CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2024	Mar. 31, 2023
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 695,326	$ 691,142
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	652,034	619,352
Depreciation and amortization attributable to costs of revenues	8,186	4,337
Gross profit	35,106	67,453
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	39,782	41,942
Depreciation and amortization attributable to operating expenses	1,104	1,016
Total operating expenses	40,886	42,958
Income (loss) from operations	(5,780)	24,495
Other income (expense):
Other income (expenses)	(1,049)	1,653
Gain (loss) on change in value of derivative warrant liability	6,658	(9,185)
Interest expense	(17,683)	(12,477)
Total other expense	(12,074)	(20,009)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	(17,854)	4,486
Income tax expense	0	(1,013)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(17,854)	3,473
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax (see note 22)	0	50,340
Net income (loss)	(17,854)	53,813
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest from continuing operations	(120)	(50)
Net income (loss) attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(17,734)	53,863
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders from continuing operations	(17,734)	3,523
Net income attributable to common shareholders from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	50,340
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders, basic	(17,734)	53,863
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders	$ (17,734)	$ 53,863
Basic income (loss) per common share
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.19)	$ 0.05
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	0	0.66
Basic income (loss) per common share (in dollars per share)	(0.19)	0.71
Diluted income (loss) per common share
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	(0.19)	0.04
Discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	0	0.64
Diluted income (loss) per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.19)	$ 0.68
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic (in shares)	93,514	75,689
Diluted (in shares)	93,514	78,996