Financial Instruments & Related Fair Value (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2015 MMBTU	Jan. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2014 MMBTU
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long gas purchase options providing total coverage	30,300,000		29,200,000
Fair value measurement transfers between levels activity	$ 0	$ 0
Derivative Liability	0		0
Derivative Liability, Collateral, Right to Reclaim Cash, Offset	0		0
Derivative Asset, Collateral, Obligation to Return Cash, Offset	0		0
ASSETS
Derivatives held for utility operations	1,013,000		4,898,000
Debt and equity securities held as trading securities	4,741,000		3,941,000
Total fair value assets	5,754,000		8,839,000
Long-term debt, carry amount	1,425,000,000		1,425,000,000
Long-term debt, fair value	1,711,196,000		1,617,453,000
Discount on issuance of notes	564,000		570,000
Current Assets, Gas purchase derivative assets	1,013,000		4,898,000
Gas purchase options	(558,000)	4,529,000
Amount Of Gain (Loss) Deferred Under PGA Procedures	(558,000)	4,529,000
Percentage of annual gas costs approved for recovery under TIP	1.00%
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk, description	“Trade accounts receivable” in “Current Assets” in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
Concentration risk, customer	We are exposed to credit risk as a result of transactions for the purchase and sale of natural gas and related products and services and management agreements of our transportation capacity, storage capacity and supply contracts with major companies in the energy industry and within our utility operations serving industrial, commercial, power generation, residential and municipal energy consumers. These transactions principally occur in the eastern, gulf coast and mid-west regions of the United States. We believe that this geographic concentration does not contribute significantly to our overall exposure to credit risk. Credit risk associated with trade accounts receivable for the natural gas distribution segment is mitigated by the large number of individual customers and diversity in our customer base. We enter into contracts with third parties to buy and sell natural gas. A significant portion of these transactions are with, or are associated with, energy producers, utility companies, off-system municipalities and natural gas marketers.
Accounts Receivable [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk amount	32,600,000
Accounts Receivable [Member] | Credit Concentration Risk [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage	14.00%
Money markets [Member]
ASSETS
Debt and equity securities held as trading securities	524,000		469,000
Mutual funds [Member]
ASSETS
Debt and equity securities held as trading securities	4,217,000		3,472,000
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member]
ASSETS
Derivatives held for utility operations	1,013,000		4,898,000
Total fair value assets	5,754,000		8,839,000
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Money markets [Member]
ASSETS
Debt and equity securities held as trading securities	524,000		469,000
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Mutual funds [Member]
ASSETS
Debt and equity securities held as trading securities	4,217,000		3,472,000
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
ASSETS
Derivatives held for utility operations	0		0
Total fair value assets	0		0
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Money markets [Member]
ASSETS
Debt and equity securities held as trading securities	0		0
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Mutual funds [Member]
ASSETS
Debt and equity securities held as trading securities	0		0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
ASSETS
Derivatives held for utility operations	0		0
Total fair value assets	0		0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Money markets [Member]
ASSETS
Debt and equity securities held as trading securities	0		0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Mutual funds [Member]
ASSETS
Debt and equity securities held as trading securities	$ 0		$ 0