Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 5,418	$ (43,718)	$ 68,804
Reconciliation of net income (loss) to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion	94,839	148,022	149,326
Impairments of long-lived assets	15,738	88,867	19,531
Provision (benefit) for deferred income taxes	(5,757)	(45,487)	21,204
Equity-based compensation expense	6,288	7,211	6,662
Provision for doubtful accounts	973	(1)	3,393
Proceeds from sale of derivatives	0	0	23,060
Non-cash income from sold hedge derivatives	0	(22,853)	0
(Gain) loss on sale of property, plant, and equipment	(58,674)	89	(7,333)
Proceeds from insurance settlements	0	47,772	0
Excess decommissioning/abandoning costs	78,382	53,997	23,771
Other non-cash charges and credits	(4,815)	(495)	762
Excess tax benefit from exercise of stock options	(1,334)	(517)	(247)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	16,129	6,613	62,364
Inventories	2,158	17,308	(4,628)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	23,447	(2,092)	13,611
Trade accounts payable and accrued expenses	(29,984)	(5,500)	(30,622)
Decommissioning liabilities	(101,920)	(95,872)	(79,471)
Other	2,899	(19)	2,128
Net cash provided by operating activities	43,787	153,325	272,315
Investing activities:
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment	(123,604)	(107,684)	(151,773)
Business combinations, net of cash acquired	(1,500)	(6,250)	(18,105)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant, and equipment	188,273	2,997	15,925
Other investing activities	(16,330)	(4,949)	4,254
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	46,839	(115,886)	(149,699)
Financing activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	0	90,035	197,900
Principal payments on long-term debt	0	(91,784)	(295,034)
Excess tax benefit from exercise of stock options	1,334	517	247
Proceeds from issuance of Compressco Partners' common units, net of underwriters' discount	50,234	0	0
Compressco Partners' offering costs	(2,747)	0	0
Compressco Partners' distributions	(1,159)	0	0
Proceeds from sale of common stock and exercise of stock options	3,418	1,287	1,165
Deferred financing costs	(347)	(5,963)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	50,733	(5,908)	(95,722)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(2,307)	435	2,618
Increase in cash and cash equivalents	139,052	31,966	29,512
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	65,360	33,394	3,882
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	204,412	65,360	33,394
Supplemental cash flow information:
Interest paid	18,145	19,136	19,940
Taxes paid (refunded)	(12,649)	29,095	11,505
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Adjustment of fair value of decommissioning liabilities capitalized to oil and gas properties	$ 1,804	$ 65,664	$ 23,705