Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities - Derivatives (Details) $ in Thousands, bbl in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2018 USD ($) bbl	Aug. 31, 2018 USD ($) bbl
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Noncurrent	$ 18,700	$ 23,100
Derivative Liability, Noncurrent	16,100	7,900
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral	172,660	316,545
Derivative Assets	212,335	352,029
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Amount Not Offset on Balance Sheet	39,675	35,484
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral	223,574	397,288
Derivative Liabilities	286,370	445,755
Derivative Liability, Collateral, Right to Reclaim Cash, Offset	23,121	12,983
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Amount Not Offset on Balance Sheet	$ 39,675	35,484
Credit Rating Agencies Threshold, Minimum	66.67%
CF Nitrogen LLC [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Annual Payment Receivable Contingent On Investment Credit Rating	$ 5,000
Embedded derivative asset	20,100
Foreign currency derivatives \| Not Designated as Hedging Instrument
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral	9,296	6,698
Derivative Assets	15,877	15,401
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Amount Not Offset on Balance Sheet	6,581	8,703
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral	2,890	15,998
Derivative Liabilities	9,471	24,701
Derivative Liability, Collateral, Right to Reclaim Cash, Offset	0	0
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Amount Not Offset on Balance Sheet	6,581	8,703
Derivative Asset, Notional Amount	762,400	988,800
Interest rate swap derivatives \| Designated as Hedging Instrument
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative Liabilities	10,407	9,452
Embedded Derivative Financial Instruments [Member] \| Not Designated as Hedging Instrument
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral	20,166	23,595
Derivative Assets	20,166	23,595
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Amount Not Offset on Balance Sheet	0	0
Commodity derivatives \| Not Designated as Hedging Instrument
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral	143,198	286,252
Derivative Assets	176,292	313,033
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Amount Not Offset on Balance Sheet	33,094	26,781
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral	220,684	381,290
Derivative Liabilities	276,899	421,054
Derivative Liability, Collateral, Right to Reclaim Cash, Offset	23,121	12,983
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Amount Not Offset on Balance Sheet	33,094	$ 26,781
Fair Value Hedging \| Interest rate swap derivatives \| Designated as Hedging Instrument
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Notional Amount	$ 495,000
Cash Flow Hedging
Derivative [Line Items]
Aggregate notional amount of cash flow hedges (in barrels) \| bbl	5.4	1.1
Cash Flow Hedging \| Designated as Hedging Instrument
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative Assets	$ 9,336	$ 812
Derivative Liabilities	$ 11,622	$ 634

Annual Payment Receivable Contingent On Investment Credit Rating

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Aggregate notional amount specified by the derivative(s). Expressed as an absolute value.

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-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 12
-Section 13
-Sentence Column B

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