Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Valero Energy Corporation Stockholders' Equity [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]	Non-controlling Interests [Member]
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 22,900	$ 21,991	$ 7	$ 7,039	$ (13,315)	$ 29,200	$ (940)	$ 909
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity Roll Forward
Reclassification of stranded income tax effects	0	0				91	(91)
Net income (loss)	3,353	3,122				3,122		231
Dividends on common stock	(1,369)	(1,369)				(1,369)
Stock-based compensation expense	82	82		82
Transactions in connection with stock-based compensation plans	(169)	(169)		(70)	(99)
Open market stock purchases	(1,511)	(1,511)			(1,511)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	32							32
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(116)							(116)
Other	7	(3)		(3)		0		10
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(478)	(476)					(476)	(2)
Balance as of end of period at Dec. 31, 2018	22,731	21,667	7	7,048	(14,925)	31,044	(1,507)	1,064
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity Roll Forward
Net income (loss)	2,784	2,422				2,422		362
Dividends on common stock	(1,492)	(1,492)				(1,492)
Stock-based compensation expense	77	77		77
Transactions in connection with stock-based compensation plans	(20)	(20)		(50)	30
Open market stock purchases	(753)	(753)			(753)
Acquisition of Valero Energy Partners LP (VLP) publicly held common units	(950)	(328)		(328)				(622)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(70)							(70)
Other	74	74		74		0		0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	155	156					156	(1)
Balance as of end of period at Dec. 31, 2019	22,536	21,803	7	6,821	(15,648)	31,974	(1,351)	733
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity Roll Forward
Net income (loss)	(1,107)	(1,421)				(1,421)		314
Dividends on common stock	(1,600)	(1,600)				(1,600)
Stock-based compensation expense	76	76		76
Transactions in connection with stock-based compensation plans	(24)	(24)		(83)	59
Open market stock purchases	(130)	(130)			(130)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(208)							(208)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	99	97					97	2
Balance as of end of period at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 19,642	$ 18,801	$ 7	$ 6,814	$ (15,719)	$ 28,953	$ (1,254)	$ 841