Inventories (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2026	Dec. 31, 2025
Schedule of Inventories
Refinery feedstocks	$ 1,622	$ 1,880
Refined petroleum products and blendstocks	4,276	4,182
Renewable diesel feedstocks and products	970	809
Ethanol feedstocks and products	330	314
Materials and supplies	413	406
Inventories	7,611	7,591
Inventory [Line Items]
Excess of market value over carrying amount of LIFO inventories	11,900	2,600
Amount of non-LIFO inventory	1,500	$ 1,200
California Refineries [Member]
Inventory [Line Items]
Liquidation of LIFO inventory, cost decrease	$ 44

The aggregate carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of unrefined petroleum and the liquid hydrocarbon components recovered from natural gas.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(6)(a))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S50
-Paragraph 3
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480657/210-10-S50-3

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CrudeOilAndNaturalGasLiquids
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The effect of liquidating LIFO (last in first out) inventory layers on income.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 330
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 11.F)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480581/330-10-S99-3

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectOfLIFOInventoryLiquidationOnIncome
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The excess of replacement or current cost over the stated LIFO (last in first out) inventory value when the LIFO inventory method is utilized.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ExcessOfReplacementOrCurrentCostsOverStatedLIFOValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of finished goods inventories for petroleum products, crude oil, petrochemical products, and other oil and gas inventories.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryCrudeOilProductsAndMerchandise
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after valuation and LIFO reserves of inventory expected to be sold, or consumed within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S50
-Paragraph 3
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480657/210-10-S50-3

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 852
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 10
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481372/852-10-55-10

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483467/210-10-45-1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(6))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryNetAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Gross amount of unprocessed materials to be used in manufacturing or production process and supplies that will be consumed.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(6))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S50
-Paragraph 3
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480657/210-10-S50-3

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryRawMaterialsAndSupplies
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of weighted average cost inventory present at the reporting date when inventory is valued using different valuation methods.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_WeightedAverageCostInventoryAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of ethanol feedstocks and products.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vlo_EthanolFeedstocksAndProducts
Namespace Prefix:	vlo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of renewable diesel feedstocks and products.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vlo_RenewableDieselFeedstocksAndProducts
Namespace Prefix:	vlo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringPlanAxis=vlo_CaliforniaRefineriesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: