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Operating Units Energy Segment (Details) shares in Millions, ft³ / d in Millions, bbl in Millions, $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2016 USD ($) shares	Mar. 31, 2016 ft² ft³ / d T / d bbl / d miles bbl
CVR Refining, LP [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of equity ownership in subsidiary		4.00%
CVR Refining, LP [Member] \| Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of equity ownership in subsidiary		66.00%
CVR Partners, LP [Member] \| Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of equity ownership in subsidiary		53.00%
CVR Energy, Inc. [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of equity ownership in subsidiary		82.00%
Crude oil gathering [Member] \| Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Barrels per day		65,000
Pipeline transportation of oil [Member] \| Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Barrels per day		170,000
Crude oil pipeline length (in miles) \| miles		336
Production barrels of oil storage capacity \| bbl		6.4
Production barrels of oil combined refinery related storage capacity \| bbl		4.5
Nitrogen Fertilizer [Member] \| Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Ton-per-day ammonia unit facility \| T / d		1,300
Ton-per-day of Urea and Ammonium Nitrate unit facility \| T / d		3,000
Cubic feet of hydrogen per day gasifiation complex \| ft³ / d		89
Coffeyville, Kansas [Member] \| Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Area of land (acres) \| ft²		440
Coffeyville, Kansas [Member] \| Petroleum [Member] \| Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Barrels per day		115,000
Wynnewood, Oklahoma [Member] \| Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Area of land (acres) \| ft²		400
Wynnewood, Oklahoma [Member] \| Petroleum [Member] \| Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Barrels per day		70,000
Business combination [Member] \| East Dubuque [Member] \| Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Subsidiary units issued as partial consideration for acquisition \| shares	40.2
Gross cash portion of consideration paid to acquire business \| $	$ 99
Debt \| $	320
Intercompany debt, face amount \| $	$ 320