Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements, Statement of Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net income	$ 648	$ 875	$ 815	$ 1,457
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	(291)	155	(246)
Net gain on pension and other postretirement benefits	2	9	5	17
Net gain on cash flow hedges	5		5
Other comprehensive income (loss) before income tax expense	7	(282)	165	(229)
Income tax expense related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)	1	2	2	4
Other comprehensive income (loss)	6	(284)	163	(233)
Comprehensive income	654	591	978	1,224
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	40	25	68	141
Comprehensive income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders	614	566	910	1,083
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net income	(1,058)	(1,224)	(1,497)	(2,201)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	27	268	(104)	192
Net gain on pension and other postretirement benefits	0	(1)	0	(1)
Net gain on cash flow hedges	(5)		(5)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before income tax expense	22	267	(109)	191
Income tax expense related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)	(1)	0	(1)	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	23	267	(108)	191
Comprehensive income	(1,035)	(957)	(1,605)	(2,010)
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(40)	(25)	(68)	(141)
Comprehensive income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders	(995)	(932)	(1,537)	(1,869)
Valero Energy Corporation [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net income	648	875	815	1,457
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	(291)	155	(246)
Net gain on pension and other postretirement benefits	2	9	5	17
Net gain on cash flow hedges	5		5
Other comprehensive income (loss) before income tax expense	7	(282)	165	(229)
Income tax expense related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)	1	2	2	4
Other comprehensive income (loss)	6	(284)	163	(233)
Comprehensive income	654	591	978	1,224
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	40	25	68	141
Comprehensive income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders	614	566	910	1,083
Valero Energy Partners LP [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net income	96	64	163	130
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0	0	0
Net gain on pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0	0	0
Net gain on cash flow hedges	0		0
Other comprehensive income (loss) before income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income	96	64	163	130
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders	96	64	163	130
Other Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net income	962	1,160	1,334	2,071
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(27)	(268)	104	(192)
Net gain on pension and other postretirement benefits	0	1	0	1
Net gain on cash flow hedges	5		5
Other comprehensive income (loss) before income tax expense	(22)	(267)	109	(191)
Income tax expense related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)	1	0	1	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(23)	(267)	108	(191)
Comprehensive income	939	893	1,442	1,880
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	40	25	68	141
Comprehensive income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders	$ 899	$ 868	$ 1,374	$ 1,739