Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Summarized quarterly financial data
Revenue from external customers		$ 838,922,000	$ 718,704,000	$ 630,735,000	$ 615,241,000	$ 689,063,000	$ 689,820,000	$ 644,068,000	$ 606,928,000	$ 2,803,602,000	$ 2,629,879,000	$ 2,417,183,000
Gross profit		137,809,000	130,513,000	(14,803,000)	109,056,000	102,117,000	105,284,000	90,374,000	105,424,000
Net income (loss) attributable to Exterran stockholders		(5,739,000)	113,366,000	(152,608,000)	5,495,000	(66,578,000)	(215,974,000)	(28,026,000)	(30,030,000)	(39,486,000)	(340,608,000)	(101,825,000)
Income (loss) per common share attributable to Exterran stockholders:
Basic		$ (0.09)	$ 1.75	$ (2.40)	$ 0.09	$ (1.06)	$ (3.44)	$ (0.45)	$ (0.48)	$ (0.62)	$ (5.44)	$ (1.64)
Diluted		$ (0.09)	$ 1.74	$ (2.40)	$ 0.09	$ (1.06)	$ (3.44)	$ (0.45)	$ (0.48)	$ (0.62)	$ (5.44)	$ (1.64)
Selected Quarterly Financial Information
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates	37,600,000				37,600,000
Equity in income of non-consolidated affiliates		4,600,000	4,800,000	4,700,000						14,100,000
Long-lived asset impairment		46,800,000								183,445,000	6,068,000	143,874,000
Goodwill impairment											196,807,000
Revenue reclassified to discontinued operations					11,300,000				11,600,000	50,557,000	53,591,000	47,290,000
Restructuring charges										6,636,000	11,594,000
Continuing Operations
Selected Quarterly Financial Information
Long-lived asset impairment			3,200,000	128,500,000	4,100,000
Goodwill impairment							196,100,000
Restructuring charges			1,500,000	1,300,000	3,000,000	8,700,000	2,900,000
Discontinued Operations
Selected Quarterly Financial Information
Proceeds from sale of expropriated assets		16,800,000	126,700,000
Impairment of discontinued operations		$ 11,600,000	$ 27,700,000	$ 40,800,000