Fair Value Measurements (Recurring Fair Value Measures Of Assets And Liabilities) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash Equivalents - Money Market Mutual Funds	[1]	$ 86,168		$ 215,272
Hedging Collateral Deposits		2,784	[1]	3,441	[1]	$ 4,465	$ 1,741
Total Assets	[1]	213,498		320,321
Total Liabilities	[1]	2,112		49,036
Total Net Assets/(Liabilities)	[1]	211,386		271,285
Commodity Futures Contracts - Gas [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset	[1]	0		0
Derivative Liability	[1]	1,214		1,337
Over The Counter Swaps - Gas And Oil [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset	[1]	37,881		9,033
Derivative Liability	[1]	856		47,183
Foreign Currency Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset	[1]	(3,637)		0
Derivative Liability	[1]	42		516
Balanced Equity Mutual Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments	[1]	35,498		38,468
Fixed Income Mutual Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments	[1]	53,367		51,331
Common Stock - Financial Services Industry [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments	[1]	1,437		2,776
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash Equivalents - Money Market Mutual Funds		86,168		215,272
Hedging Collateral Deposits		2,784		3,441
Total Assets		180,331		312,363
Total Liabilities		2,291		2,412
Total Net Assets/(Liabilities)		178,040		309,951
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Commodity Futures Contracts - Gas [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset		1,077		1,075
Derivative Liability		2,291		2,412
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Over The Counter Swaps - Gas And Oil [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset		0		0
Derivative Liability		0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Foreign Currency Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset		0		0
Derivative Liability		0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Balanced Equity Mutual Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments		35,498		38,468
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Fixed Income Mutual Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments		53,367		51,331
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | Common Stock - Financial Services Industry [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments		1,437		2,776
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash Equivalents - Money Market Mutual Funds		0		0
Hedging Collateral Deposits		0		0
Total Assets		43,274		26,517
Total Liabilities		9,928		65,183
Total Net Assets/(Liabilities)		33,346		(38,666)
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Commodity Futures Contracts - Gas [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset		0		0
Derivative Liability		0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Over The Counter Swaps - Gas And Oil [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset		43,274		26,074
Derivative Liability		6,249		64,224
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Foreign Currency Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset		0		443
Derivative Liability		3,679		959
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Balanced Equity Mutual Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments		0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Fixed Income Mutual Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments		0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Common Stock - Financial Services Industry [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments		0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash Equivalents - Money Market Mutual Funds		0		0
Hedging Collateral Deposits		0		0
Total Assets		0		0
Total Liabilities		0		0
Total Net Assets/(Liabilities)		0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Commodity Futures Contracts - Gas [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset		0		0
Derivative Liability		0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Over The Counter Swaps - Gas And Oil [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset		0		0
Derivative Liability		0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Foreign Currency Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset		0		0
Derivative Liability		0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Balanced Equity Mutual Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments		0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Fixed Income Mutual Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments		0		0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Common Stock - Financial Services Industry [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments		0		0
Netting Adjustments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash Equivalents - Money Market Mutual Funds	[1]	0		0
Hedging Collateral Deposits	[1]	0		0
Total Assets	[1]	(10,107)		(18,559)
Total Liabilities	[1]	(10,107)		(18,559)
Total Net Assets/(Liabilities)	[1]	0		0
Netting Adjustments [Member] | Commodity Futures Contracts - Gas [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset	[1]	(1,077)		(1,075)
Derivative Liability	[1]	(1,077)		(1,075)
Netting Adjustments [Member] | Over The Counter Swaps - Gas And Oil [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset	[1]	(5,393)		(17,041)
Derivative Liability	[1]	(5,393)		(17,041)
Netting Adjustments [Member] | Foreign Currency Contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative Asset	[1]	(3,637)		(443)
Derivative Liability	[1]	(3,637)		(443)
Netting Adjustments [Member] | Balanced Equity Mutual Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments	[1]	0		0
Netting Adjustments [Member] | Fixed Income Mutual Fund [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments	[1]	0		0
Netting Adjustments [Member] | Common Stock - Financial Services Industry [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Other Investments	[1]	$ 0		$ 0

[1] Netting Adjustments represent the impact of legally-enforceable master netting arrangements that allow the Company to net gain and loss positions held with the same counterparties. The net asset or net liability for each counterparty is recorded as an asset or liability on the Company’s balance sheet.