CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 991,839	$ 30,228	$ 1,032,056	$ 55,273
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	984,442	28,041	1,023,008	50,850
Depreciation and amortization attributable to costs of revenues	3,122	116	3,236	228
Gross profit	4,275	2,071	5,812	4,195
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	36,641	4,177	45,423	7,035
Depreciation and amortization attributable to operating expenses	763	27	790	54
Total operating expenses	37,404	4,204	46,213	7,089
Loss from operations	(33,129)	(2,133)	(40,401)	(2,894)
Other income (expense):
Interest income	18	0	18	0
Other income	152	4,222	625	4,223
Loss on change in value of derivative warrant liability	(945)	(21,508)	(4,524)	(23,288)
Interest expense	(47,722)	(139)	(51,952)	(251)
Total other expense	(48,497)	(17,425)	(55,833)	(19,316)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax	(81,626)	(19,558)	(96,234)	(22,210)
Income tax benefit (expense)	0	0	0	0
Loss from continuing operations	(81,626)	(19,558)	(96,234)	(22,210)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	17,844	3,601	31,643	9,219
Net loss	(63,782)	(15,957)	(64,591)	(12,991)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest and redeemable non-controlling interest from continuing operations	165	243	97	626
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest and redeemable non-controlling interest from discontinued operations	3,023	3,175	6,829	4,783
Net loss attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(66,970)	(19,375)	(71,517)	(18,400)
Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest to redemption value from continued operations	(6)	(387)	(428)	(762)
Accretion of discount on Series B and B1 Preferred Stock	0	(284)	0	(507)
Dividends on Series B and B1 Preferred Stock	0	0	0	258
Net loss attributable to shareholders from continuing operations	(81,797)	(20,472)	(96,759)	(23,847)
Net income attributable to shareholders from discontinued operations, net of tax, Basic	14,821	426	24,814	4,436
Net loss attributable to common shareholders, basic	(66,976)	(20,046)	(71,945)	(19,411)
Net loss attributable to common shareholders diluted	$ (66,976)	$ (20,046)	$ (71,945)	$ (19,411)
Basic and diluted loss per Share
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (1.20)	$ (0.39)	$ (1.47)	$ (0.48)
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	0.22	0.01	0.38	0.09
Basic income (loss) per common share (in dollars per share)	(0.98)	(0.38)	(1.09)	(0.39)
Diluted income (loss) per common share
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	(1.20)	(0.39)	(1.47)	(0.48)
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	0.22	0.01	0.38	0.09
Diluted income (loss) per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.98)	$ (0.38)	$ (1.09)	$ (0.39)
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic (in shares)	67,923	52,683	65,660	50,210
Diluted (in shares)	67,923	52,683	65,660	50,210