New Accounting Principles and Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Accounting Principles Adopted Leases. In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-02 (Topic 842) to increase transparency and comparability among companies by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. The main difference between previous Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and this ASU is the recognition of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases under previous GAAP. The company adopted the standard in the first quarter of 2019 utilizing the modified retrospective transition method through a cumulative-effect adjustment at the beginning of the first quarter of 2019. The Company has elected the package of practical expedients, which allows the Company not to reassess (1) whether any expired or existing contracts as of the adoption date are or contain a lease, (2) lease classification for any expired or existing leases as of the adoption date and (3) initial direct costs for any existing leases as of the adoption date. The Company did not elect to apply the hindsight practical expedient when determining lease term and assessing impairment of right-of-use assets. The adoption of ASU 2016-02 resulted in the recognition of right-of-use assets of $618.1 million, current lease liabilities for operating leases of approximately $155.5 million, non-current lease liabilities of $468.4 million and a cumulative-effect adjustment to credit retained earnings of $116.8 million on its Consolidated Balance Sheets, with no material impact to its Consolidated Statements of Operations. See Note P for further information regarding the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-02 on the Company’s financial statements. Compensation – Stock Compensation. In June 2018, the FASB issued an ASU 2018-07 which supersedes existing guidance for equity-based payments to nonemployees and expands the scope of guidance for stock compensation to include all share-based payment arrangements related to the acquisition of goods and services from both nonemployees and employees. As a result, the same guidance that provides for employee share-based payments, including most of its requirements related to classification and measurement, applies to nonemployee share-based payment arrangements. The Company adopted this guidance during the first quarter of 2019 and it did not have material impact on its consolidated financial statements. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Financial Instruments – Credit Losses. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 which replaces the impairment model for most financial assets, including trade receivables, from the incurred loss methodology to a forward-looking expected loss model that will result in earlier recognition of credit losses. The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted, and is to be applied on a modified retrospective basis. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this ASU, but does not expect a material impact to its consolidated financial statements. Fair Value Measurement. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13 which modifies disclosure requirements related to fair value measurement. The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Implementation on a prospective or retrospective basis varies by specific disclosure requirement. Early adoption is permitted. The standard also allows for early adoption of any removed or modified disclosures upon issuance of this ASU while delaying adoption of the additional disclosures until their effective date. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this ASU to its consolidated financial statements. Compensation-Retirement Benefits-Defined Benefit Plans-General. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14 which modifies the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans. For public companies, the amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted, and is to be applied on a retrospective basis to all periods presented. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this ASU to its consolidated financial statements.
Nature of Business	NATURE OF BUSINESS – Murphy Oil Corporation is an international oil and gas company that conducts its business through various operating subsidiaries. The Company primarily produces oil and natural gas in the United States and Canada and conducts oil and natural gas exploration activities worldwide. Effective January 1, 2019, Malaysia was reported as discontinued operations as the sale represents a strategic shift that has a major effect on the Company’s operations and financial results. Prior periods have been reclassified to conform with the current presentation. See Note D – Property, Plant, and Equipment and Note E – Discontinued Operations and Assets Held for Sale for more information regarding the sale of this asset.
Leases	Significant Accounting Policy At inception, contracts are assessed for the presence of a lease according to criteria laid out by ASC 842. If a lease is present, further criteria is assessed to determine if the lease should be classified as an operating or finance lease. Operating leases are presented on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as Operating lease assets with the corresponding lease liabilities presented in Operating lease liabilities and Non-current operating lease liabilities. Finance lease assets are presented on the Consolidated Balance Sheet within Assets held for sale with the corresponding liabilities presented in Current maturities of long-term debt and Long-term debt. See Note E – Discontinued Operations for amounts in Assets held for sale. Generally, lease liabilities are recognized at commencement and based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments to be made over the lease term. Lease assets are then recognized based on the value of the lease liabilities. Where implicit lease rates are not determinable, the minimum lease payments are discounted using the Company’s collateralized incremental borrowing rates. Operating leases are expensed according to their nature and recognized in Lease operating expenses, Selling and general expenses or capitalized in the Consolidated Financial Statements. Finance leases are depreciated with expenses recognized in Depreciation, depletion, and amortization and Interest expense, net on the Consolidated Statement of Operations.