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	Retained Earnings Cumulative Effect, Period Of Adoption, Adjustment	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Treasury Stock	Noncontrolling Interest
Balance at beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2017					$ 195,056	$ 917,665	$ 5,245,242		$ (462,243)	$ (1,275,529)	$ 0
Exercise of stock options					21	(362)
Restricted stock transactions and other						(33,920)
Stock-based compensation						27,920
Fair value increase in common controlled assets						68,339
Net income (loss)	$ 419,486	[1]					411,094				8,392
Reclassification of certain tax effects	(30,237)						30,237		(30,237)
Cash dividends							(173,044)
Foreign currency translation gains (losses), net of income taxes	(145,022)								(145,022)
Retirement and postretirement benefit plans, net of income taxes									29,110
Deferred loss on interest rate hedge reclassified to interest expense, net of income taxes	2,342								2,342
Other	(3,737)								(3,737)
Awarded restricted stock, net of forfeitures										26,367
Acquisition											359,951
Balance at end of year at Dec. 31, 2018	5,197,642		$ 4,829,299	$ 0	195,077	979,642	5,513,529	$ 114,712	(609,787)	(1,249,162)	368,343
Exercise of stock options					12	(182)
Restricted stock transactions and other						(38,731)
Stock-based compensation						33,235
Fair value increase in common controlled assets						(24,519)
Net income (loss)	1,253,302						1,149,732				103,570
Reclassification of certain tax effects	0
Cash dividends							(163,669)
Foreign currency translation gains (losses), net of income taxes	66,600								66,600
Retirement and postretirement benefit plans, net of income taxes									(35,979)
Deferred loss on interest rate hedge reclassified to interest expense, net of income taxes	5,005								5,005
Other	0
Purchase of treasury shares										(499,924)
Awarded restricted stock, net of forfeitures										31,869
Acquisition closing adjustments											(6,604)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners											(128,158)
Balance at end of year at Dec. 31, 2019	5,804,611		5,467,460	0	195,089	949,445	6,614,304		(574,161)	(1,717,217)	337,151
Exercise of stock options					12	(156)
Restricted stock transactions and other						(33,649)
Stock-based compensation						26,052
Net income (loss)	(1,262,445)						(1,148,777)				(113,668)
Reclassification of certain tax effects	0
Cash dividends							(95,989)
Foreign currency translation gains (losses), net of income taxes	29,241								29,241
Retirement and postretirement benefit plans, net of income taxes									(57,617)
Deferred loss on interest rate hedge reclassified to interest expense, net of income taxes	1,204								1,204
Other	0
Awarded restricted stock, net of forfeitures										26,556
Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners											(43,673)
Balance at end of year at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 4,394,147		$ 4,214,337	$ 0	$ 195,101	$ 941,692	$ 5,369,538		$ (601,333)	$ (1,690,661)	$ 179,810

[1] Reclassified to conform with current presentation