Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Valero Energy Partners LP [Member]	Entities Other Than 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] Valero Energy Partners LP [Member]	Non-controlling Interests [Member] Entities Other Than Valero Energy Partners LP [Member]
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 21,354			$ 20,527	$ 7	$ 7,064	$ (10,799)	$ 25,188	$ (933)	$ 827
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity Roll Forward
Net income	2,417			2,289				2,289		128
Dividends on common stock	(1,111)			(1,111)				(1,111)
Stock-based compensation expense	68			68		68
Transactions in connection with stock-based compensation plans	(55)			(55)		(89)	34
Stock purchases under purchase programs	(1,262)			(1,262)			(1,262)
Issuance of Valero Energy Partners LP common units and contributions from noncontrolling interests		$ 11									$ 11
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(65)									(65)
Other	(27)			45		45		0		(72)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(476)			(477)					(477)	1
Balance as of end 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
Net income	4,156			4,065				4,065		91
Dividends on common stock	(1,242)			(1,242)				(1,242)
Stock-based compensation expense	68			68		68
Transactions in connection with stock-based compensation plans	(63)			(63)		(82)	19
Stock purchases under purchase programs	(1,307)			(1,307)			(1,307)
Issuance of Valero Energy Partners LP common units and contributions from noncontrolling interests		$ 33	$ 30								$ 33	$ 30
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(67)									(67)
Other	(32)			(24)		(35)		11		(8)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	470			470					470	0
Balance as of end 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	3,353			3,122				3,122		231
Dividends on common stock	(1,369)			(1,369)				(1,369)
Stock-based compensation expense	82			82		82
Transactions in connection with stock-based compensation plans	(169)			(169)		(70)	(99)
Stock purchases under purchase programs	(1,511)			(1,511)			(1,511)
Issuance of Valero Energy Partners LP common units and contributions from noncontrolling interests			$ 32									$ 32
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(116)									(116)
Other	7			(3)		(3)		0		10
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(478)			(476)					(476)	(2)
Balance as of end of period at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 22,731			$ 21,667	$ 7	$ 7,048	$ (14,925)	$ 31,044	$ (1,507)	$ 1,064