CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 734,893	$ 1,029,369	$ 1,426,035	$ 1,103,906
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	729,649	1,007,143	1,349,001	1,068,133
Depreciation and amortization attributable to costs of revenues	6,630	4,063	10,967	5,090
Gross profit (loss)	(1,386)	18,163	66,067	30,683
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	42,636	40,748	84,578	52,897
Depreciation and amortization attributable to operating expenses	1,028	1,127	2,044	1,536
Total operating expenses	43,664	41,875	86,622	54,433
Loss from operations	(45,050)	(23,712)	(20,555)	(23,750)
Other income (expense):
Other income (loss)	(496)	171	1,156	643
Gain (loss) on change in value of derivative warrant liability	9,600	(945)	415	(4,524)
Interest expense	(77,536)	(47,712)	(90,013)	(51,933)
Total other expense	(68,432)	(48,486)	(88,442)	(55,814)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax	(113,482)	(72,198)	(108,997)	(79,564)
Income tax benefit (expense)	28,688	0	27,676	0
Loss from continuing operations	(84,794)	(72,198)	(81,321)	(79,564)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax (see note 23)	3,340	8,416	53,680	14,973
Net loss	(81,454)	(63,782)	(27,641)	(64,591)
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest and redeemable non-controlling interest from continuing operations	(53)	137	(103)	64
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest and redeemable non-controlling interest from discontinued operations	0	3,050	0	6,862
Net loss attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(81,401)	(66,969)	(27,538)	(71,517)
Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest to redemption value from continued operations	0	(7)	0	(428)
Net loss attributable to common stockholders from continuing operations	(84,741)	(72,342)	(81,218)	(80,056)
Net income attributable to common stockholders from discontinued operations, net of tax	3,340	5,366	53,680	8,111
Net loss attributable to common shareholders, basic	(81,401)	(66,976)	(27,538)	(71,945)
Net loss attributable to common shareholders ,diluted	$ (81,401)	$ (66,976)	$ (27,538)	$ (71,945)
Basic loss per common share
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (1.07)	$ (1.07)	$ (1.05)	$ (1.22)
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	0.04	0.08	0.69	0.12
Basic loss per common share (in dollars per share)	$ (1.03)	$ (0.99)	$ (0.36)	$ (1.10)
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic (in shares)	79,519	67,923	77,615	65,660
Diluted (in shares)	79,519	67,923	77,615	65,660