CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Operating Activities
Net income (loss)		$ (2,270,833)		$ 905,611		$ 1,123,473
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by continuing operations activities:
Loss (income) from discontinued operations		15,061		119,362		(235,336)
Depreciation, depletion and amortization		1,619,824		1,906,247		1,553,394
Impairment of assets		2,493,156		51,314		21,587
Amortization of deferred major repair costs		7,296		8,345		8,464
Dry hole costs		296,845		269,986		262,876
Amortization of undeveloped leases		75,312		74,438		66,891
Accretion of asset retirement obligations		48,665		50,778		48,996
Deferred and noncurrent income tax charges (benefits)		(978,030)		(170,915)		158,108
Pretax (gains) losses from disposition of assets		(154,155)		(138,903)		87
Net decrease (increase) in noncash operating working capital		35,064		(3,729)		266,329
Other operating activities, net		(4,836)		(23,895)		(64,174)
Net cash provided by continuing operations activities		1,183,369		3,048,639		3,210,695
Investing Activities
Property additions and dry hole costs	[1]	(2,549,736)		(3,679,464)		(3,590,344)
Proceeds from sales of property, plant and equipment		423,911		1,467,046		1,650
Purchase of investment securities	[2]	(911,787)		(986,328)		(923,497)
Proceeds from maturity of investment securities	[2]	1,129,139		899,857		664,258
Other investing activities, net		(13,648)		(18,929)		291
Net cash required by investing activities		(1,922,121)		(2,317,818)		(3,847,642)
Financing Activities
Borrowings of debt	[1]	600,000		100,000		350,000
Repayments of debt		(450,000)
Capital lease obligation payments		(10,434)		(25,265)
Purchase of treasury stock		(250,000)		(375,000)		(500,000)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options and employee stock purchase plans				210		3,409
Withholding tax on stock-based incentive awards		(8,976)		(6,786)		(16,727)
Cash dividends paid		(244,998)		(236,371)		(235,108)
Separation of U.S. retail marketing business:
Cash distributed to Murphy Oil by Murphy USA						650,000
Cash held and retained by Murphy USA upon separation						(55,506)
Other financing activities, net		(153)		(1,498)		(2,473)
Net cash provided (required) by financing activities		(364,561)		(544,710)		193,595
Cash Flows from Discontinued Operations
Operating activities		(15,005)		(39,563)		427,792
Investing activities		5,314		199,541		116,463
Changes in cash included in current assets held for sale		192,585		100,790		(301,302)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations		182,894		260,768		242,953
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		10,294		(3,726)		3,238
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents		(910,125)		443,153		(197,161)
Cash and cash equivalents at January 1		1,193,308	[3]	750,155		947,316
Cash and cash equivalents at December 31		$ 283,183		$ 1,193,308	[3]	$ 750,155

[1] Excludes noncash asset and long-term obligation of $357,991 in 2013 associated with lease commencement for production equipment at the Kakap field offshore Malaysia.

[2] Investments are Canadian government securities with maturities greater than 90 days at the date of acquisition.

[3] Reclassified to conform to current presentation.