Consolidated Statements of Equity (unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Entities Other Than Valero Energy Partners LP [Member]	Valero Energy Partners LP [Member]	Valero Energy Corporation Stockholders' Equity [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]	Non-controlling Interests [Member]	Non-controlling Interests [Member] Entities Other Than Valero Energy Partners LP [Member]	Non-controlling Interests [Member] Valero Energy Partners LP [Member]
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 20,854			$ 20,024	$ 7	$ 7,088	$ (12,027)	$ 26,366	$ (1,410)	$ 830
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity Roll Forward
Reclassification of stranded income tax effects of Tax Reform per ASU 2018-02 (see Note 1)									0
Net income	1,756			1,694				1,694		62
Dividends on common stock	(936)			(936)				(936)
Stock-based compensation expense	37			37		37
Transactions in connection with stock-based compensation plans	(21)			(21)		(34)	13
Stock purchases under purchase programs	(925)			(925)			(925)
Issuance of Valero Energy Partners LP common units and contributions from noncontrolling interests			$ 33									$ 33
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(56)									(56)
Other	(36)			(20)		(31)	0	11	0	(16)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	518			517					517	1
Balance as of end of period at Sep. 30, 2017	21,224			20,370	7	7,060	(12,939)	27,135	(893)	854
Balance as of beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2017	20,765			19,923	7	7,096	(12,660)	26,603	(1,123)	842
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity Roll Forward
Net income	863			841				841		22
Dividends on common stock	(309)			(309)				(309)
Stock-based compensation expense	12			12		12
Transactions in connection with stock-based compensation plans	(10)			(10)		(7)	(3)
Stock purchases under purchase programs	(276)			(276)			(276)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(11)									(11)
Other	(41)			(41)		(41)	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	231			230					230	1
Balance as of end of period at Sep. 30, 2017	21,224			20,370	7	7,060	(12,939)	27,135	(893)	854
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2017	22,900			21,991	7	7,039	(13,315)	29,200	(940)	909
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity Roll Forward
Reclassification of stranded income tax effects of Tax Reform per ASU 2018-02 (see Note 1)	0			0				91	(91)
Net income	2,331			2,170				2,170		161
Dividends on common stock	(1,031)			(1,031)				(1,031)
Stock-based compensation expense	40			40		40
Transactions in connection with stock-based compensation plans	(149)			(149)		(34)	(115)
Stock purchases under purchase programs	(904)			(904)			(904)
Issuance of Valero Energy Partners LP common units and contributions from noncontrolling interests		$ 32									$ 32
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(63)									(63)
Other	7			(3)		(3)	0	0	0	10
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(203)			(204)					(204)	1
Balance as of end of period at Sep. 30, 2018	22,960			21,910	7	7,042	(14,334)	30,430	(1,235)	1,050
Balance as of beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2018	22,804			21,769	7	7,032	(13,923)	29,915	(1,262)	1,035
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity Roll Forward
Net income	874			856				856		18
Dividends on common stock	(341)			(341)				(341)
Stock-based compensation expense	11			11		11
Transactions in connection with stock-based compensation plans	(15)			(15)		0	(15)
Stock purchases under purchase programs	(396)			(396)			(396)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(13)									(13)
Other	6			(1)		(1)	0	0	0	7
Other comprehensive income (loss)	30			27					27	3
Balance as of end of period at Sep. 30, 2018	$ 22,960			$ 21,910	$ 7	$ 7,042	$ (14,334)	$ 30,430	$ (1,235)	$ 1,050