CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 49,119,711	$ 72,079,622	$ 86,804,050	$ 119,429,280
Cost of revenues	43,635,177	63,844,569	81,643,633	106,188,202
Gross profit	5,484,534	8,235,053	5,160,417	13,241,078
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of acquisition related expenses)	5,641,250	4,363,617	11,011,278	7,079,966
Depreciation and amortization expense	1,561,314	1,068,273	3,118,296	1,800,950
Acquisition related expenses	0	1,959,418	157,678	2,559,830
Total operating expenses	7,202,564	7,391,308	14,287,252	11,440,746
Income (loss) from operations	(1,718,030)	843,745	(9,126,835)	1,800,332
Other income (expense):
Provision for doubtful accounts	0	0	(2,650,000)	0
Other income	10	7	18	377
Gain on bargain purchase	0	6,481,051	0	6,481,051
Other income (expense)	12,818	(10,866)	(57,660)	(10,866)
Gain on change in value of derivative liability	1,816,982	0	1,816,982	0
Interest expense	(556,975)	(657,235)	(2,088,155)	(733,046)
Total other income (expense)	1,272,835	5,812,957	(2,978,815)	5,737,516
Income (loss) before income tax	(445,195)	6,656,702	(12,105,650)	7,537,848
Income tax benefit (expense)	0	0	(5,306,000)	0
Net income (loss)	(445,195)	6,656,702	(17,411,650)	7,537,848
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest	0	344,380	0	325,399
Net income available to common shareholders	$ (445,195)	$ 7,001,082	(17,411,650)	7,863,247
Net income (loss) attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.			$ (17,411,650)	$ 7,863,247
Earnings (loss) per common share
Basic (in USD per share)	$ (0.02)	$ 0.31	$ (0.62)	$ 0.36
Diluted (in USD per share)	$ (0.02)	$ 0.28	$ (0.62)	$ 0.33
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic (shares)	28,130,575	22,826,102	28,124,492	22,025,316
Diluted (shares)	28,130,575	24,847,456	28,124,492	23,879,500