Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements, Statement of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 27,879	$ 27,249	$ 28,933	$ 24,263	$ 28,730	$ 30,849	$ 31,015	$ 26,439	$ 108,324	[1]	$ 117,033	[1]	$ 93,980	[1]
Cost of sales:
Cost of materials and other									96,476		104,732		83,037
Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization expense reflected below)									4,868		4,690		4,504
Depreciation and amortization expense									2,202		2,017		1,934
Total cost of sales									103,546		111,439		89,475
Other operating expenses									21		45		61
General and administrative expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization expense reflected below)									868		925		829
Depreciation and amortization expense									53		52		52
Operating income (loss)	1,739	881	908	308	1,299	1,219	1,253	801	3,836		4,572		3,563
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									0		0		0
Other income, net									104		130		112
Interest and debt expense, net of capitalized interest									(454)		(470)		(468)
Income before income tax expense (benefit)									3,486		4,232		3,207
Income tax expense (benefit)									702		879		(949)
Net income	1,330	639	648	167	1,022	874	875	582	2,784		3,353		4,156
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									362		231		91
Net income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders	$ 1,060	$ 609	$ 612	$ 141	$ 952	$ 856	$ 845	$ 469	2,422		3,122		4,065
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									0		0		0
Cost of sales:
Cost of materials and other									0		0		0
Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization expense reflected below)									0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization expense									0		0		0
Total cost of sales									0		0		0
Other operating expenses									0		0		0
General and administrative expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization expense reflected below)									0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization expense									0		0		0
Operating income (loss)									0		0		0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									(3,769)		(4,239)		(5,687)
Other income, net									(714)		(713)		(594)
Interest and debt expense, net of capitalized interest									714		713		594
Income before income tax expense (benefit)									(3,769)		(4,239)		(5,687)
Income tax expense (benefit)									0		0		0
Net income									(3,769)		(4,239)		(5,687)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									2		68		62
Net income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders									(3,771)		(4,307)		(5,749)
Valero Energy Corporation [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									0		0		0
Cost of sales:
Cost of materials and other									0		0		0
Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization expense reflected below)									0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization expense									0		0		0
Total cost of sales									0		0		0
Other operating expenses									0		0		0
General and administrative expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization expense reflected below)									6		2		6
Depreciation and amortization expense									0		0		0
Operating income (loss)									(6)		(2)		(6)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									3,006		3,724		5,236
Other income, net									193		220		290
Interest and debt expense, net of capitalized interest									(927)		(913)		(780)
Income before income tax expense (benefit)									2,266		3,029		4,740
Income tax expense (benefit)									(156)		(93)		675
Net income									2,422		3,122		4,065
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0		0		0
Net income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders									2,422		3,122		4,065
Valero Energy Partners LP [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									0		0		0
Cost of sales:
Cost of materials and other									0		0		0
Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization expense reflected below)									0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization expense									0		0		0
Total cost of sales									0		0		0
Other operating expenses									0		0		0
General and administrative expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization expense reflected below)									0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization expense									0		0		0
Operating income (loss)									0		0		0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									406		319		275
Other income, net									0		2		1
Interest and debt expense, net of capitalized interest									(47)		(55)		(36)
Income before income tax expense (benefit)									359		266		240
Income tax expense (benefit)									0		2		2
Net income									359		264		238
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0		0		0
Net income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders									359		264		238
Other Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues									108,324		117,033		93,980
Cost of sales:
Cost of materials and other									96,476		104,732		83,037
Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization expense reflected below)									4,868		4,690		4,504
Depreciation and amortization expense									2,202		2,017		1,934
Total cost of sales									103,546		111,439		89,475
Other operating expenses									21		45		61
General and administrative expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization expense reflected below)									862		923		823
Depreciation and amortization expense									53		52		52
Operating income (loss)									3,842		4,574		3,569
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									357		196		176
Other income, net									625		621		415
Interest and debt expense, net of capitalized interest									(194)		(215)		(246)
Income before income tax expense (benefit)									4,630		5,176		3,914
Income tax expense (benefit)									858		970		(1,626)
Net income									3,772		4,206		5,540
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									360		163		29
Net income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders									$ 3,412		$ 4,043		$ 5,511

[1] Includes excise taxes on sales by certain of our international operations of $5,595 million, $5,626 million, and $5,573 million for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017.