)		(2,000,000)		0
Net advances to Sabine Biofuels	(5,740,000)
Purchases of marketable securities	0		0		0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	8,000		931,000		0
Net intercompany advances	137,613,000	[1]	101,943,000	[1]	332,655,000	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(238,869,000)		(181,495,000)		1,054,771,000
Redemption of senior notes - HFC	0		0		0
Proceeds from common unit offerings - HEP	0
Purchase of treasury stock	0		0		0
Distribution from HEP upon UNEV transfer			260,922,000
Structured stock repurchase arrangement			0
Contribution from general partner	0		0		0
Dividends	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	0		0		0
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation	0		0		0
Deferred financing costs and other	(1,477,000)		(1,370,000)		(1,160,000)
Net repayment of intercompany advances	0	[1]	0	[1]		[1]
Distributions to Parent	(805,981,000)	[1]	(2,727,561,000)	[1]	(2,147,006,000)	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(807,458,000)		(2,468,009,000)		(2,148,166,000)
Increase (decrease) for the period	(1,835,000)		7,010,000		5,677,000
Beginning of period	3,652,000		(3,358,000)		(9,035,000)
End of period	1,817,000		3,652,000		(3,358,000)
Non- Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	70,977,000	[1]	63,759,000	[1]	41,866,000	[1]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(24,000)		0		0
Acquisition of trucking operations	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0
Increase in cash due to merger with Frontier					0
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	0		0		0
Net advances to Sabine Biofuels	0
Purchases of marketable securities	0		0		0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0		0		0
Net intercompany advances	(69,442,000)	[1]	(126,373,000)	[1]	9,921,000	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(69,466,000)		(53,473,000)		87,021,000
Redemption of senior notes - HFC	0		0		0
Proceeds from common unit offerings - HEP	0
Purchase of treasury stock	0		0		0
Distribution from HEP upon UNEV transfer			0
Structured stock repurchase arrangement			0
Contribution from general partner	(1,499,000)		(10,286,000)		(128,887,000)
Dividends	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	0		0		0
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation	0		0		0
Deferred financing costs and other	0		0		0
Net repayment of intercompany advances	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Distributions to Parent	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(1,499,000)		(10,286,000)		(128,887,000)
Increase (decrease) for the period	12,000		0		0
Beginning of period	2,000		2,000		2,000
End of period	14,000		2,000		2,000
Eliminations From Consolidation Of Restricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	(805,981,000)	[1]	(2,727,561,000)	[1]	(2,147,006,000)	[1]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	0		0		0
Acquisition of trucking operations	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0
Increase in cash due to merger with Frontier					0
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	0		0		0
Net advances to Sabine Biofuels	0
Purchases of marketable securities	0		0		0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0		0		0
Net intercompany advances	(68,171,000)	[1]	24,430,000	[1]	(342,576,000)	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(68,171,000)		24,430,000		(342,576,000)
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP			0		0
Repayments of promissory notes			0		0
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes - HEP			0
Net repayments under credit agreement – HEP	0
Redemption of senior notes - HFC	0		0		0
Principal tender on senior notes – HEP			0
Proceeds from common unit offerings - HEP	0
Proceeds from common unit offerings – HEP					0
Purchase of treasury stock	0		0		0
Distribution from HEP upon UNEV transfer			0
Structured stock repurchase arrangement			0
Contribution from joint venture partner					0
Contribution from general partner	0		0		0
Contribution from joint venture partner			0
Dividends	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	0		0		0
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation	0		0		0
Purchase of units for incentive grants - HEP	0		0		0
Deferred financing costs and other	0		0		0
Net repayment of intercompany advances	68,171,000	[1]	(24,430,000)	[1]	342,576,000	[1]
Distributions to Parent	805,981,000	[1]	2,727,561,000	[1]	2,147,006,000	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	874,152,000		2,703,131,000		2,489,582,000
Increase (decrease) for the period	0		0		0
Beginning of period	0		0		0
End of period	0		0		0
HollyFrontier Corp. Before Consolidation of HEP
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	757,785,000	[1]	1,564,640,000	[1]	1,269,716,000	[1]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(373,271,000)		(290,334,000)		(158,026,000)
