CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total		Murphy Shareholders' Equity	Cumulative Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Capital In Excess Of Par Value	Retained Earnings		Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Treasury Stock	Noncontrolling Interest
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2017					$ 195,056	$ 917,665	$ 5,245,242		$ (462,243)	$ (1,275,529)	$ 0
Exercise of stock options, including income tax benefits					(9)	(175)
Restricted stock transactions and other						(32,766)
Stock-based compensation						20,655
Adjustments to acquisition valuation						0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	$ 307,715	[1],[2]					307,715				0
Reclassification of certain tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive loss	30,237						(30,237)		30,237
Sale and leaseback gain recognized upon adoption of ASC 842, net of tax impact							0
Cash dividends							(129,780)
Foreign currency translation (loss) gain, net of income taxes	(53,805)								(53,805)
Retirement and postretirement benefit plans, net of income taxes	10,498								10,498
Deferred loss on interest rate hedges reclassified to interest expense, net of income taxes	1,756								1,756
Other	(3,737)								(3,737)
Purchase of treasury shares										0
Awarded restricted stock, net of forfeitures										26,367
Acquisition closing adjustments											0
Distributions to noncontrolling Interest Owners											0
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2018	4,766,928		$ 4,766,928	$ 0	195,065	905,379	5,453,414		(537,768)	(1,249,162)	0
Balance at beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2018					195,065	898,126	5,402,734		(575,123)	(1,249,162)	0
Exercise of stock options, including income tax benefits					0	0
Restricted stock transactions and other						0
Stock-based compensation						7,253
Adjustments to acquisition valuation						0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	93,943	[1],[2]					93,943	[2]			0
Reclassification of certain tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive loss	0						0		0
Sale and leaseback gain recognized upon adoption of ASC 842, net of tax impact							0
Cash dividends							(43,263)
Foreign currency translation (loss) gain, net of income taxes	33,380								33,380
Retirement and postretirement benefit plans, net of income taxes	3,390								3,390
Deferred loss on interest rate hedges reclassified to interest expense, net of income taxes	585								585
Other	0								0
Purchase of treasury shares										0
Awarded restricted stock, net of forfeitures										0
Acquisition closing adjustments											0
Distributions to noncontrolling Interest Owners											0
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2018	4,766,928		4,766,928	0	195,065	905,379	5,453,414		(537,768)	(1,249,162)	0
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018	5,197,642	[2]			195,077	979,642	5,513,529		(609,787)	(1,249,162)	368,343
Exercise of stock options, including income tax benefits					(6)	(123)
Restricted stock transactions and other						(38,732)
Stock-based compensation						25,041
Adjustments to acquisition valuation						(24,519)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,221,456						1,221,456				86,257
Reclassification of certain tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive loss	0						0		0
Sale and leaseback gain recognized upon adoption of ASC 842, net of tax impact							116,768
Cash dividends							(125,437)
Foreign currency translation (loss) gain, net of income taxes	36,927								36,927
Retirement and postretirement benefit plans, net of income taxes	8,277								8,277
Deferred loss on interest rate hedges reclassified to interest expense, net of income taxes	1,756								1,756
Other	0								0
Purchase of treasury shares										(405,938)
Awarded restricted stock, net of forfeitures										31,869
Acquisition closing adjustments											(7,920)
Distributions to noncontrolling Interest Owners											(97,510)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2019	6,025,820		5,676,650	0	195,083	941,309	6,726,316		(562,827)	(1,623,231)	349,170
Balance at beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2019					195,083	933,944	5,677,248		(549,045)	(1,517,217)	358,531
Exercise of stock options, including income tax benefits					0	0
Restricted stock transactions and other						0
Stock-based compensation						7,365
Adjustments to acquisition valuation						0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,089,002						1,089,002				22,700
Reclassification of certain tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive loss	0						0		0
Sale and leaseback gain recognized upon adoption of ASC 842, net of tax impact							0
Cash dividends							(39,934)
Foreign currency translation (loss) gain, net of income taxes	(17,128)								(17,128)
Retirement and postretirement benefit plans, net of income taxes	2,761								2,761
Deferred loss on interest rate hedges reclassified to interest expense, net of income taxes	585								585
Other	0								0
Purchase of treasury shares										(106,014)
Awarded restricted stock, net of forfeitures										0
Acquisition closing adjustments											(3,328)
Distributions to noncontrolling Interest Owners											(28,733)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 6,025,820		$ 5,676,650	$ 0	$ 195,083	$ 941,309	$ 6,726,316		$ (562,827)	$ (1,623,231)	$ 349,170

[1] Reclassified to conform to current presentation (see Note A).

[2] Reclassified to conform to current presentation (see Note A).