Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements, Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,033		$ 2,982
Receivables, net	9,050		7,345
Receivables from affiliates	0		0
Inventories	6,281		6,532
Prepaid expenses and other	447		816
Total current assets	17,811		17,675
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	43,110		42,473
Accumulated depreciation	(14,326)		(13,625)
Property, plant, and equipment, net	28,784		28,848
Investment in affiliates	0		0
Long-term notes receivable from affiliates			0
Deferred charges and other assets, net	5,427		3,632
Total assets	52,022		50,155
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt and finance lease obligations	323		238
Accounts payable	10,135		8,594
Accounts payable to affiliates	0		0
Accrued expenses	764		630
Accrued expenses to affiliates			0
Taxes other than income taxes payable	1,144		1,213
Income taxes payable	182		49
Total current liabilities	12,548		10,724
Debt and finance lease obligations, less current portion	9,167		8,871
Long-term notes payable to affiliates			0
Deferred income tax liabilities	4,899		4,962
Other long-term liabilities	3,571		2,867
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	7		7
Additional paid-in capital	6,812		7,048
Treasury stock, at cost	(15,170)		(14,925)
Retained earnings	31,046		31,044
Partners’ equity	0		0
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(1,350)		(1,507)
Total Valero Energy Corporation stockholders’ equity	21,345		21,667
Noncontrolling interests	492		1,064
Total equity	21,837	$ 21,779	22,731	$ 22,804	$ 22,925	$ 22,900
Total liabilities and equity	52,022		50,155
Eliminations [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Receivables, net	0		0
Receivables from affiliates	(16,206)		(15,381)
Inventories	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other	0		(5)
Total current assets	(16,206)		(15,386)
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Accumulated depreciation	0		0
Property, plant, and equipment, net	0		0
Investment in affiliates	(39,475)		(38,652)
Long-term notes receivable from affiliates			(285)
Deferred charges and other assets, net	0		0
Total assets	(55,681)		(54,323)
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt and finance lease obligations	0		0
Accounts payable	0		0
Accounts payable to affiliates	(16,206)		(15,380)
Accrued expenses	0		0
Accrued expenses to affiliates			(1)
Taxes other than income taxes payable	0		0
Income taxes payable	0		(5)
Total current liabilities	(16,206)		(15,386)
Debt and finance lease obligations, less current portion	0		0
Long-term notes payable to affiliates			(285)
Deferred income tax liabilities	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	(1)		(1)
Additional paid-in capital	(9,770)		(9,754)
Treasury stock, at cost	0		0
Retained earnings	(29,824)		(28,631)
Partners’ equity	(383)		(299)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	995		1,097
Total Valero Energy Corporation stockholders’ equity	(38,983)		(37,588)
Noncontrolling interests	(492)		(1,064)
Total equity	(39,475)		(38,652)
Total liabilities and equity	(55,681)		(54,323)
Valero Energy Corporation [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	246		291
Receivables, net	0		0
Receivables from affiliates	4,382		4,369
Inventories	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other	63		466
Total current assets	4,691		5,126
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Accumulated depreciation	0		0
Property, plant, and equipment, net	0		0
Investment in affiliates	36,639		36,086
Long-term notes receivable from affiliates			285
Deferred charges and other assets, net	547		572
Total assets	41,877		42,069
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt and finance lease obligations	0		0
Accounts payable	0		14
Accounts payable to affiliates	10,753		10,173
Accrued expenses	123		155
Accrued expenses to affiliates			0
Taxes other than income taxes payable	0		0
Income taxes payable	99		53
Total current liabilities	10,975		10,395
Debt and finance lease obligations, less current portion	7,093		6,955
Long-term notes payable to affiliates			0
Deferred income tax liabilities	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	1,972		1,988
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	7		7
Additional paid-in capital	6,812		7,048
Treasury stock, at cost	(15,170)		(14,925)
Retained earnings	31,046		31,044
Partners’ equity	0		0
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(1,350)		(1,507)
Total Valero Energy Corporation stockholders’ equity	21,345		21,667
Noncontrolling interests	492		1,064
Total equity	21,837		22,731
Total liabilities and equity	41,877		42,069
Valero Energy Partners LP [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		152
Receivables, net	0		0
Receivables from affiliates	0		2
Inventories	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other	0		0
Total current assets	0		154
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Accumulated depreciation	0		0
Property, plant, and equipment, net	0		0
Investment in affiliates	2,453		2,267
Long-term notes receivable from affiliates			0
Deferred charges and other assets, net	0		1
Total assets	2,453		2,422
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt and finance lease obligations	0		0
Accounts payable	0		0
Accounts payable to affiliates	1,071		837
Accrued expenses	7		7
Accrued expenses to affiliates			1
Taxes other than income taxes payable	0		0
Income taxes payable	0		1
Total current liabilities	1,078		846
Debt and finance lease obligations, less current portion	990		990
Long-term notes payable to affiliates			285
Deferred income tax liabilities	2		2
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	0		0
Additional paid-in capital	0		0
Treasury stock, at cost	0		0
Retained earnings	0		0
Partners’ equity	383		299
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0		0
Total Valero Energy Corporation stockholders’ equity	383		299
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	383		299
Total liabilities and equity	2,453		2,422
Other Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,787		2,539
Receivables, net	9,050		7,345
Receivables from affiliates	11,824		11,010
Inventories	6,281		6,532
Prepaid expenses and other	384		355
Total current assets	29,326		27,781
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	43,110		42,473
Accumulated depreciation	(14,326)		(13,625)
Property, plant, and equipment, net	28,784		28,848
Investment in affiliates	383		299
Long-term notes receivable from affiliates			0
Deferred charges and other assets, net	4,880		3,059
Total assets	63,373		59,987
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt and finance lease obligations	323		238
Accounts payable	10,135		8,580
Accounts payable to affiliates	4,382		4,370
Accrued expenses	634		468
Accrued expenses to affiliates			0
Taxes other than income taxes payable	1,144		1,213
Income taxes payable	83		0
Total current liabilities	16,701		14,869
Debt and finance lease obligations, less current portion	1,084		926
Long-term notes payable to affiliates			0
Deferred income tax liabilities	4,897		4,960
Other long-term liabilities	1,599		879
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	1		1
Additional paid-in capital	9,770		9,754
Treasury stock, at cost	0		0
Retained earnings	29,824		28,631
Partners’ equity	0		0
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(995)		(1,097)
Total Valero Energy Corporation stockholders’ equity	38,600		37,289
Noncontrolling interests	492		1,064
Total equity	39,092		38,353
Total liabilities and equity	$ 63,373		$ 59,987