Acquisition of trucking operations	(11,301,000)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	5,071,000
Increase in cash due to merger with Frontier					872,739,000
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	(3,000,000)		(2,000,000)		(9,125,000)
Net advances to Sabine Biofuels	(5,740,000)
Purchases of marketable securities	(935,512,000)		(671,552,000)		(561,899,000)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	846,143,000		297,711,000		301,020,000
Net intercompany advances	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(477,610,000)		(593,275,000)		521,809,000
Redemption of senior notes - HFC	(300,973,000)
Proceeds from common unit offerings - HEP	73,444,000
Purchase of treasury stock	(225,023,000)		(209,600,000)		(42,795,000)
Distribution from HEP upon UNEV transfer			260,922,000
Structured stock repurchase arrangement			8,620,000
Contribution from general partner	(1,499,000)		(10,286,000)		(128,887,000)
Dividends	(645,920,000)		(658,085,000)		(252,133,000)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	0		0		0
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation	2,562,000		23,361,000		1,804,000
Deferred financing costs and other	(1,477,000)		(1,370,000)		(9,825,000)
Net repayment of intercompany advances	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Distributions to Parent	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(1,098,886,000)		(791,438,000)		(440,039,000)
Increase (decrease) for the period	(818,711,000)		179,927,000		1,351,486,000
Beginning of period	1,752,462,000		1,572,535,000		221,049,000
End of period	933,751,000		1,752,462,000		1,572,535,000
Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	182,799,000	[1]	162,036,000	[1]	108,948,000	[1]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	0		0		0
Acquisition of trucking operations	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	2,731,000
Increase in cash due to merger with Frontier					0
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	0		0		0
Net advances to Sabine Biofuels	0
Purchases of marketable securities	0		0		0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0		0		0
Net intercompany advances	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(49,125,000)		(117,829,000)		(293,315,000)
Redemption of senior notes - HFC	0
Proceeds from common unit offerings - HEP	73,444,000
Purchase of treasury stock	0		0		0
Distribution from HEP upon UNEV transfer			(260,922,000)
Structured stock repurchase arrangement			0
Contribution from general partner	1,499,000		10,286,000		128,887,000
Dividends	0		0		0
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation	0		0		0
Deferred financing costs and other	(1,578,000)		(3,436,000)		(3,371,000)
Net repayment of intercompany advances	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Distributions to Parent	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(132,559,000)		(45,339,000)		182,684,000
Increase (decrease) for the period	1,115,000		(1,132,000)		(1,683,000)
Beginning of period	5,237,000		6,369,000		8,052,000
End of period	6,352,000		5,237,000		6,369,000
Consolidations and Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	(71,410,000)	[1]	(63,989,000)	[1]	(40,273,000)	[1]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	0		0		0
Acquisition of trucking operations	0
Increase in cash due to merger with Frontier					0
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	0		0		0
Net advances to Sabine Biofuels	0
Purchases of marketable securities	0		0		0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0		0		0
Net intercompany advances	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	0		0		0
Redemption of senior notes - HFC	0		0		0
Purchase of treasury stock	0		0		0
Distribution from HEP upon UNEV transfer			0
Structured stock repurchase arrangement			0
Contribution from general partner	0		0		0
Dividends	0		0		0
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation	0		0		0
Deferred financing costs and other	0		0		(359,000)
Net repayment of intercompany advances	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Distributions to Parent	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	71,410,000		63,989,000		40,273,000
Increase (decrease) for the period	0		0		0
Beginning of period	0		0		0
End of period	0		0		0
HEP
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(51,856,000)		(44,929,000)		(216,215,000)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	7,802,000
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP			221,000,000		41,000,000
Repayments of promissory notes			0		0
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes - HEP	0		294,750,000		0
Net repayments under credit agreement – HEP	(58,000,000)
Redemption of senior notes - HFC			(205,000,000)		(8,203,000)
Principal tender on senior notes – HEP			(185,000,000)
