Supplemental Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	$ 1,089,203		$ 235,968
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(242,730)		(119,885)
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	(9,125)
Cash received in merger with Frontier	872,158
Purchases of marketable securities	(370,042)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	194,386
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	413,154		(127,939)
Repayments under financing obligation	(857)		(760)
Purchase of treasury stock	(38,955)	[1]	(1,308)
Principle tender on 8.5% senior notes	(15)
Contribution from joint venture partner	27,500		9,500
Dividends	(129,377)		(23,889)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(37,929)		(36,139)
Excess tax benefit on equity based compensation arrangements	1,399		(1,313)
Purchase of units for restricted grants	(1,641)		(2,276)
Deferred financing costs	(11,724)		(3,121)
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of options			61
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(148,599)		39,295
Increase (decrease) for the period	1,353,758		147,324
Beginning of period	229,101		124,596
End of period	1,582,859		271,920
HEP [Member] | Parent [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment
Net borrowings under credit agreements
Net repayments under credit agreements
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Parent [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	1,690,926		168,984
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(6,056)		(1,498)
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	(9,125)
Cash received in merger with Frontier	182
Proceeds from sale of assets
Purchases of marketable securities	(370,042)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	194,386
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(190,655)		(1,498)
Repayments under financing obligation
Purchase of treasury stock	(38,955)		(1,308)
Principle tender on 8.5% senior notes	(15)
Contribution from joint venture partner
Dividends	(129,377)		(23,889)
Purchase price in excess of transferred basis in assets
Distributions to noncontrolling interest
Excess tax benefit on equity based compensation arrangements	1,399		(1,313)
Purchase of units for restricted grants
Deferred financing costs	(8,574)		(2,628)
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of options			61
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(175,522)		(29,077)
Increase (decrease) for the period	1,324,749		138,409
Beginning of period	230,082		127,560
End of period	1,554,831		265,969
HEP [Member] | Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment
Net borrowings under credit agreements
Net repayments under credit agreements
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	(683,525)		22,377
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(119,335)		(74,890)
Investment in Sabine Biofuels
Cash received in merger with Frontier	871,976
Proceeds from sale of assets			39,040
Purchases of marketable securities
Sales and maturities of marketable securities
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	752,641		(35,850)
Repayments under financing obligation	(857)		(1,067)
Purchase of treasury stock
Principle tender on 8.5% senior notes
Contribution from joint venture partner	(50,500)		(28,500)
Dividends
Purchase price in excess of transferred basis in assets			53,960
Distributions to noncontrolling interest
Excess tax benefit on equity based compensation arrangements
Purchase of units for restricted grants
Deferred financing costs
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of options
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(51,357)		24,393
Increase (decrease) for the period	17,759		10,920
Beginning of period	(9,035)		(12,477)
End of period	8,724		(1,557)
HEP [Member] | Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment
Net borrowings under credit agreements
Net repayments under credit agreements
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	49,190		5,294
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(117,339)		(43,497)
Investment in Sabine Biofuels
Cash received in merger with Frontier
Proceeds from sale of assets
Purchases of marketable securities
Sales and maturities of marketable securities
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(117,339)		(43,497)
Repayments under financing obligation
Purchase of treasury stock
Principle tender on 8.5% senior notes
Contribution from joint venture partner	78,000		38,000
Dividends
Purchase price in excess of transferred basis in assets
Distributions to noncontrolling interest
Excess tax benefit on equity based compensation arrangements
Purchase of units for restricted grants
Deferred financing costs
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of options
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	78,000		38,000
Increase (decrease) for the period	9,851		(203)
Beginning of period	7,651		7,005
End of period	17,502		6,802
HEP [Member] | HollyFrontier Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment
Net borrowings under credit agreements
HollyFrontier Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	1,056,591		196,655
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(242,730)		(119,885)
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	(9,125)
Cash received in merger with Frontier	872,158
Proceeds from sale of assets			39,040
Purchases of marketable securities	(370,042)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	194,386
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	444,647		(80,845)
Repayments under financing obligation	(857)		(1,067)
Purchase of treasury stock	(38,955)		(1,308)
Principle tender on 8.5% senior notes	(15)
Contribution from joint venture partner	27,500		9,500
Dividends	(129,377)		(23,889)
Purchase price in excess of transferred basis in assets			53,960
Distributions to noncontrolling interest
Excess tax benefit on equity based compensation arrangements	1,399		(1,313)
Purchase of units for restricted grants
Deferred financing costs	(8,574)		(2,628)
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of options			61
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(148,879)		33,316
Increase (decrease) for the period	1,352,359		149,126
Beginning of period	228,698		122,088
End of period	1,581,057		271,214
HEP [Member] | Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(31,493)		(43,580)
Net borrowings under credit agreements	43,000
Net repayments under credit agreements			(49,000)
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes			147,540
Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	62,646		66,129
Investment in Sabine Biofuels
Purchases of marketable securities
Sales and maturities of marketable securities
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(31,493)		(43,580)
Repayments under financing obligation
Purchase of treasury stock
Principle tender on 8.5% senior notes
Dividends
Purchase price in excess of transferred basis in assets			(57,474)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(67,963)		(62,648)
Excess tax benefit on equity based compensation arrangements
Purchase of units for restricted grants	(1,641)		(2,276)
Deferred financing costs	(3,150)		(493)
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of options
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(29,754)		(24,351)
Increase (decrease) for the period	1,399		(1,802)
Beginning of period	403		2,508
End of period	1,802		706
HEP [Member] | Eliminations [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment			35,526
Net borrowings under credit agreements
Eliminations [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	(30,034)		(26,816)
Investment in Sabine Biofuels
Proceeds from sale of assets			(39,040)
Purchases of marketable securities
Sales and maturities of marketable securities
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities			(3,514)
Repayments under financing obligation			307
Purchase of treasury stock
Principle tender on 8.5% senior notes
Dividends
Purchase price in excess of transferred basis in assets			3,514
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	30,034		26,509
Excess tax benefit on equity based compensation arrangements
Purchase of units for restricted grants
Deferred financing costs
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of options
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	30,034		30,330
Beginning of period
End of period
HEP [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(31,493)		(8,054)
Net borrowings under credit agreements	43,000
Net repayments under credit agreements			(49,000)
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes			147,540
Purchase of units for restricted grants	(1,641)		(2,276)
Beginning of period	403
End of period	$ 1,802

[1] Includes 723,274 shares purchased under the terms of restricted stock agreements to provide funds for the payment of payroll and income taxes due at vesting of restricted stock.