Financial Instruments (Estimated Fair Values Of Debt Instruments) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Carrying Amount
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total financial assets	$ 653,085	$ 437,360
Total financial liabilities	971,902	978,894
Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total financial assets	653,085	437,360
Total financial liabilities	1,048,090	1,040,101
Level 1 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total financial assets	0	753
Total financial liabilities	5,563	1,252
Level 2 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total financial assets	641,853	404,991
Total financial liabilities	997,637	1,038,849
Level 3 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total financial assets	11,232	31,616
Total financial liabilities	44,890	0
Marketable debt securities | Carrying Amount
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Financial securities	635,702	260,953
Marketable debt securities | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Financial securities	635,702	260,953
Marketable debt securities | Level 1 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Financial securities	0	0
Marketable debt securities | Level 2 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Financial securities	635,702	260,953
Marketable debt securities | Level 3 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Financial securities	0	0
Equity securities | Carrying Amount
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Financial securities		753
Equity securities | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Financial securities		753
Equity securities | Level 1 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Financial securities		753
Equity securities | Level 2 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Financial securities		0
Equity securities | Level 3 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Financial securities		0
NYMEX futures contracts | Carrying Amount
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	5,563	1,252
NYMEX futures contracts | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	5,563	1,252
NYMEX futures contracts | Level 1 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	5,563	1,252
NYMEX futures contracts | Level 2 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	0	0
NYMEX futures contracts | Level 3 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	0	0
Commodity price swaps | Carrying Amount
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commodity price swaps	17,383	175,654
Derivative liabilities	83,982
Commodity price swaps | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commodity price swaps	17,383	175,654
Derivative liabilities	83,982
Commodity price swaps | Level 1 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commodity price swaps	0	0
Derivative liabilities	0
Commodity price swaps | Level 2 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commodity price swaps	6,151	144,038
Derivative liabilities	39,092
Commodity price swaps | Level 3 | Fair Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commodity price swaps	11,232	31,616
Derivative liabilities	44,890
Senior notes | Carrying Amount | Holly Frontier
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes	435,254	651,262
Senior notes | Carrying Amount | HEP
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes	443,673	325,860
Senior notes | Fair Value | Holly Frontier
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes	470,990	693,979
Senior notes | Fair Value | HEP
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes	484,125	344,350
Senior notes | Level 1 | Fair Value | Holly Frontier
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes	0	0
Senior notes | Level 1 | Fair Value | HEP
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes	0	0
Senior notes | Level 2 | Fair Value | Holly Frontier
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes	470,990	693,979
Senior notes | Level 2 | Fair Value | HEP
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes	484,125	344,350
Senior notes | Level 3 | Fair Value | Holly Frontier
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes	0	0
Senior notes | Level 3 | Fair Value | HEP
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes	0	0
Interest rate swap | Carrying Amount | HEP
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	3,430	520
Interest rate swap | Fair Value | HEP
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	3,430	520
Interest rate swap | Level 1 | Fair Value | HEP
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	0	0
Interest rate swap | Level 2 | Fair Value | HEP
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	3,430	520
Interest rate swap | Level 3 | Fair Value | HEP
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative liabilities	$ 0	$ 0