Supplemental Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Income) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	$ 5,173,398	$ 2,090,988	$ 10,467,116	$ 6,111,138
Cost of products sold	3,989,927	1,807,044	8,421,639	5,379,120
Operating expenses	227,883	130,263	501,971	378,638
General and administrative expenses	43,141	16,925	78,641	50,623
Depreciation and amortization	43,240	29,138	106,380	85,719
Total operating costs and expenses	4,304,191	1,983,370	9,108,631	5,894,100
Income from operations	869,207	107,618	1,358,485	217,038
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries and joint venture	532	570	1,739	1,595
Interest income (expense)	(24,870)	(17,304)	(55,525)	(55,355)
Merger transaction costs	(9,100)		(15,114)
Other income (expense) total	(33,438)	(16,734)	(68,900)	(53,760)
Income before income taxes	835,769	90,884	1,289,585	163,278
Income tax provision	304,758	31,494	465,730	54,476
Net income	531,011	59,390	823,855	108,802
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	7,923	8,213	23,838	19,557
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	523,088	51,177	800,017	89,245
Parent [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	266	100	1,067	317
Cost of products sold
Operating expenses
General and administrative expenses	39,555	15,538	71,884	44,339
Depreciation and amortization	872	925	2,719	2,796
Total operating costs and expenses	40,427	16,463	74,603	47,135
Income from operations	(40,161)	(16,363)	(73,536)	(46,818)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries and joint venture	892,558	106,360	1,381,010	216,349
Interest income (expense)	(15,162)	(7,294)	(27,033)	(25,964)
Merger transaction costs	(9,100)		(15,114)
Other income (expense) total	868,296	99,066	1,338,863	190,385
Income before income taxes	828,135	82,703	1,265,327	143,567
Income tax provision	304,835	31,418	465,561	54,260
Net income	523,300	51,285	799,766	89,307
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	523,300	51,285	799,766	89,307
Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	5,164,778	2,081,707	10,433,096	6,086,241
Cost of products sold	4,029,997	1,843,464	8,531,358	5,484,647
Operating expenses	213,001	116,763	459,678	338,826
General and administrative expenses	1,574	(121)	1,809	300
Depreciation and amortization	35,070	21,499	81,875	63,278
Total operating costs and expenses	4,279,642	1,981,605	9,074,720	5,887,051
Income from operations	885,136	100,102	1,358,376	199,190
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries and joint venture	8,399	7,918	25,230	21,217
Interest income (expense)	(977)	(1,660)	(2,596)	(4,058)
Merger transaction costs
Other income (expense) total	7,422	6,258	22,634	17,159
Income before income taxes	892,558	106,360	1,381,010	216,349
Income tax provision
Net income	892,558	106,360	1,381,010	216,349
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	892,558	106,360	1,381,010	216,349
Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	33	2	33	2
Cost of products sold		103		115
Operating expenses	323		832
Depreciation and amortization	179	179	537	(292)
Total operating costs and expenses	502	282	1,369	(177)
Income from operations	(469)	(280)	(1,336)	179
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries and joint venture	8,840	8,117	26,340	21,053
Interest income (expense)	14	11	40	31
Merger transaction costs
Other income (expense) total	8,854	8,128	26,380	21,084
Income before income taxes	8,385	7,848	25,044	21,263
Income tax provision
Net income	8,385	7,848	25,044	21,263
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	8,385	7,848	25,044	21,263
Eliminations From Consolidation Of Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues
Cost of products sold
Operating expenses
General and administrative expenses
Depreciation and amortization
Total operating costs and expenses
Income from operations
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries and joint venture	(901,066)	(114,278)	(1,406,349)	(237,566)
Interest income (expense)
Merger transaction costs
Other income (expense) total	(901,066)	(114,278)	(1,406,349)	(237,566)
Income before income taxes	(901,066)	(114,278)	(1,406,349)	(237,566)
Income tax provision
Net income	(901,066)	(114,278)	(1,406,349)	(237,566)
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(123)	(70)	(295)	46
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	(900,943)	(114,208)	(1,406,054)	(237,612)
HollyFrontier Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	5,165,077	2,081,809	10,434,196	6,086,560
Cost of products sold	4,029,997	1,843,567	8,531,358	5,484,762
Operating expenses	213,324	116,763	460,510	338,826
General and administrative expenses	41,129	15,417	73,693	44,639
Depreciation and amortization	36,121	22,603	85,131	65,782
Total operating costs and expenses	4,320,571	1,998,350	9,150,692	5,934,009
Income from operations	844,506	83,459	1,283,504	152,551
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries and joint venture	8,731	8,117	26,231	21,053
Interest income (expense)	(16,125)	(8,943)	(29,589)	(29,991)
Merger transaction costs	(9,100)		(15,114)
Other income (expense) total	(16,494)	(826)	(18,472)	(8,938)
Income before income taxes	828,012	82,633	1,265,032	143,613
Income tax provision	304,835	31,418	465,561	54,260
Net income	523,177	51,215	799,471	89,353
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(123)	(70)	(295)	46
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	523,300	51,285	799,766	89,307
Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	49,288	46,558	145,233	132,730
Cost of products sold
Operating expenses	14,689	13,632	41,851	40,187
General and administrative expenses	2,012	1,508	4,948	5,984
Depreciation and amortization	7,326	6,830	21,870	20,822
Total operating costs and expenses	24,027	21,970	68,669	66,993
Income from operations	25,261	24,588	76,564	65,737
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries and joint venture	641	570	1,848	1,595
Interest income (expense)	(9,391)	(8,979)	(27,789)	(27,192)
Merger transaction costs
Other income (expense) total	(8,750)	(8,409)	(25,941)	(25,597)
Income before income taxes	16,511	16,179	50,623	40,140
Income tax provision	(77)	76	169	216
Net income	16,588	16,103	50,454	39,924
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	16,588	16,103	50,454	39,924
Eliminations [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	(40,967)	(37,379)	(112,313)	(108,152)
Cost of products sold	(40,070)	(36,523)	(109,719)	(105,642)
Operating expenses	(130)	(132)	(390)	(375)
Depreciation and amortization	(207)	(295)	(621)	(885)
Total operating costs and expenses	(40,407)	(36,950)	(110,730)	(106,902)
Income from operations	(560)	(429)	(1,583)	(1,250)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries and joint venture	(8,840)	(8,117)	(26,340)	(21,053)
Interest income (expense)	646	618	1,853	1,828
Merger transaction costs
Other income (expense) total	(8,194)	(7,499)	(24,487)	(19,225)
Income before income taxes	(8,754)	(7,928)	(26,070)	(20,475)
Income tax provision
Net income	(8,754)	(7,928)	(26,070)	(20,475)
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	8,046	8,283	24,133	19,511
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	$ (16,800)	$ (16,211)	$ (50,203)	$ (39,986)