Supplemental Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,582,859	$ 229,101	$ 271,920	$ 124,596
Marketable securities	133,445	1,343
Accounts receivable	1,341,683	993,116
Intercompany accounts receivable (payable)
Inventories	1,265,519	400,367
Income taxes receivable		51,034
Prepayments and other assets	55,582	28,474
Total current assets	4,379,088	1,703,435
Properties and equipment, net	2,996,528	1,756,691
Marketable securities (long-term)	43,049
Investment in subsidiaries
Intangibles and other assets	2,497,798	241,349
Total assets	9,916,463	3,701,475
Accounts payable	2,102,915	1,317,446
Income taxes payable	140,086
Accrued liabilities	137,839	72,409
Total current liabilities	2,380,840	1,389,855
Long-term debt	1,224,987	810,561
Deferred income taxes	511,083	131,935
Non-current liabilities	138,763	80,985
Distributions in excess of inv in HEP
Equity - HollyFrontier	5,054,930	697,419
Equity - noncontrolling interest	605,860	590,720
Total liabilities and equity	9,916,463	3,701,475
Parent [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	1,554,831	230,082	265,969	127,560
Marketable securities	132,654
Accounts receivable	3,509	1,683
Intercompany accounts receivable (payable)	898,166	(1,401,580)
Inventories
Income taxes receivable		51,034
Prepayments and other assets	15,438	10,210
Total current assets	2,604,598	(1,108,571)
Properties and equipment, net	21,256	17,177
Marketable securities (long-term)	43,049
Investment in subsidiaries	3,426,419	2,273,159
Intangibles and other assets	19,465	8,569
Total assets	6,114,787	1,190,334
Accounts payable	12,707	7,170
Income taxes payable
Accrued liabilities	60,917	25,512
Total current liabilities	73,624	32,682
Long-term debt	659,851	289,509
Deferred income taxes	282,862	126,160
Non-current liabilities	41,860	42,655
Distributions in excess of inv in HEP
Equity - HollyFrontier	5,056,590	699,328
Equity - noncontrolling interest
Total liabilities and equity	6,114,787	1,190,334
Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	8,724	(9,035)	(1,557)	(12,477)
Marketable securities	791	1,343
Accounts receivable	1,337,820	991,778
Intercompany accounts receivable (payable)	(1,321,457)	981,691
Inventories	1,264,816	400,165
Income taxes receivable
Prepayments and other assets	42,939	20,942
Total current assets	1,333,633	2,386,884
Properties and equipment, net	2,125,285	1,017,877
Marketable securities (long-term)
Investment in subsidiaries	694,031	595,888
Intangibles and other assets	2,322,242	77,600
Total assets	6,475,191	4,078,249
Accounts payable	2,099,725	1,319,316
Income taxes payable	140,086
Accrued liabilities	66,427	28,145
Total current liabilities	2,306,238	1,347,461
Long-term debt	54,498	55,706
Deferred income taxes	222,351	259
Non-current liabilities	88,759	27,521
Distributions in excess of inv in HEP	376,926	374,143
Equity - HollyFrontier	3,426,419	2,273,159
Equity - noncontrolling interest
Total liabilities and equity	6,475,191	4,078,249
Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	17,502	7,651	6,802	7,005
Marketable securities
Accounts receivable	74
Intercompany accounts receivable (payable)	423,291	419,889
Inventories
Income taxes receivable
Prepayments and other assets	5
Total current assets	440,872	427,540
Properties and equipment, net	353,227	236,648
Marketable securities (long-term)
Investment in subsidiaries	(396,034)	(393,011)
Intangibles and other assets
Total assets	398,065	271,177
Accounts payable	6,341	3,575
Income taxes payable
Accrued liabilities	2,240	797
Total current liabilities	8,581	4,372
Long-term debt
Deferred income taxes	919	565
Non-current liabilities
Distributions in excess of inv in HEP
Equity - HollyFrontier	388,565	266,240
Equity - noncontrolling interest
Total liabilities and equity	398,065	271,177
Eliminations From Consolidation Of Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Accounts receivable
Intercompany accounts receivable (payable)
Inventories
Income taxes receivable
Prepayments and other assets
Total current assets
Properties and equipment, net
Marketable securities (long-term)
Investment in subsidiaries	(3,724,416)	(2,476,036)
Intangibles and other assets
Total assets	(3,724,416)	(2,476,036)
Accounts payable
Income taxes payable
Accrued liabilities
Total current liabilities
Long-term debt
Deferred income taxes
Non-current liabilities
Distributions in excess of inv in HEP
Equity - HollyFrontier	(3,814,984)	(2,539,399)
Equity - noncontrolling interest	90,568	63,363
Total liabilities and equity	(3,724,416)	(2,476,036)
HollyFrontier Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	1,581,057	228,698	271,214	122,088
Marketable securities	133,445	1,343
Accounts receivable	1,341,403	993,461
Intercompany accounts receivable (payable)
Inventories	1,264,816	400,165
Income taxes receivable		51,034
Prepayments and other assets	58,382	31,152
Total current assets	4,379,103	1,705,853
Properties and equipment, net	2,499,768	1,271,702
Marketable securities (long-term)	43,049
Investment in subsidiaries
Intangibles and other assets	2,341,707	86,169
Total assets	9,263,627	3,063,724
Accounts payable	2,118,773	1,330,061
Income taxes payable	140,086
Accrued liabilities	129,584	54,454
Total current liabilities	2,388,443	1,384,515
Long-term debt	714,349	345,215
Deferred income taxes	506,132	126,984
Non-current liabilities	130,619	70,176
Distributions in excess of inv in HEP	376,926	374,143
Equity - HollyFrontier	5,056,590	699,328
Equity - noncontrolling interest	90,568	63,363
Total liabilities and equity	9,263,627	3,063,724
Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	1,802	403	706	2,508
Marketable securities
Accounts receivable	23,821	22,508
Intercompany accounts receivable (payable)
Inventories	703	202
Income taxes receivable
Prepayments and other assets	942	573
Total current assets	27,268	23,686
Properties and equipment, net	503,248	492,098
Marketable securities (long-term)
Investment in subsidiaries
Intangibles and other assets	154,947	154,036
Total assets	685,463	669,820
Accounts payable	7,683	10,238
Income taxes payable
Accrued liabilities	11,997	21,206
Total current liabilities	19,680	31,444
Long-term debt	527,213	482,271
Non-current liabilities	8,144	10,809
Distributions in excess of inv in HEP
Equity - HollyFrontier	130,426	145,296
Equity - noncontrolling interest
Total liabilities and equity	685,463	669,820
Eliminations [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents
Marketable securities
Accounts receivable	(23,541)	(22,853)
Intercompany accounts receivable (payable)
Inventories
Income taxes receivable
Prepayments and other assets	(3,742)	(3,251)
Total current assets	(27,283)	(26,104)
Properties and equipment, net	(6,488)	(7,109)
Marketable securities (long-term)
Investment in subsidiaries
Intangibles and other assets	1,144	1,144
Total assets	(32,627)	(32,069)
Accounts payable	(23,541)	(22,853)
Income taxes payable
Accrued liabilities	(3,742)	(3,251)
Total current liabilities	(27,283)	(26,104)
Long-term debt	(16,575)	(16,925)
Deferred income taxes	4,951	4,951
Non-current liabilities
Distributions in excess of inv in HEP	(376,926)	(374,143)
Equity - HollyFrontier	(132,086)	(147,205)
Equity - noncontrolling interest	515,292	527,357
Total liabilities and equity	$ (32,627)	$ (32,069)