CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 2,791,715,000	$ 207,760,000	$ 103,810,000
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	2,598,276,000	178,786,000	91,630,000
Depreciation and amortization attributable to costs of revenues	13,429,000	4,043,000	3,667,000
Gross profit	180,010,000	24,931,000	8,513,000
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	127,782,000	30,606,000	20,376,000
Loss on assets impairment	0	2,124,000	0
Depreciation and amortization attributable to operating expenses	3,673,000	1,681,000	1,645,000
Total operating expenses	131,455,000	34,411,000	22,021,000
Income (loss) from operations	48,555,000	(9,480,000)	(13,508,000)
Other income (expense):
Other income (expense)	(306,000)	4,158,000	(125,000)
Gain (loss) on change in value of derivative warrant liability	7,821,000	(15,685,000)	1,639,000
Interest expense	(79,911,000)	(3,832,000)	(980,000)
Total other income (expense)	(72,396,000)	(15,359,000)	534,000
Loss from continuing operations before income tax	(23,841,000)	(24,839,000)	(12,974,000)
Income tax benefit	7,171,000	0	0
Loss from continuing operations	(16,670,000)	(24,839,000)	(12,974,000)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	18,667,000	17,178,000	1,578,000
Net income (loss)	1,997,000	(7,661,000)	(11,396,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest and redeemable non-controlling interest from continuing operations	(63,000)	207,000	364,000
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest and redeemable non-controlling interest from discontinued operations	6,882,000	10,496,000	276,000
Net loss attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(4,822,000)	(18,364,000)	(12,036,000)
Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest to redemption value	(428,000)	(1,992,000)	(15,135,000)
Accretion of discount on Series B and B-1 Preferred Stock	0	(507,000)	(1,688,000)
Dividends on Series B and B-1 Preferred Stock	0	258,000	(1,903,000)
Net loss attributable to stockholders from continuing operations	(17,035,000)	(27,287,000)	(32,064,000)
Net income available to stockholders from discontinued operations, net of tax	11,785,000	6,682,000	1,302,000
Net loss attributable to common stockholders	$ (5,250,000)	$ (20,605,000)	$ (30,762,000)
Basic income (loss) per common share
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.24)	$ (0.48)	$ (0.70)
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	0.17	0.12	0.03
Basic loss per common share (in dollars per share)	(0.07)	(0.36)	(0.67)
Diluted income (loss) per common share
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	(0.24)	(0.48)	(0.70)
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	0.17	0.12	0.03
Diluted loss per common share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.07)	$ (0.36)	$ (0.67)
Shares used in computing income (loss) per share
Basic (in shares)	70,686	56,303	45,509
Diluted (in shares)	70,686	56,303	45,509