CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 3,177,187,000	$ 2,791,715,000	$ 207,760,000
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	3,005,996,000	2,598,276,000	178,786,000
Depreciation and amortization attributable to costs of revenues	27,018,000	13,429,000	4,043,000
Gross profit	144,173,000	180,010,000	24,931,000
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	168,640,000	127,782,000	30,606,000
Depreciation and amortization attributable to operating expenses	4,146,000	3,673,000	1,681,000
Total operating expenses	172,786,000	131,455,000	34,411,000
Income (loss) from operations	(28,613,000)	48,555,000	(9,480,000)
Other income (expense):
Other income (expense)	633,000	(306,000)	4,158,000
Gain (loss) on change in value of derivative warrant liability	7,992,000	7,821,000	(15,685,000)
Interest expense	(119,567,000)	(79,911,000)	(3,832,000)
Total other expense	(110,942,000)	(72,396,000)	(15,359,000)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax	(139,555,000)	(23,841,000)	(24,839,000)
Income tax benefit	13,385,000	7,171,000	0
Loss from continuing operations	(126,170,000)	(16,670,000)	(24,839,000)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax (see note 24)	54,197,000	18,667,000	17,178,000
Net income (loss)	(71,973,000)	1,997,000	(7,661,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest and redeemable non-controlling interest from continuing operations	(487,000)	(63,000)	207,000
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest and redeemable non-controlling interest from discontinued operations	0	6,882,000	10,496,000
Net loss attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(71,486,000)	(4,822,000)	(18,364,000)
Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest to redemption value	0	(428,000)	(1,992,000)
Accretion of discount on Series B and B-1 Preferred Stock	0	0	(507,000)
Dividends on Series B and B-1 Preferred Stock	0	0	258,000
Net loss attributable to stockholders from continuing operations	(125,683,000)	(17,035,000)	(27,287,000)
Net income attributable to stockholders from discontinued operations, net of tax	54,197,000	11,785,000	6,682,000
Net loss attributable to common stockholders	$ (71,486,000)	$ (5,250,000)	$ (20,605,000)
Basic income (loss) per common share
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (1.47)	$ (0.24)	$ (0.48)
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	0.63	0.17	0.12
Basic loss per common share (in dollars per share)	(0.84)	(0.07)	(0.36)
Diluted income (loss) per common share
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	(1.47)	(0.24)	(0.48)
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	0.63	0.17	0.12
Diluted loss per common share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.84)	$ (0.07)	$ (0.36)
Shares used in computing income (loss) per share
Basic (in shares)	85,596	70,686	56,303
Diluted (in shares)	85,596	70,686	56,303
Loss on assets impairment	$ 0	$ 0	$ 2,124,000