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Derivative instruments (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2013
Derivative instruments [Line Items]        
Amount of unrealized gain (loss) on hedge at de-designation date to be reclassified into AOCI       $ 1,800,000mdu_AmountofunrealizedgainlossonhedgeatdedesignationdatetobereclassifiedintoAOCI
Derivatives with credit-risk-related contingent feature in net liability position, aggregate fair value 0us-gaap_DerivativeNetLiabilityPositionAggregateFairValue 0us-gaap_DerivativeNetLiabilityPositionAggregateFairValue 12,200,000us-gaap_DerivativeNetLiabilityPositionAggregateFairValue  
Assets needed for immediate settlement aggregate fair value for cash flow hedging instruments     12,200,000us-gaap_AssetsNeededForImmediateSettlementAggregateFairValue  
Cash flow hedge gain (loss) to be reclassified within twelve months from AOCI into earnings $ (400,000)us-gaap_CashFlowHedgeGainLossToBeReclassifiedWithinTwelveMonths      
Oil swap and\or collar [Member]        
Derivative instruments [Line Items]        
Derivative, nonmonetary notional amount 958,000invest_DerivativeNonmonetaryNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= mdu_OilSwapAndOrCollarMember
270,000invest_DerivativeNonmonetaryNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= mdu_OilSwapAndOrCollarMember
2,700,000invest_DerivativeNonmonetaryNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= mdu_OilSwapAndOrCollarMember
 
Natural gas swap and\or collar [Member]        
Derivative instruments [Line Items]        
Derivative, nonmonetary notional amount 2,800,000invest_DerivativeNonmonetaryNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= mdu_NaturalGasSwapAndorCollarMember
5,000,000invest_DerivativeNonmonetaryNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= mdu_NaturalGasSwapAndorCollarMember
14,700,000invest_DerivativeNonmonetaryNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= mdu_NaturalGasSwapAndorCollarMember