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Property, Plant and Equipment (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]        
Proceeds from sales of property, plant and equipment $ 1,467,046,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfProductiveAssets $ 1,650,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfProductiveAssets $ 99,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfProductiveAssets  
Gain (loss) on sale of assets 138,903,000us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets1 (87,000)us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets1 66,000us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets1  
Total capitalized exploratory well costs 120,455,000us-gaap_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCosts 393,030,000us-gaap_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCosts 445,697,000us-gaap_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCosts 556,412,000us-gaap_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCosts
Impairment of assets 51,314,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties 21,587,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties 200,000,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties [1]  
Malaysia [Member]        
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]        
Percentage of interest in oil and gas property sold during period 20.00%mur_PercentageOfInterestInOilAndgasPropertiesSoldDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_CapitalizedCostsOfUnprovedPropertiesExcludedFromAmortizationByPropertyOrProjectAxis
= country_MY		      
Proceeds from sales of property, plant and equipment 1,460,425,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfProductiveAssets
/ us-gaap_CapitalizedCostsOfUnprovedPropertiesExcludedFromAmortizationByPropertyOrProjectAxis
= country_MY		      
Gain (loss) on sale of assets 321,454,000us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets1
/ us-gaap_CapitalizedCostsOfUnprovedPropertiesExcludedFromAmortizationByPropertyOrProjectAxis
= country_MY		      
United States [Member]        
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]        
Exploratory well costs capitalized more than one year 54,519,000us-gaap_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCostsThatHaveBeenCapitalizedForPeriodGreaterThanOneYear
/ us-gaap_CapitalizedCostsOfUnprovedPropertiesExcludedFromAmortizationByPropertyOrProjectAxis
= country_US		      
Brunei        
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]        
Exploratory well costs capitalized more than one year 65,936,000us-gaap_CapitalizedExploratoryWellCostsThatHaveBeenCapitalizedForPeriodGreaterThanOneYear
/ us-gaap_CapitalizedCostsOfUnprovedPropertiesExcludedFromAmortizationByPropertyOrProjectAxis
= country_BN		      
Gulf of Mexico [Member]        
Projects with Exploratory Well Costs Capitalized for More than One Year [Line Items]        
Impairment of assets $ 14,267,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfOilAndGasProperties
/ us-gaap_CapitalizedCostsOfUnprovedPropertiesExcludedFromAmortizationByPropertyOrProjectAxis
= mur_GulfOfMexicoMember		      
[1] Results exclude corporate overhead, interest and discontinued operations.