Acquisitions and Dispositions (Details)	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	May 31, 2011 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 Limited Partnership Interest [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 16, 2014 Limited Partnership Interest [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 TD EnerServ [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 29, 2014 TD EnerServ [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Optima Solutions [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 Optima Solutions [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 Optima Solutions [Member] GBP (£)	Mar. 09, 2012 Optima Solutions [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 09, 2012 Optima Solutions [Member] Minimum [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 09, 2012 Optima Solutions [Member] Maximum [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 Eastern Reservoir Services [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 23, 2012 Eastern Reservoir Services [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 Greywolf Production Systems [Member] USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2012 Greywolf Production Systems [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Heavy Lift Derrick Barge [Member] USD ($)	Jul. 20, 2011 Heavy Lift Derrick Barge [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Project Management Business [Member] USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Date of acquisition				Jan. 16, 2014		Jan. 29, 2014			Mar. 09, 2012	Mar. 09, 2012				Apr. 23, 2012		Jul. 31, 2012		Jul. 20, 2011
Percentage of ownership interest acquired					50.00%						100.00%
Purchase price				$ 25,200,000		$ 15,000,000			$ 65,000,000	£ 41,200,000				$ 42,500,000		$ 55,500,000		$ 62,800,000		$ 1,500,000
Contingent consideration, maximum							8,000,000						4,000,000
Contingent consideration, minimum												0
Adjustment of liability associated with contingent purchase price								1,200,000
Total adjustment to liability associated with contingent consideration								2,400,000
Portion of purchase price held in escrow																			20,800,000
Revenues associated with acquired operations									20,200,000					24,600,000		17,300,000
Depreciation and amortization associated with acquired operations									3,100,000					3,000,000		1,000,000
Income before taxes associated with acquired operations									2,500,000					5,400,000		1,100,000
Transaction costs											1,300,000				500,000		1,000,000
Purchase price allocation, property, plant and equipment									16,800,000					18,500,000		17,700,000
Purchase price allocation, net working capital									3,000,000
Purchase price allocation, other liabilities associated with contingent purchase price									3,500,000
Purchase price allocation, deferred tax and other liabilities									7,200,000
Purchase price allocation, certain intangible assets									20,400,000					3,400,000		3,500,000
Purchase price allocation, nondeductible goodwill									35,600,000					20,600,000		34,300,000
Total ownership interest resulting from acquisition					100.00%
Ownership interest immediately prior to acquisition					50.00%
Amount paid at closing					15,000,000
Additional consideration payable at a later date					10,200,000
Due date of second payment				Jun. 16, 2014
Percentage of proved reserves sold in February and March 2011		12.00%
Proceeds from sale of wireline and abandonment assets	10,700,000
Gain on disposal of assets	6,800,000
Percentage of proved reserves sold as of May 31, 2011			79.00%
Base sale price of oil and gas properties			222,300,000
Asset retirement obligations assumed by buyer of oil and gas properties			72,700,000
Net proceeds from sale of oil and gas properties			173,300,000
Buyer's prepayment on sale of oil and gas properties			11,100,000
Recorded amount of net gain on sale of oil and gas properties			56,800,000
Employee retention and incentive benefits paid in connection with sale of oil and gas properties		2,700,000
Percentage of proved reserves sold in August 2011		3.00%
Cash received on sale of oil and gas properties	4,400,000
Cash paid in connection with the sale of oil and gas properties		2,800,000
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Revenues	924,795,000
Depreciation, depletion, amortization, and accretion	78,826,000
Gross profit	179,143,000
Income before discontinued operations	25,858,000
Net income	25,861,000
Net income attributable to TETRA stockholders	$ 23,064,000
Per share information:
Income before discontinued operations attributable to TETRA stockholders (basic)	$ 0.30
Income before discontinued operations attributable to TETRA stockholders (diluted)	$ 0.29
Net income attributable to TETRA stockholders (basic)	$ 0.30
Net income attributable to TETRA stockholders (diluted)	$ 0.29