Segment Reporting - Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2018	Nov. 30, 2017	Aug. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 8,484,289	$ 8,031,884
Operating earnings (loss)	314,498	183,933
Interest Expense	38,908	40,702
Other (income) loss	(25,134)	(26,195)
Equity (income) loss from investments	(66,508)	(38,362)
Income (loss) before income taxes	367,232	207,788
Total assets	16,853,756		$ 16,381,178
Energy
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues, including intersegment revenues	2,310,080	2,074,000
Revenues	2,161,288
Operating earnings (loss)	235,639	124,031
Interest Expense	4,237	5,635
Other (income) loss	(986)	(888)
Equity (income) loss from investments	(73)	(1,152)
Income (loss) before income taxes	232,461	120,436
Total assets	4,100,190
Ag
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues, including intersegment revenues	6,308,714	6,081,027
Revenues	6,305,397
Operating earnings (loss)	80,127	60,909
Interest Expense	21,000	17,604
Other (income) loss	(22,400)	(23,586)
Equity (income) loss from investments	1,209	(8,254)
Income (loss) before income taxes	80,318	75,145
Total assets	6,951,297
Nitrogen Production [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues, including intersegment revenues	0	0
Operating earnings (loss)	(5,128)	(3,135)
Interest Expense	13,679	13,272
Other (income) loss	(1,571)	(1,738)
Equity (income) loss from investments	(40,915)	(20,335)
Income (loss) before income taxes	23,679	5,666
Total assets	2,796,154
Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues, including intersegment revenues	19,067	18,775
Revenues	17,604
Operating earnings (loss)	3,860	2,128
Interest Expense	763	4,580
Other (income) loss	(948)	(372)
Equity (income) loss from investments	(26,729)	(8,621)
Income (loss) before income taxes	30,774	6,541
Total assets	3,006,115
Reconciling Amounts
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(153,572)	(141,918)
Operating earnings (loss)	0	0
Interest Expense	(771)	(389)
Other (income) loss	771	389
Equity (income) loss from investments	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	0	0
Total assets	0
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] \| Energy
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(148,792)	(134,854)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] \| Ag
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(3,317)	(4,033)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] \| Nitrogen Production [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] \| Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(1,463)	(3,031)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] \| Reconciling Amounts
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 153,572	$ 141,918

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