Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 18,757	$ 5,418	$ (43,718)
Reconciliation of net income (loss) to cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion	75,747	94,839	148,022
Impairments of long-lived assets	8,360	15,738	88,867
Provision (benefit) for deferred income taxes	(2,012)	(5,757)	(45,487)
Equity-based compensation expense	9,441	6,288	7,211
Provision for doubtful accounts	(237)	973	(1)
Non-cash income from sold hedge derivatives	0	0	(22,853)
(Gain) loss on sale of property, plant, and equipment	(4,916)	(58,674)	89
Proceeds from insurance settlements	0	0	47,772
Excess decommissioning/abandoning costs	40,767	78,382	53,997
Other non-cash charges and credits	(6,527)	(6,149)	(1,012)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of assets acquired:
Accounts receivable	(31,229)	16,129	6,613
Inventories	(3,749)	2,158	17,308
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(1,335)	23,447	(2,092)
Trade accounts payable and accrued expenses	7,291	(29,984)	(5,500)
Decommissioning liabilities	(94,419)	(101,920)	(95,872)
Other	1,730	2,899	(19)
Net cash provided by operating activities	17,669	43,787	153,325
Investing activities:
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment	(107,524)	(123,604)	(107,684)
Business combinations, net of cash acquired	(163,305)	(1,500)	(6,250)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant, and equipment	59,325	188,273	2,997
Other investing activities	4,817	(16,330)	(4,949)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(206,687)	46,839	(115,886)
Financing activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	88,426	0	90,035
Principal payments on long-term debt	(28,597)	0	(91,784)
Excess tax benefit from equity-based compensation	198	1,334	517
Proceeds from issuance of Compressco Partners' common units, net of underwriters' discount	0	50,234	0
Compressco Partners' offering costs	0	(2,747)	0
Compressco Partners' distributions	(4,513)	(1,159)	0
Proceeds from sale of common stock and exercise of stock options	784	3,418	1,287
Deferred financing costs	0	(347)	(5,963)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	56,298	50,733	(5,908)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	2,357	(2,307)	435
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(130,364)	139,052	31,966
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	204,412	65,360	33,394
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	74,048	204,412	65,360
Supplemental cash flow information:
Interest paid	18,711	18,145	19,136
Taxes paid (refunded)	8,020	(12,649)	29,095
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Adjustment of fair value of decommissioning liabilities capitalized to oil and gas properties	$ 0	$ 1,804	$ 65,664