Income Taxes (Details 3)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Difference between the Corporation's effective income tax rate and the United States statutory rate
United States statutory rate	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Effect of foreign operations	(2.90%)	9.40%	15.20%
State income taxes, net of Federal income tax	0.40%	0.90%	(1.20%)
Gains on assets sales	(5.00%)	(10.40%)	0.00%
Effect of equity loss and operations related to HOVENSA	2.80%	3.10%	0.00%
Other	1.60%	(2.60%)	(2.00%)
Total	31.90%	35.40%	47.00%

Effect of Equity Loss and Operations Related to Equity Investment.

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- Definition

The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and the statutory rate that can be explained by the gain on asset sales.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

A ratio calculated by dividing the reported amount of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for the period by GAAP-basis pretax income from continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

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-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

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-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(2))

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 109

-Paragraph 47

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

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- Definition

The domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable under enacted tax laws to the Company's pretax income from continuing operations for the period. The "statutory" tax rate is the regular tax rate if there are alternative tax systems.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

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-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 6.I)

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- Definition

The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can be explained by the difference between statutory income tax rates in foreign jurisdictions and the domestic federal statutory income tax rate recorded during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to all other items not otherwise listed in the existing taxonomy.

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The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can be explained by the state and local income tax expense or benefit, net of the federal tax benefit (expense) thereon, recorded during the period.

+ References

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