Commitments and Contingencies Energy Minimum Required Payments Table (Details) (Energy Segment [Member], USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 bbl
CVR Energy, Inc. [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Future minimum required payments, six months ending December 31, 2012, Operating Leases	$ 3
Future minimum required payments, six months ending December 31, 2012, Unconditional Purchase Obligations	32	[1]
Future minimum required payments, year ending December 31, 2013, Operating Leases	10
Future minimum required payments, year ending December 31, 2013, Unconditional Purchase Obligations	127	[1]
Future minimum required payments, year ending December 31, 2014, Operating Leases	8
Future minimum required payments, year ending December 31, 2014, Unconditional Purchase Obligations	114	[1]
Future minimum required payments, year ending December 31, 2015, Operating Leases	6
Future minimum required payments, year ending December 31, 2015, Unconditional Purchase Obligations	103	[1]
Future minimum required payments, year ending December 31, 2016, Operating Leases	5
Future minimum required payments, year ending December 31, 2016, Unconditional Purchase Obligations	97	[1]
Future minimum required payments, thereafter, Operating Leases	9
Future minimum required payments, thereafter, Unconditional Purchase Obligations	460	[1]
Future minimum required payments, Operating Leases	41
Future minimum required payments, Unconditional Purchase Obligation	933	[1]
Petroleum Transportation [Member] | CRRM [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Unconditional purchase obligation for petroleum transportation, payable ratably over nine years	$ 483
Term of unconditional purchase obligation for petroleum transportation	10 years
Number of barrels of petroleum to be transported pursuant to unconditional purchase obligation	25,000

[1] This amount includes $483 million payable ratably over nine years pursuant to petroleum transportation service agreements between CRRM and TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, LP ("TransCanada"). Under the agreements, CRRM will receive transportation for at least 25,000 barrels per day of crude oil with a delivery point at Cushing, Oklahoma for a term of ten years on TransCanada's Keystone pipeline system. CRRM began receiving crude oil under the agreements in the first quarter of 2011.