(6) Debt (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013 Tranche B Term Loan Fourth Amendment to Loan Agreement	Sep. 30, 2013 Tranche B Term Loan Sixth Amendment to Loan Agreement	Sep. 30, 2013 Tranche B Term Loan Eighth Amendment to Loan Agreement	Sep. 30, 2013 Tranche B Term Loan Tenth Amendment to Loan Agreement	Sep. 30, 2013 Senior Secured Delayed Draw Term Loan	Dec. 28, 2012 Senior Secured Delayed Draw Term Loan Tranche B Term Loan	Sep. 30, 2013 ABL Revolving Credit Facility	Sep. 25, 2013 ABL Revolving Credit Facility	Sep. 30, 2013 Texadian Uncommitted Credit Agreement	Sep. 30, 2013 Letter of Credit Facility	Dec. 27, 2012 Letter of Credit Facility	Sep. 30, 2013 Letter of Credit Facility Senior Secured Delayed Draw Term Loan	Aug. 31, 2012 Letter of Credit Facility Senior Secured Delayed Draw Term Loan	Sep. 30, 2013 Financial Standby Letter of Credit	Dec. 27, 2012 Financial Standby Letter of Credit	Sep. 30, 2013 Warrant Issuance Agreement	Dec. 31, 2012 Warrant Issuance Agreement
Secured revolving credit facility								$ 125,000,000		$ 50,000,000		$ 30,000,000		$ 30,000,000
Letter of credit issued														13,000,000		11,710,000
Line of Credit Facility, Increase (Decrease), Net													17,000,000
Interest rate under credit facility						9.75%
Minimum repayment premium						3.00%
Interest rate after an event of default						11.75%
Repayment As Percentage Of Principal Amount						100.00%
Percent Of Prepayment Premium						6.00%
Fair value of embedded derivatives						65,000
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date		Dec. 31, 2013		Aug. 31, 2016		Aug. 31, 2016
Term loan facility							35,000,000
Terms of Net Cash Proceeds		(a) 50% of the net cash proceeds are to be applied to pay (i) first, an amendment fee and (ii) second, to repay the Tranche B Loan in accordance with each Tranche B Lender’s pro rata share, and (ii) 50% of the net cash proceeds are to be retained by us and used for general corporate purposes.
Debt Instrument Prepayment Terms		other than net cash proceeds from asset sales for fair market value resulting in no more than $150,000 in net cash proceeds per disposition (or series of related dispositions) and less than $300,000 in aggregate net cash proceeds before the Maturity Date
Repayments of Long-term Debt		1,300,000
General Partners' Contributed Capital			5,000,000
Cash Deposits			25,000,000
Short-term Debt, Refinanced, Description				we entered into an Eighth Amendment to our Loan Agreement, pursuant to which the Lenders agreed to refinance and replace the Tranche B Loan outstanding immediately prior to the Eighth Amendment with new Tranche B Loans in the aggregate principal amount of $65.0 million (the “New Tranche B Loans”). The proceeds from the New Tranche B Loans were applied to prepay in full the Existing Tranche B Loans, to make payments due under the Purchase Agreement, to consummate acquisitions permitted under the Loan Agreement and for working capital and general corporate purposes.
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum				9.75%	9.75%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum				14.75%	14.75%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate Terms				At any time after an event of default has occurred and is continuing, (i) all outstanding obligations will, to the extent permitted by applicable law, bear interest at a rate per annum equal to 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable and (ii) all interest accrued and accruing will be payable in cash on demand.	At any time after an event of default has occurred and is continuing, (i) all outstanding obligations will, to the extent permitted by applicable law, bear interest at a rate per annum equal to 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable and (ii) all interest accrued and accruing will be payable in cash on demand.			Outstanding balances on the ABL Facility bear interest at the base rate specified below (“Base Rate”) plus a margin (based on a sliding scale of 1.00% to 1.50% depending on the borrowing base usage) or the adjusted LIBO rate specified below (“LIBO Rate”) plus a margin (based on a sliding scale of 2.00% to 2.50% depending on the borrowing base usage). Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the remainder of the current fiscal year of the ABL Borrowers, the margin will be 1.25% for Base Rate loans and 2.25% for LIBO Rate loans. The Base Rate is equal to the highest of (i) the prime lending rate of the ABL Agent, (ii) the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.5% per annum, and (iii) the LIBO Rate for a LIBO Rate loan denominated in dollars with a one-month interest period commencing on such day plus 1.00%. The LIBO Rate for a particular interest period is equal to the rate determined by the ABL Agent at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the date that is two business days prior to the commencement of the particular interest period by reference to the Reuters Screen LIBOR01 for deposits in dollars for a particular interest period
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayment Terms				We may prepay the New Tranche B Loans at any time, provided that any prepayment is in an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $100,000 or, if less, the outstanding principal amount of the New Tranche B Loans. Amounts to be applied to prepayment of New Tranche B Loans shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest then outstanding and fees then due, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal then outstanding.
Cash Deposits				2.50%
Line of Credit Facility, Capacity Available for Issuances of Letters of Credit								50,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding									15,000,000
Debt Instrument, Fee								The ABL Borrowers agreed to pay commitment fees for the ABL Facility equal to 0.375% if the borrowing base usage is greater than 50% and 0.500% if the borrowing base usage is less than or equal to 50%. Outstanding letters of credit will be charged a participation fee at a per annum rate equal to the margin applicable to LIBO Rate loans, a facing fee and customary administrative fees.
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description								The ABL Facility requires HIE and its subsidiaries and Hawaii Pacific Energy to comply with various affirmative and negative covenants affecting its business and operations, including compliance by HIE in certain circumstances with a minimum ratio of consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”), as adjusted, to total fixed charges of 1.0 to 1.0.
Line of Credit Facility, Collateral										Loans and letters of credit issued under the Uncommitted Credit Agreement are secured by a security interest in and lien on substantially all of Texadian’s assets, including, but not limited to, cash, accounts receivable, and inventory, a pledge by Texadian of 65% of its ownership interest in Texadian Canada, and a pledge by us of 100% of our ownership interest in Texadian.
Line of Credit Facility, Covenant Terms										The Uncommitted Credit Facility does not permit, at any time, Texadian’s consolidated leverage ratio to be greater than 5.00 to 1.00 or its consolidated gross asset coverage to be equal to or less than zero.
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date											Dec. 26, 2013				Feb. 05, 2013
Cash pledged as percentage of undrawn amount of all outstanding letters of credit											105.00%
Letter of credit fee											1.50%
Non-Option Equity Instruments, Granted																		9,592,125
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights																	$ 0.01
Common stock warrant expiration date																	Aug. 31, 2022
Exercise price of warrants multiplier fraction, numerator	9,737,182																147,655,815
Stock issued to settle bankruptcy claims																	2,232,934
Fair Value Of Warrants At Grant Date																	$ 6,600,000