CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 39,262,584	$ 76,903,516	$ 126,066,634	$ 196,332,796
Cost of revenues	34,104,949	73,761,171	115,748,581	179,949,373
Gross profit	5,157,635	3,142,345	10,318,053	16,383,423
Reduction of contingent consideration	0	(1,876,752)	0	(1,876,752)
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of acquisition related expenses)	6,052,764	4,706,104	17,064,043	11,786,070
Depreciation and amortization expense	1,597,881	1,180,443	4,716,177	2,981,393
Acquisition related expenses	5,910	259,235	163,588	2,819,065
Total operating expenses	7,656,555	6,145,782	21,943,808	17,586,528
Income (loss) from operations	(2,498,920)	(1,126,685)	(11,625,755)	673,647
Other income (expense):
Provision for doubtful accounts	0	0	(2,650,000)	0
Other income	11	109,980	29	110,357
Gain on bargain purchase	0	92,635	0	6,573,686
Other income (expense)	(20,657)	0	(78,316)	(10,866)
Gain on change in value of derivative liability	818,051	0	2,635,033	0
Gain on futures contracts	395,430	0	395,430	0
Interest expense	(763,791)	(947,325)	(2,851,947)	(1,680,371)
Total other income (expense)	429,044	(744,710)	(2,549,771)	4,992,806
Income (loss) before income tax	(2,069,876)	(1,871,395)	(14,175,526)	5,666,453
Income tax expense	0	(57,975)	(5,306,000)	(57,975)
Net income (loss)	(2,069,876)	(1,929,370)	(19,481,526)	5,608,478
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	325,399
Net income (loss) attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(2,069,876)	(1,929,370)	(19,481,526)	5,933,877
Less: accretion of discount on series B	(444,899)	0	(444,899)	0
Less: accrual of dividend on series B	(402,740)	0	(402,740)	0
Less: other	(55,056)	0	(55,056)	0
Net income (loss) available to common shareholders	$ (2,972,571)	$ (1,929,370)	$ (20,384,221)	$ 5,933,877
Earnings (loss) per common share
Basic (in USD per share)	$ (0.11)	$ (0.08)	$ (0.72)	$ 0.26
Diluted (in USD per share)	$ (0.11)	$ (0.08)	$ (0.72)	$ 0.24
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic (shares)	28,198,701	25,151,660	28,165,427	23,077,914
Diluted (shares)	28,198,701	25,151,660	28,165,427	24,825,326