Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements, Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,137		$ 2,982
Receivables, net	7,994		7,345
Receivables from affiliates	0		0
Inventories	6,376		6,532
Prepaid expenses and other	526		816
Total current assets	17,033		17,675
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	43,539		42,473
Accumulated depreciation	(14,649)		(13,625)
Property, plant, and equipment, net	28,890		28,848
Investment in affiliates	0		0
Long-term notes receivable from affiliates			0
Deferred charges and other assets, net	5,306		3,632
Total assets	51,229		50,155
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt and finance lease obligations	402		238
Accounts payable	9,504		8,594
Accounts payable to affiliates	0		0
Accrued expenses	881		630
Accrued expenses to affiliates			0
Taxes other than income taxes payable	1,175		1,213
Income taxes payable	168		49
Total current liabilities	12,130		10,724
Debt and finance lease obligations, less current portion	9,170		8,871
Long-term notes payable to affiliates			0
Deferred income tax liabilities	4,920		4,962
Other long-term liabilities	3,421		2,867
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	7		7
Additional paid-in capital	6,818		7,048
Treasury stock, at cost	(15,472)		(14,925)
Retained earnings	31,283		31,044
Partners’ equity	0		0
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(1,529)		(1,507)
Total Valero Energy Corporation stockholders’ equity	21,107		21,667
Noncontrolling interests	481		1,064
Total equity	21,588	$ 21,837	22,731	$ 22,960	$ 22,804	$ 22,900
Total liabilities and equity	51,229		50,155
Eliminations [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Receivables, net	0		0
Receivables from affiliates	(16,802)		(15,055)
Inventories	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other	0		(5)
Total current assets	(16,802)		(15,060)
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Accumulated depreciation	0		0
Property, plant, and equipment, net	0		0
Investment in affiliates	(39,276)		(36,642)
Long-term notes receivable from affiliates			(285)
Deferred charges and other assets, net	0		0
Total assets	(56,078)		(51,987)
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt and finance lease obligations	0		0
Accounts payable	0		0
Accounts payable to affiliates	(16,802)		(15,054)
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	(16,802)		(15,060)
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	(9,765)		(9,754)
Treasury stock, at cost	0		0
Retained earnings	(30,286)		(28,305)
Partners’ equity	(383)		(299)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	1,159		1,097
Total Valero Energy Corporation stockholders’ equity	(39,276)		(37,262)
Noncontrolling interests	0		620
Total equity	(39,276)		(36,642)
Total liabilities and equity	(56,078)		(51,987)
Valero Energy Corporation [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	209		291
Receivables, net	0		0
Receivables from affiliates	4,396		4,369
Inventories	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other	64		466
Total current assets	4,669		5,126
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	0		0
Accumulated depreciation	0		0
Property, plant, and equipment, net	0		0
Investment in affiliates	36,327		34,696
Long-term notes receivable from affiliates			285
Deferred charges and other assets, net	552		572
Total assets	41,548		40,679
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt and finance lease obligations	0		0
Accounts payable	0		14
Accounts payable to affiliates	11,223		9,847
Accrued expenses	155		155
Accrued expenses to affiliates			0
Taxes other than income taxes payable	0		0
Income taxes payable	83		53
Total current liabilities	11,461		10,069
Debt and finance lease obligations, less current portion	7,094		6,955
Long-term notes payable to affiliates			0
Deferred income tax liabilities	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	1,886		1,988
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	7		7
Additional paid-in capital	6,818		7,048
Treasury stock, at cost	(15,472)		(14,925)
Retained earnings	31,283		31,044
Partners’ equity	0		0
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(1,529)		(1,507)
Total Valero Energy Corporation stockholders’ equity	21,107		21,667
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	21,107		21,667
Total liabilities and equity	41,548		40,679
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	2,566		2,267
Long-term notes receivable from affiliates			0
Deferred charges and other assets, net	0		1
Total assets	2,566		2,422
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt and finance lease obligations	0		0
Accounts payable	0		0
Accounts payable to affiliates	1,183		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	1,190		846
Debt and finance lease obligations, less current portion	991		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	2,566		2,422
Other Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,928		2,539
Receivables, net	7,994		7,345
Receivables from affiliates	12,406		10,684
Inventories	6,376		6,532
Prepaid expenses and other	462		355
Total current assets	29,166		27,455
Property, plant, and equipment, at cost	43,539		42,473
Accumulated depreciation	(14,649)		(13,625)
Property, plant, and equipment, net	28,890		28,848
Investment in affiliates	383		(321)
Long-term notes receivable from affiliates			0
Deferred charges and other assets, net	4,754		3,059
Total assets	63,193		59,041
Current liabilities:
Current portion of debt and finance lease obligations	402		238
Accounts payable	9,504		8,580
Accounts payable to affiliates	4,396		4,370
Accrued expenses	719		468
Accrued expenses to affiliates			0
Taxes other than income taxes payable	1,175		1,213
Income taxes payable	85		0
Total current liabilities	16,281		14,869
Debt and finance lease obligations, less current portion	1,085		926
Long-term notes payable to affiliates			0
Deferred income tax liabilities	4,918		4,960
Other long-term liabilities	1,535		879
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock	1		1
Additional paid-in capital	9,765		9,754
Treasury stock, at cost	0		0
Retained earnings	30,286		28,305
Partners’ equity	0		0
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(1,159)		(1,097)
Total Valero Energy Corporation stockholders’ equity	38,893		36,963
Noncontrolling interests	481		444
Total equity	39,374		37,407
Total liabilities and equity	$ 63,193		$ 59,041