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Common Shares - Additional Information (Detail) (CAD) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended | 228 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2014
Class of Stock [Line Items] |  |  |
Normal course issuer bid share repurchase shares authorized | 1,000,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased |  | 1,000,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased
Normal course issuer bid share repurchase programs | 19 imo_NormalCourseIssuerBidShareRepurchasePrograms |  | 19 imo_NormalCourseIssuerBidShareRepurchasePrograms
Normal course issuer bid share repurchase term, months | 12 months |  |
Exxon Mobil Corporation's ownership interest in Imperial | 69.60%imo_MajorityInterestOwnershipPercentage |  | 69.60%imo_MajorityInterestOwnershipPercentage
Cumulative purchases to date, shares | 2,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares | 2,776,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares | 906,543,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares
Cumulative purchases to date, value |  |  | 15,708 us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue

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- Definition Majority interest ownership percentage + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Number of 12 month bid share repurchase programs undertaken, since 1995. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Number of shares that have been repurchased and retired during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition Equity impact of the value of stock that has been repurchased and retired during the period. The excess of the purchase price over par value can be charged against retained earnings (once the excess is fully allocated to additional paid in capital). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30, 31 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition Period which shares may be purchased under a stock repurchase plan authorized by an entity's Board of Directors, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. + References No definition available. + Details
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