Commitment and contingencies variable interest entities (Details 4) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 27, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Feb. 07, 2013
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Total project costs	$ 300,000
Portion of capital commitment	150,000
Partner portion of capital commitment	75,000
Excess capital commitments	300,000
Term loan for project debt financing	75,000
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Cash and cash equivalents [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, assets			$ 851	$ 625
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Accounts receivable [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, assets			7,693	14,648
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Inventories [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, assets			13,176	12,354
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Other current assets [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, assets			6,215	7,125
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Total current assets [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, assets			27,935	34,752
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Net property, plant and equipment [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, assets			425,123	428,383
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Other [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, assets			9,626	5,052
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Total deferred charges and other assets [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, assets			9,626	5,052
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Total assets [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, assets			462,684	468,187
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Short-term borrowings [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, liabilities			45,500	29,500
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Long-term debt due within one year [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, liabilities			5,250	4,125
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Accounts payable [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, liabilities			24,766	21,686
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Taxes payable [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, liabilities			1,391	1,630
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Accrued compensation [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, liabilities			938	1,059
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Other accrued liabilities [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, liabilities			4,953	1,217
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Total current liabilities [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, liabilities			82,798	59,217
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Long-term debt [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, liabilities			63,750	64,875
Dakota Prairie Refining, LLC [Member] | Total liabilities [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Limited liability entity, consolidated, carrying amount, liabilities			$ 146,548	$ 124,092
Fuel contract [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Variable interest entity, reporting entity involvement, maximum loss exposure, amount	$ 44,100
Calumet [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Previous percentage of ownership					50.00%
WBI Energy [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Previous percentage of ownership					50.00%
Percentage of ownership acquired		50.00%