Acquisition (Pro Forma Financial Information) (Details) - Petrobas America Inc - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018
Pro Forma Financial Information
Revenues	$ 855,689	$ 2,383,296
Net Income Attributable to Murphy	$ 266,275	$ 823,704
Net Income Attributable to PAI per Common Share [Abstract]
Basic	$ 1.54	$ 4.76
Diluted	$ 1.53	$ 4.73

Net Income Attributable to Aquiree per Common Share [Abstract]

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- Definition

The pro forma basic net income per share for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=79982066&loc=d3e1392-128463

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
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The pro forma diluted net income per share for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

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The pro forma net Income or Loss for the period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=79982066&loc=d3e1392-128463

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(2)
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- Definition

The pro forma revenue for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=79982066&loc=d3e1392-128463

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=79982066&loc=d3e1392-128463

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