Income taxes - Changes in Deferred tax assets and liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Changes in net deferred tax liability during the year [abstract]
Net deferred tax liability beginning balance	$ 5,530.0	$ 5,367.0	$ 5,213.0
Charged (credited) to the Consolidated statement of income	435.0	(381.0)	563.0
Charged (credited) to Other comprehensive income	(19.0)	98.0	(22.0)
Translation differences and other	304.0	446.0	(386.0)
Net deferred tax liability ending balance	6,250.0	5,530.0	$ 5,367.0
Net deferred tax assets and liabilities [abstract]
Deferred tax assets	4,974.0	3,881.0
Deferred tax liabilities	11,224.0	9,410.0
Deferred tax assets recognized in entities which have suffered a loss in either the current or preceding period	$ 2,328.0	$ 995.0

No definition available.

Name:	eqnr_ChangesInNetDeferredTaxLiabilityDuringTheYearAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	eqnr_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of deferred tax asset when: (a) the utilisation of the deferred tax asset is dependent on future taxable profits in excess of the profits arising from the reversal of existing taxable temporary differences; and (b) the entity has suffered a loss in either the current or preceding period in the tax jurisdiction to which the deferred tax asset relates. [Refer: Temporary differences [member]]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 82
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=12&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_82&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DeferredTaxAssetWhenUtilisationIsDependentOnFutureTaxableProfitsInExcessOfProfitsFromReversalOfTaxableTemporaryDifferencesAndEntityHasSufferedLossInJurisdictionToWhichDeferredTaxAssetRelates
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of tax expense or income relating to changes in deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets, recognised in profit or loss. [Refer: Deferred tax assets; Deferred tax expense (income); Deferred tax liabilities]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 81
-Subparagraph g
-Clause ii
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=12&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_81_g_ii&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DeferredTaxExpenseIncomeRecognisedInProfitOrLoss
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of deferred tax liabilities or assets. [Refer: Deferred tax liabilities; Deferred tax assets]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 81
-Subparagraph g
-Clause i
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=12&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_81_g_i&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DeferredTaxLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of income tax relating to amounts recognised in other comprehensive income. [Refer: Other comprehensive income]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 81
-Subparagraph ab
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=12&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_81_ab&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 90
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=1&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_90&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IncomeTaxRelatingToComponentsOfOtherComprehensiveIncome
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The increase (decrease) in deferred tax liability (asset) resulting from the net exchange differences arising when the financial statements are translated from the functional currency into a different presentation currency, including the translation of a foreign operation into the presentation currency of the reporting entity. [Refer: Deferred tax liability (asset)]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 81
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=12&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_81&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IncreaseDecreaseThroughNetExchangeDifferencesDeferredTaxLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of deferred tax assets net of deferred tax liabilities, when the absolute amount of deferred tax assets is greater than the absolute amount of deferred tax liabilities. [Refer: Deferred tax assets; Deferred tax liabilities]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2019-01-01
-Paragraph 81
-Subparagraph g
-Clause i
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=12&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_81_g_i&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2019-03-27

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_NetDeferredTaxAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_NetDeferredTaxAssetsAndLiabilitiesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of deferred tax liabilities net of deferred tax assets, when the absolute amount of deferred tax liabilities is greater than the absolute amount of deferred tax assets. [Refer: Deferred tax assets; Deferred tax liabilities]

+ References

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_NetDeferredTaxLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant