Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements, Statement of Comprehensive 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 Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net income	$ 1,330	$ 639	$ 648	$ 167	$ 1,022	$ 874	$ 875	$ 582	$ 2,784	$ 3,353	$ 4,156
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment									349	(517)	514
Net gain (loss) on pension and other postretirement benefits									(234)	49	(65)
Net loss on cash flow hedges									(8)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)									107	(468)	449
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)									(48)	10	(21)
Other comprehensive income (loss)									155	(478)	470
Comprehensive income									2,939	2,875	4,626
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests									361	229	91
Comprehensive income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders									2,578	2,646	4,535
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net income									(3,769)	(4,239)	(5,687)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment									(283)	417	(434)
Net gain (loss) on pension and other postretirement benefits									19	(18)	(4)
Net loss on cash flow hedges									4
Other comprehensive income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)									(260)	399	(438)
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)									4	(3)	(1)
Other comprehensive income (loss)									(264)	402	(437)
Comprehensive income									(4,033)	(3,837)	(6,124)
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests									2	68	62
Comprehensive income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders									(4,035)	(3,905)	(6,186)
Valero Energy Corporation [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net income									2,422	3,122	4,065
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment									346	(515)	514
Net gain (loss) on pension and other postretirement benefits									(234)	49	(65)
Net loss on cash flow hedges									(4)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)									108	(466)	449
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)									(48)	10	(21)
Other comprehensive income (loss)									156	(476)	470
Comprehensive income									2,578	2,646	4,535
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders									2,578	2,646	4,535
Valero Energy Partners LP [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net income									359	264	238
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment									0	0	0
Net gain (loss) on pension and other postretirement benefits									0	0	0
Net loss on cash flow hedges									0
Other comprehensive income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)									0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)									0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)									0	0	0
Comprehensive income									359	264	238
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders									359	264	238
Other Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net income									3,772	4,206	5,540
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment									286	(419)	434
Net gain (loss) on pension and other postretirement benefits									(19)	18	4
Net loss on cash flow hedges									(8)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)									259	(401)	438
Income tax expense (benefit) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)									(4)	3	1
Other comprehensive income (loss)									263	(404)	437
Comprehensive income									4,035	3,802	5,977
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests									359	161	29
Comprehensive income attributable to Valero Energy Corporation stockholders									$ 3,676	$ 3,641	$ 5,948