Proceeds from common unit offerings - HEP	146,888,000
Proceeds from common unit offerings – HEP	73,444,000		0		75,815,000
Contribution from joint venture partner					33,500,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(71,201,000)		(58,788,000)		(50,874,000)
Purchase of units for incentive grants - HEP	(5,313,000)		(5,240,000)		(1,641,000)
Beginning of period	5,237,000
End of period	6,352,000		5,237,000
HEP | Parent
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	0		0		0
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP			0		0
Repayments of promissory notes			0		0
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes - HEP			0
Net repayments under credit agreement – HEP	0
Principal tender on senior notes – HEP			0
Proceeds from common unit offerings – HEP					0
Contribution from joint venture partner					0
Purchase of units for incentive grants - HEP	0		0		0
HEP | Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	0		0		0
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP			0		0
Repayments of promissory notes			0		0
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes - HEP			0
Net repayments under credit agreement – HEP	0
Principal tender on senior notes – HEP			0
Proceeds from common unit offerings – HEP					0
Contribution from joint venture partner					0
Purchase of units for incentive grants - HEP	0		0		0
HEP | Non- Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	0		0		0
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP			0		0
Repayments of promissory notes			72,900,000		77,100,000
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes - HEP			0
Net repayments under credit agreement – HEP	0
Principal tender on senior notes – HEP			0
Proceeds from common unit offerings – HEP					0
Contribution from joint venture partner					0
Purchase of units for incentive grants - HEP	0		0		0
HEP | HollyFrontier Corp. Before Consolidation of HEP
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	0		0		0
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP			0		0
Repayments of promissory notes			72,900,000		77,100,000
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes - HEP			0
Net repayments under credit agreement – HEP	0
Redemption of senior notes - HFC			(205,000,000)		(8,203,000)
Principal tender on senior notes – HEP			0
Proceeds from common unit offerings – HEP					0
Contribution from joint venture partner					0
Purchase of units for incentive grants - HEP	0		0		0
HEP | Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(51,856,000)		(44,929,000)		(216,215,000)
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP			221,000,000		41,000,000
Repayments of promissory notes			(72,900,000)		(77,100,000)
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes - HEP			294,750,000
Net repayments under credit agreement – HEP	(58,000,000)
Redemption of senior notes - HFC			0		0
Principal tender on senior notes – HEP			(185,000,000)
Proceeds from common unit offerings – HEP					75,815,000
Contribution from joint venture partner					33,500,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(142,611,000)		(122,777,000)		(91,506,000)
Purchase of units for incentive grants - HEP	(5,313,000)		(5,240,000)		(1,641,000)
HEP | Consolidations and Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	0		0		0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP			0		0
Repayments of promissory notes			0		0
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes - HEP			0
Net repayments under credit agreement – HEP	0
Principal tender on senior notes – HEP			0
Proceeds from common unit offerings - HEP	0
Proceeds from common unit offerings – HEP					0
Contribution from joint venture partner					0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	71,410,000		63,989,000		40,632,000
Purchase of units for incentive grants - HEP	0		0		0
UNEV
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Contribution from joint venture partner			(6,000,000)
UNEV | Parent
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Contribution from joint venture partner			0
UNEV | Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Contribution from joint venture partner			0
UNEV | Non- Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Contribution from joint venture partner			0
UNEV | HollyFrontier Corp. Before Consolidation of HEP
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Contribution from joint venture partner			0
UNEV | Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Contribution from joint venture partner			(6,000,000)
UNEV | Consolidations and Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Contribution from joint venture partner			$ 0

[1] Parent operating cash flows includes cash inflows of $806.0 million, $2,727.6 million and $2,147.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, representing distributions of earnings from the Restricted Subsidiaries.